Love is all you need

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

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This blog is not about current events, but sometimes you need to talk about the elephant in the room. I wanted to reach out to anyone that reads this blog, and let them know they matter. They are loved.  Whether you have many friends or none, a big family or no living relatives, a significant other or not, you matter. You are unique. You bring something to this world that no one else does.

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Don’t listen to the news 24/7. Whenever there is bad news, you will learn about it. When you’re feeling sad and depressed, I challenge you to run and not feel better afterwards, no matter how heavy your heart is. Feel the sun on your face, listen to the birds singing in the trees, smell the crisp fall air — and see if you don’t feel better.

Even when you feel all alone and hopeless, getting out and moving your body and being in nature will give you hope. It may not solve the world’s problems, and it won’t erase your problems, but it will calm you down and give you a new perspective.

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It’s tempting to turn inward. To want to stay in your “safe” home. To not interact with other people. One of the best ways to feel better is to give to others. Volunteer at a race, or just show up at the finish line and cheer everyone in.

Hug your loved ones. Take time out of your busy day to really listen. Throw that ball or toy for your furkids. Say “I love you” just because. Pay for a stranger’s coffee. Compliment someone’s smile, hair, clothes.

 

 

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This week I am also joining up with Running on Happy, Suzlyfe, Crazy Running Girl, and Coach Debbie Runs each week for the Coaches’ Corner linkup

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I just have one question today:

How will you give and receive love today?

 

42 thoughts on “Love is all you need”

  1. I will give and receive love at work today. I am a teacher, and while the students are off (our building is a polling place so it is closed to the students on election day), I am excited to interact in meaningful ways with my colleagues.

    Sometimes I just can’t watch the news. I get alerts on my phone because it allows me to know what’s going on in the country as well as the facts without being *consumed*. It’s sort of like portion control. But I probably do watch the news more than the average person.

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    1. I’m surprised that the whole building is closed? Our school just has a room for the polls, the school is still open (which is how it was when I was growing up, different town though).

      I am pretty unplugged most of the time. In fact, I didn’t see the news until yesterday afternoon. My husband will keep the news on for background noise, but I have to ask him to just switch to something else when things like this happen. You just can’t feed that to yourself all the time.

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    1. Happiness is always a choice. It’s not always an easy choice, and it’s super easy NOT to choose it — I know I sure get caught up in negativity sometimes — but it is always a choice.

      We can’t change what’s happening, but we can change the way we react to it. And we can change what we give out into the world — and that can change the world.

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  5. This is beautiful Judy 🙂 It seems like every day other day I have a new reason to ask myself what is wrong with the mental health of this country…
    and not going inward is important, I am a person who always shuts myself off when I having a hard time. Not that I am going off the deep end lol but I do understand feeling misunderstood so it is easier to keep to myself.

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    1. Thanks, Karen. Not what I intended to write, but I always write from the heart. And I know sometimes someone just needs to hear they’re loved.

      Now if Bandit would just freakin’ eat consistently . . .

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  6. I watch the Today show when I’m eating breakfast and then I tune off unless I am home for dinner, then the news is back on.

    My hubby & my kitties always get unconditional love.

    Today I play tennis with some good friends that I haven’t seen in a while…lots of love happening later.

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    1. I tape the Today Show, because mornings are my time to be productive and I don’t like to multitask. I must be the only woman that doesn’t! I like to give my full attention to whatever I’m doing.

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      1. Unfortunately there’s not enough time in the day. Multi-tasking is my middle name. Last night after running, I made dinner while watching the news, folding laundry and chatting with the hubby. I think I updated the blog too.

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      2. When I watch tv, I watch tv, and rarely do anything else. It also means that on busy days, I often don’t even see the news.

        I’m not saying I don’t ever multitask, but generally I don’t. And I couldn’t make dinner and fold laundry — nowhere to fold laundry near my kitchen! I either do it in the bedroom or in the laundry room as I take it out of the dryer.

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  7. I’m so with you on this. It’s easy to be drawn inward in times like this. It makes me wanna dig in though and be more kind and more joyful and spread more love. Maybe I’m overly optimistic but I believe the light must always overpower the darkness.

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  8. I love this! I’m trying harder to be the change I want to see in the world and to share light. It’s not always easy but I know it’s how I want to live my life. And I definitely need news blackouts every once in the while to maintain my mental health!

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    1. The news is definitely part of the problem — and I actually believe that all the coverage just encourages the people who do these acts. Yet it needs to be reported, too. I don’t have answers, except I know hate isn’t the answer.

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  13. Powerful post. Thank you for your wise words. We all need to be reminded that we matter, that we are loved. I try to focus on the positive, but man, it’s hard sometimes!

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  14. Great reminder. I’ve been out of the loop with most of the news lately, but of course heard about the worst news. Taking time to appreciate the people we live with, work with, and encounter in our daily routines makes the hard times less hard.

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  16. I’m fortunate to work in a profession where I can love and be loved all the time. Although I will say that I’ve seen more rude people lately than I have in the past. All I can do is be kind…

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  17. I love this. ❤ I'm enjoying the silence in my house today (hanging out with my grandson the past two days) but I'm sharing the love with my fur babies. Got Abbey out for her walk before the rain came and I've been the lap that my oldest cat has been begging for lately. 🙂

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    1. The dogs are confused because I ran with Bandit this morning (for part of the run), but they haven’t had their walk yet — we’re going in just a couple of minutes!

      It was just so cold this morning, but poor Lola is like why no walk, mom?

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    1. I do like to know what’s going on in the world, but I rarely watch news in the morning, and I go to bed early, so I’m usually pretty clueless. Which isn’t a bad way to be these days.

      Sometimes I can’t avoid it because when my husband is home, he often has the news on.

      Anyway, have a great time this weekend! You’re gonna have a ton of fun; I know it.

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      1. We did defer MCM until next year, so we have guaranteed spots for 2018. So as long as James is able to run again by then and train properly, it will be MCM. If he’s not, then I’ll have to re-evaluate again. But as of this week, he’s finally able to get on the recumbent stationary bike… definitely a slow going healing process and finally is having less pain.

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