It’s all about loving life
What’s love got to do with it! Many of you will remember this title from the very popular song by Tina Turner. So, surely, you think this post is about romantic relationships. Well, it is…sort of. It’s about loving life.
It’s about your relationship with your life. Do you love it? Are you fulfilled in how you’re living? Are you excited about the direction that your life is going? I don’t mean that your life is perfect. Nobody’s life is perfect. However, some people do feel they’re in a good place – their relationships with God, family and friends are strong – healthy and wholesome. These individuals are making significant strides within the employment arena. They’re making time for themselves, for self-care; making productive choices in how they manage their time. There are still things they want to accomplish, but right now, things are good. They are loving life.
But then there are others that will say, “Umm. Not so much!” Perhaps you are in that camp, still trying to get it together. Well, you are not alone. So many people are there with you.
Love makes everything better
So, what’s love got to do with it? When it comes to how you feel about where you are in life, love has a lot to do with it. When you love your life, you are more productive and you experience joy and inner peace. Even when situations in your life aren’t what you want them to be, when situations seemingly go from bad to worse, you are better able to manage through the challenges when you have a healthy love for life. You understand that “this too shall pass.” You can refuse to allow your circumstances to control how you feel. Yes, things can be difficult as some situations can really catch you unaware.
For example, when there is a death of someone that you love; or someone betrays your trust; or you’re fired from your job; or you discover that you have a life-threatening illness. There are myriad situations that could occur to throw us off balance.
Encouragement for loving life
And, sometimes, the tendency is for these things to derail you. Consequently, they can lead you to depression. As a result, you may not see much to love about life. However, when you have a genuine love for life, you are able to rise above these challenges to avoid becoming overwhelmed and disheartened. To offer support, the following quotes encourage us to have a healthy and productive perspective that will enable us to love life and to live it to the fullest extent. They could be considered “love quotes” when speaking about life.
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
(Charles R. Swindoll)
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”
(Earl Nightingale)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
(Proverbs 3:5, 6 NASB)
Responding to challenges
Think about your day. How do you respond to constantly changing events and circumstances? Are you more likely to respond negatively, to “lose your cool” and get despondent about life? On the other hand, is it more likely that you will take control of your emotions and manage your circumstances with faith and joy? Are you resilient and able to bounce back from adversity? Certainly, situations are not always black and white. There are many shades of gray when it comes to what we can encounter in a day’s time. But that’s the way love is – many shades of gray.
To encourage love for life, no matter what, say to yourself:
“I will not give up on my future;”
“There is a lesson to be learned from this situation;”
“I know that whatever happens, it will work for my good;” and
“I love my life and I am a blessing to my generation.”
Start the day with love for life
Certainly, when you begin each day loving life, you’re much more likely to manage your life with faith in God and with joy and hope. Remember, every day is a new day, a fresh start. Consequently, you have the opportunity to decide how you will face the challenges of the day. Life is too short to be despondent or nonchalant. Therefore, choose to love your life and to cherish each moment. Above all, understand that each day allows you to further discover all that God has planned for you and how He wants to use your life to inspire others to pursue their own greatness. So, what’s love got to do with it? Everything!