Be the cure, accept the love challenge

This is a love challenge. This love challenge is about pushing you to understand what love really means to you and what it looks like in your life and to put it into action. This challenge is to get you to contemplate what it means to have your actions, your behaviors, your words and thoughts come from the foundation of love rather than fear and to understand within yourself the difference between the two. This is a challenge to teach this difference to your children, to talk about it with your friends and family. We have reached a critical point in our journey to create and sustain the well-being for all. The disease of fear, and the infection of hatred it has caused, has finally risen to the surface demanding that it be addressed and it cannot be healed with the same poison that created it. It’s time to hold yourself accountable. It’s time to heal yourself and your life, thus doing your part to heal humanity and life here on earth. Now is the time to heal the sickness that exists in humanity and there is no better way than to apply love. The mindlessness, the indifference and passivity, the victim-mentality, the excuse of preoccupation and powerlessness must all be treated. You are an essential piece of the cure. It’s easy to love that which does not challenge us. Can you love the person that annoys you? Can you send love, patience and kindness to the driver that cuts you off? Can you send healing to a president who represents the very infection that plagues us? Speak up for what you want in this world, and be the change that we need to see in order to come closer to creating an environment of peace and inclusiveness. Mother Theresa was once asked to join a march against the war. She said no and said when there was a march for peace she would be there. Let us be very conscious of the actions that we are standing for, so as to assure that our energies are put in the direction of healing, and not perpetuating conflict. Let this next year 2020 represent the year that we have clear vision of our goals as part of humanity. Let's start planting the seeds for those goals to manifest and grow. Let us nurture them now. Let us bring goodness, respect and kindness to our day. I challenge you, I challenge myself to be a being of love. Be the louder voice for equality. Be the louder voice for peace. Be the louder voice for generosity. Be the person that stops and helps, rather than ignoring the situation because it doesn't directly affect you. Be the person that knows their own limits and asks for help and accepts help when it is needed. Listen to someone rather than silence them. Be the person that has the courage to stand up and be the voice of love in the face of hatred. Whether you’re Republican or Democrat, no matter your skin color or race, no matter your gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or type of toilet paper you use, you have a choice to lead with your heart or to let the fear that feeds hatred to take over. Rid yourself of the infection and do your part to rid humanity of the disease of fear and hatred. Be the cure. Love is a powerful, assertive action and choice. I challenge every person to look at all the opportunities to bring love to a situation rather than judgment, anger or hatred. I challenge people to observe how often they’re able to rise to the occasion. I challenge people to bear witness to the actions of love that exist in this world rather than focusing on all that is wrong. Challenge yourself to see the beauty in things rather than the ugliness. Challenge yourself to be the beauty and the happiness rather than the pain. Love is strong. It is fear that is weak. It is time to stop believing the lies created out of fear that drive so much hatred and division in this country and in the world today. Observe how often you are challenged to not be working from the foundation of love. This infection is deep within the soul of humanity and it is going to take the majority to rise up to heal the lower vibrations of fear and hatred that are bombarding us all the time. Love is patient and steadfast. Right now, we as a society are infected with impatience. Love is acceptance. This does not mean condoning actions that harm others. Instead, it means working from where we are now to provide a new direction for the healing of civilization. Seek higher consciousness and to not be influenced in thought or action by negativity. Love is kind and we are infected as a society with unkindness. Love is understanding and being present enough to want to understand. Love is communication, not stonewalling, not neglect, not trying to control another. Love does not hurt another person or oneself. Love does not degrade another living creature. Love does not bring shame to any relationship. Love is compassionate. Challenge yourself for a day, a week, a lifetime. Each new moment is an opportunity to bring yourself to, and move humanity toward, a state of health and wellness. Do this through love. You get to choose where you stand your ground, and whether you claim your voice and power and speak your truth. It’s up to you what you bring and what you offer the days of your life. There are days that I colossally fall short of my goal to bring love to all areas of my life. There are days that I feel profoundly proud of my efforts and success in this endeavor. Accept the love challenge. Challenge yourself to speak love, feel love, be love. For those of you that need a quantifiable daily goal, challenge yourself to provide one random act of kindness every day to a stranger. Express gratitude. Recycle something, love the earth. Smile. Give a compliment to someone. The options are endless. This love challenge has no end date. There are no gold medals or trophies given. The only prize is the deep satisfaction in witnessing the ripple effect of the healing power of love that takes place in your life and the lives of others with whom you have shared. Trust me, that is reward enough. With love and gratitude, ~ Dr. Kirsten J. Snyder