Love potion number one :-)

"You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and joyfully being what you are, you fulfill your own abilities, and your simple presence can make others happy." Jane Roberts

Happiness is an inside job - and guess what - so is Love! Ahhh...love and romance - the most written about subject - that intoxicating combination of inner and outer experiences. We want to be loved, we want to be adored, we want to be romanced, we want to be cherished, we want it all! And why not? Life is for living!

Love is the powerful inspiration and creator of so much, and there is an endless supply of it for you, when you can look inside and build resources from within first. When you cease expecting someone else to be your answer - and you meet your own needs. YOU are the answer to your prayers! YOU become the lover/partner/wife/husband/soul mate that you've been searching for ;-)

The great Ghandi said "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
Translated; if you want peace; be peaceful, if you want love - BE loving, if you want romance - BE romantic, if you want adoration - BE adoring!

This excerpt from 'Abraham', Esther and Jerry Hicks says it all; "Do you know the relationship that you are all looking for? Do you know what it really is? You want the relationship between you and you. And when you meet a person who looks fondly at you, or who is appreciative of you, or someone you look fondly upon, or someone you appreciate, it just hooks you up to your Inner Being, which is what you want all along. So the relationship you are all looking for is the relationship between you and you. And everything else is just helpful in that, really."


"The greatest gift you can give anyone is to be happy. And we will take that further. The greatest gift you can give to any partner, past, present or future is to be so connected with who you truly are that they are irrelevant to your connection. And when they are irrelevant to your connection, then you are going to have a really good time together." Sound good? Uh-huh....?

In this life, you get what you focus on, if you focus on the fact that 'I don't have THAT', then of course it won't come to you; you aren't equal to it. If you can BE THAT and therefore aren't dwelling on the LACK of THAT, and instead are dwelling in peace, contentment, a feeling of having it - then you are equal to it - and you will attract it - and see it all around you. (cue rose-tinted glasses)

Recently I enjoyed reading an article in Grazia (UK) featuring a cute London couple - Joe and Katie. Three years into their relationship Katie told Joe he was about as romantic as a Spiderman duvet! Joe rose to that challenge by setting up a style blog devoted to Katie, featuring a daily photograph and anecdotes of her wardrobe arrangements for a year! (woah! what a come-back!)

www.whatkatiewore.com is a delicious morsel of what girls dream of, and many men fear;romantic devotion...ahhhh....(back of wrist draped melodramatically over forehead).

The blog features Katie in the most amazing collection of new, vintage and charity shop specials, taking the current trend of recycle, make do and mend and turning it into an e extravaganza (go Katie!!). The only caveat from Joe; no repeats! (I did however spy one repeat; shoes - although I believe Katie boasts more than 200 pairs of shoes!!! Where does she store all of this stuff?) Joe clearly loves his Katie, and his devotion is played out in the words of his blog. Katie clearly loves fashion and in her devotion has found one fabulous mode of self-expression!

It feels fitting to be writing this today, after attending a wedding this weekend; the greatest celebration of love and devotion! Included in the proceedings was a gospel choir, nice touch!

So who are you when you feel fully loved and supported - romantically and in every other way? What can you do to give that to yourself this week? How can you celebrate love and devotion? Leave any old guilt of the evils of selfishness out! It serves no-one...if you don't look after yourself, then you're in no fit state to help anyone else! When you are supported from within, you lead the way and the world benefits greatly.

Some ways that I express devotion to myself;

1) Practicing the art of saying 'no' - if it doesn't suit me.
2) Meeting my own needs first (within reason).
3) Taking good personal care; presentation-preservation-prevention.
4) Honoring self-promises (commitment).
5) Setting boundaries.
6) Using positive self-dialogue.
7) Making *me* time a priority (agreed; challenging for mums!! But not impossible!). Communicating your needs & desires (allowing others to support you).

These are just a few to get you started, and break down to a million and one elements. See if you can begin to implement a few into your weekly habits. Be the change!

Have a gorgeously, loving and romantic week! And don't be shy to share comments and stories please :-) - or send me roses ;-) eehehhehehheeee or chocolate!!!!

Soooo much lurve...

Jodie xxx