Week of February 15th

With Valentine’s Day this past weekend, we figured love is in the air. What does love mean to you? Of course, love means different things to each of us. For many, love is a deep commitment and connection to someone or something. For some, love originates from within.  For others, love can be experienced from others or by oneself. Love isn’t only a feeling; it is an active experience.

How do you show love? Maybe its in the way you cook. Maybe its in the calls you make to check in. Love can be found in doing homework with kids or zoom calls with grandparents. Perhaps you show love by volunteering at your local food pantry. Some of us love ourselves in meditation and mindfulness disciplines.

Where do you love? We hope you have found at least one area of your life to build love. Over time, love can be found in your heart, in your homes and in your behavior. Love is a knowing beyond walls and specific relationships. Love is the mindful participation in your life that may lead to expanding your own experience in the world.

This week, as you experience love, we invite you to practice the DBT skill of mindfulness of your current emotion. When we practice this skill we can stand back and let go of distractions. Using this skill can increase our practice of kindness and compassion. Mindfulness of love can have the added benefit of reducing distress.