Love Has No Labels – Week 3 Recap of Become What You Believe

Written by on in Finding Happiness in the Ordinary

Thank you so much for taking this 21-day Become What You Believe, love has no labels, meditation journey with me.  I don’t know about you, but for me it’s been exactly what I needed.  I’m continuing to work every day to allow stillness in more and more, so that I can begin believing and living the life I want in all areas of my life.

St. Augustine quote on seeing what you believe - yoursassyself.com

Namely I’ve began to shift my focus to the love department.  Not just in finding someone to spend the rest of my life with, but in understanding that the love has no labels concept, also applies to my own self love.  Much like I don’t judge people on who they love, as in the uber popular Love Has No Labels campaign (national public service communications effort to promote diversity and inclusion), between Unilever and the Ad Council, I need to take the same stance on my own internal perceptions.  It’s funny how this campaign helped make it clearer for me, but it did.  If you haven’t seen it, here’s a quick glimpse.

When you allow love in, nothing else matters, not race, religion, gender, sexuality, age or ability.  It’s the purest of all emotions and something that this campaign, along with this meditation series, is all about.  Both were designed to get us to look at our unconscious biases and preconceptions (heck the Love Has No Labels campaign even has a quiz to help), to determine whether they were based on our truth or that of perceptions and habits handed down to us.  If we choose, we don’t have to live in an us vs. them world.  We can live in the stillness of our true self which understands that we are one, united beyond any labels, limitations, or negativity.  It’s as much about the acceptance of others as it is about the acceptance of ourselves.  We are the authors of our life story, and as such we can be whomever and whatever we want, we just have to believe and love ourselves with the same compassion and openness we have for others.

For whatever reason it’s always easier to be nice, compassionate and lovable to everyone else, while inside we continue to beat ourselves up for not being smart enough, thin enough, pretty enough, cool enough, etc.  Yet if we heard someone we love say the same thing about themselves we’d run to their aid to get them to think more positively of themselves.  We need to do the same for ourselves because until we do, we’re not letting our brightest light shine on those we love and we don’t want to be the dimmers, we want to be shining light to all.

The campaign and the  last 7 days definitely helped hit that home for me and below is my take on each day.  If you’d like to get started from the beginning, please check out my week 1 recap here and then check out my week 2 recap here.  I know I’m personally going back through all three weeks to gain more clarity on the last 21 days.     

Day 15 of Become What you Believe states that living in an Us vs. Them mentality, within ourselves, and with the rest of humanity, means that compassion is no longer our guide. Instead we’re allowing ego to guide us and separate us from those things that are unfamiliar, or it deems bad, inferior, or too foreign to our way of thinking, because it fears the unknown. However, if we instead choose to be open and connect to the core goodness in others, we can begin to see that we’re more alike than we are different. And this can be done with a simple gesture, a smile, a kind word, an offer to help, or a compliment. It’s through these small gestures that we can begin to unite the core goodness that is in everyone and thus replace the Us vs.Them mentality with we are in this together. It can also do wonders to center your true self from one filled with negativity and self criticism to one of positive self awareness and wholeness. Powerful stuff I tell ya. #instagood #instadaily #becomewhatyoubelieve #meditation #hope #peace #love

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If you all follow along, you know that I believe everything happens for a reason, so it’s no surprise to me that this week’s Become What You Believe centers on the concept that we are one, united in this thing called life. And Day 16 deals with finding our internal peace so that we can in turn radiate that peace back to the world. A lot of what we need now based on the turmoil we’ve witnessed these last few days. And to do so, Deepak says we need to align our thoughts and deeds on unity and wholeness vs. division and separation, which lead to blame, disagreements, inner turmoil and sometimes even violence. As we do this, we align with our true self, which honors kindness, connection, community, and a mutual caring and understanding for all. Once there, we can be a peacemaker for ourselves and others. All we need to do is listen carefully and attend to the needs of those involved because conflict generally arises when two sides have opposite needs. If either side feels they are being treated unjustly, then generally the conflict continues. If however, we can find a way to offer respect to both sides and see the dispute objectively, then a solution will present itself. Many times what’s missing is love, creativity, understanding, gratitude, hope, community. So the next time you find yourself in a disagreement, give yourself time to settle and only approach the situation when your heart is quite, when you can respect everyone involved and see them equally, objectively. Why? Because as we learned through out this series, we are always mirrors, so we want to make sure we offer up the qualities we want to be reflected back to us. #becomewhatyoubelieve #peace #love #kindness #compassion #unity #weareone #instagood #instapeace #instamood A photo posted by Rocio Chavez (@yoursassyself) on

