Being loved for ourselves

Love & Relationships
There’s no disputing that intimate relationships can be challenging at times. But coming together with another human being can often breed immeasurable joy, through the embracing and understanding of each other’s uniqueness. You don’t necessarily rely on the other person to bring you happiness, it just seems to come naturally – flowing through your days like a stream through a meadow. Terri Guillemets once said that “Love is when you can be your true self with someone, and you only want to be your true self because of them.” What a simply beautiful sentiment. But as I’ve discovered over the years, you cannot fully love someone else until you’re prepared to say that you love and accept yourself just as you are. Relationships are about patterns really. Regardless of who…
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Heart vs. Head

Life & Living, Love & Relationships
Thank you Louise for this wonderful post...it couldn't be more fitting during this stage of my life. by Louise Jensen “If you want to become something, achieve something in life, then always listen to your heart.” Shahrukh Khan I was recently interviewed by Aimee du Fresne as part of her Fearless Friday Interview series. She was quizzing me regarding a monumental move I had recently made. "Did you think it would be so hard," she asked. "I didn't think at all," I perhaps, too honestly, blurted out. There are generally two types of people. Those who make heart led decisions, and those who rationalize, weigh up possible outcomes, and think everything through meticulously. Throughout my life I have always followed my heart without hesitation - I am extremely impulsive and…
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A valentine to yourself can help you appreciate the person you are

Love & Relationships
Feeling a little down in the dumps and unfulfilled, a dear friend of mine suggested writing a “valentine” to myself – a note of love and appreciation for the person I am and rarely see. I’ll try just about anything once, and so I sat down to write myself this message of love. I’m rarely at a loss for words, but I struggled to form complete sentences to express my inner appreciation for the person I am today. In life, we’re rarely called upon to write about ourselves, our abilities and our accomplishments. While such a practice might be commonplace for those appearing in a theatrical playbill, for the ordinary people of the world there just never seems to be a need. It’s awkward to sit down and tell yourself…
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Being a dad is not an easy job – it takes someone special

Love & Relationships, Youth
“Any man can be a Father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” Anne Geddes Anyone familiar with the “birds and the bees” knows that becoming a father is not a difficult process from a scientific standpoint. But just because you were able to create this new human life, does not automatically nominate you for father of the year. That’s a title you must diligently earn over the course of your child’s lifetime. There’s much more to being a father than simply providing food on the table and a roof over their head. It’s more than just attending little league games and class recitals. In short, it’s about unconditional love and continual support – regardless of their choices and your stern disapproval of then. Far too often father’s…
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New beginnings happen all the time you just have to embrace them

Love & Relationships, Youth
New beginnings make me think of this quote. All that is worth cherishing begins in the heart. ~Suzanne Chapin Did you ever find yourself riddled with emotions you’re unable to fully process? Lately I’ve been battling such a feeling, and it’s taken me a few days to completely figure out and understand their underlying meaning. For the last week, my sister-in-law and her three month old son have been visiting from Colorado - occupying the spare bedrooms in my house, and the empty spaces inside my heart. Though my wife and I have no children of our own, I have been thoroughly enjoying our little visitor. I think much of the credit goes to his mother, for allowing my wife and I to truly bond with her new son –…
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