I Choose Love Movement (est. 2012)
“Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us.”
~ Marianne Williamson
Every time you speak, connect, respond, engage, listen or just show up in the world, you’re either coming from love … or from fear. How do you know? When we come from love we feel expansive, connected and open. When we come from fear, we feel contracted, shut down and cut off from others.
We’re at a unique time in history and things can feel chaotic and uncertain. Whether it’s due to economic and political uncertainties, the many recent natural disasters or terrorist attacks, or an issue you’re facing that’s closer to home, many of us are feeling a restlessness–a calling to live more intentionally and a pull to explore a new way of being. It’s more important than ever that we soften our hearts toward one another and embrace the invitation to CHOOSE LOVE OVER FEAR.
Moment to moment, in every interaction in our daily lives, we have the choice of coming from love or fear. Which path will you choose?
I CHOOSE LOVE CHALLENGE
Wondering how you can be an emissary for the I CHOOSE LOVE message in your community?
- Make a homemade sign reminding you to CHOOSE LOVE and put it up in your home where you’ll see it every day (here is ours on our fridge).
- Share your “I choose love stories” on how and when you’re choosing love over fear in your daily life on Live Inside Out. Let’s inspire one another and see how many global I CHOOSE LOVE ripples we can create!
- Adopt the I CHOOSE LOVE avatar for your Facebook page for a week, a month or longer (copy it from this page and save under your FB photos to apply or find it on the Live Inside Out Facebook page.
Background information on the I CHOOSE LOVE Public Service Announcement and how it got started:
Who is sponsoring the I CHOOSE LOVE PSA?
I CHOOSE LOVE is a Public Service Announcement sponsored by my Live Inside Out movement, which I created and launched in 2009 to encourage men, women and families to live more intentionally. Our team is donating our time and energy to help spread the I CHOOSE LOVE message with the intention of enhancing emotional well-being for all! You can learn more about my life balance work here: Renée Trudeau.
Why are you doing this?
I grew up as the oldest of seven kids. My parents exposed us to many diverse teachings, religions, philosophies and eastern and western perspectives. But I think we missed out on the most simple but profound truth of all: the realization that all actions and words come from either a place of fear or from a place of love. And we’ve been given the gift of choosing: will we respond from love or from fear as we navigate our everyday experience?
One night at dinner, my husband, my teen son and I got into a heated discussion on this topic. My son Jonah said “But mom, anger is different from fear! It’s not possible every response comes from love or fear.” My husband and I challenged him, “So where does anger come from? Where do jealousy, sadness, anxiety and revenge originate from?” He sat quietly for a few moments with this. Our dinner conversation continued and we all discussed how when we come from love, we feel connected to ourselves, others and life. And when we feel fear we shut down, constrict and limit ourselves.
Sounds nice, but what does this mean for me?
In my yoga class, my teacher posed the question, “Are we here to be productive or are we here to love?” (you could have heard a pin drop!). What do you think?
How would your daily interactions with your partner, children, friends, family, teachers, co-workers, boss and neighbors change if you approached every interaction from love? Coming from love feels good—it’s our birthright.
When we choose love, we expand into limitless possibility and potential; when we choose fear we contract and cut ourselves off from all the good that is all around us. It’s our choice; sometimes we have trouble remembering this.
I challenge and encourage you to join me as we wipe the slate clean, start fresh and “do it different” by giving more attention to love and less to fear.
How could choosing love over fear affect my daily life?
Remembering to choose love over fear significantly enhances our emotional and spiritual well-being and I’ve found it shifts my daily interactions profoundly. I’ve observed when I CHOOSE LOVE:
- my irritation turns to compassion when I’m waiting in a long line at the grocery store
- I am open to ways I can share love with people I encounter during the day through a smile, a kind word or a good deed
- I soften and open my heart to my partner when he says something that triggers me … and breathe before I respond
- I practice self-compassion and go easy on myself when I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed out
- I pay attention to when I’m feeling contracted (a sure sign I’m coming from fear) and consciously try and shift to feeling more expansive
- I listen more and talk less: I try to see things from other’s perspective (particularly when I can tell they’re having a hard day)
- I slow down, become more present and connect heart to heart when my son is challenging me and in disequilibrium
When I remember to choose love over fear, I feel more trusting. More relaxed. And, I experience more ease, flow and a general sense of well-being. Like things are going my way and the Universe is supporting me (who doesn’t want that?!).
Choosing love and coming from love is our birthright. I believe we’re here to be, give, receive and express love to ourselves and one another.
How do I know if I’m coming from love or fear?
It’s actually pretty simple. Pay attention to what’s going on in your body. When you feel contracted, you’re coming from fear, when you feel expansive, you’re coming from love. Observe what your body is telling you and always, always, practice self-compassion. Next time you feel really reactive, just pause and ask, “How could I choose or express love in this situation?” And, be open to “doing it different.” Play with it, see what happens.
I look forward to hearing your “I choose love stories” and what happens when you choose love over fear in your daily interactions. Thanks for being a love catalyst and participating in this experiment! With love~ Renee and the RTA Team