Day 17 of Become What You Believe reminds us why we are here.  We are here to share a heart to heart connection with each other through our ability to love.  And we can show it through grace, kindness, understanding, forgiveness, respect, cooperation,  harmony and a reverence for life. But we also have to be open to receive the same back and BE LOVED.  I know many of us fear that because of past hurts and a fear of being vulnerable or rejected, but Deepak reminds us that we were born to love.  And although the ego tries to use fear to convince us to stay closed off, love doesn’t have to mean putting yourself on the line or saying I love you out loud.  It can be as simple as reaching out with a smile, asking “Are you ok?”, helping another the way you would like to be helped, without expecting anything in return.  It’s through this generosity and understanding that we connect with one another and ultimately benefit each other – “I am because of you”. So as you go about the day today, smile at everyone you see, and if someone looks down and out, or you’ve been thinking about a friend or family member, reach out, check in, and ask – “Are you ok?” #becomewhatyoubelieve #love #borntolove #letgo #smile #areyouok #instadaily #instaquote #instagood #instamood

A photo posted by Rocio Chavez (@yoursassyself) on

Ok let Hanh’s quote sink in – “If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today. How many times have we felt that our world was crumbling, that we were alone, that all was lost, hopeless? I know I’ve had my moments, but Day 18 of Become What You Believe reminds us that life is not a journey we were meant to take alone. In fact we’re all in this together, seeking a connection with each other and with something greater than ourselves. We all want to understand and to be understood. That’s why we seek out others like us, family, friends, those in our neighborhood, those with similar careers, hobbies, interests, etc. Surrounding ourselves with like minded people nurtures our emotional, intellectual and spiritual foundation, which strengthens our core beliefs. I know I love my tribe for all these things. ☺ It’s because of this strong connection that we have to be careful on who we allow into that space. We need to choose groups that are aligned with our core beliefs and that will amplify our feelings of love, self-worth, security and fulfillment. To continue our growth we also need to push ourselves out of our comfort zone and seek out groups that will challenge us to grow. And that part will probably be your biggest leap, because once you find and become a part of the group, you’ll find that they provide the extra strength and companionship needed to take bigger leaps in our own personal growth. It’s basically strength in numbers. Together we have all the hope, power, and possibility needed to transform the world. By sharing our hopes, dreams, laughter, tears, and every other emotion, we find strength in companionship. Deepak defines this as Satsang, which is when people come together, based upon a shared truth, to uplift and transform themselves. So you’re bound to gain comfort, support, and love along your journey and give that back in return, which makes our life journey that more rewarding and enjoyable. Win/win. Pretty cool huh? #hope #love #transformation #growth #instagood #becomewhatyoubelieve A photo posted by Rocio Chavez (@yoursassyself) on

  No matter what happens today, the sun will always rise tomorrow - yoursassyself.com That’s the one thing I know for sure – regardless of how dark and stormy the day looks and feels, I know that the sun is there, ready to shine on me. Day 19 of Become What You Believe says the same is true about our soul, our core, our true self, which sometimes finds itself hidden behind darkness and noise, but is always there, ready to be our daily guide toward healing, love, truth, beauty, bliss, freedom, creativity and a sense of unbounded possibilities. I know it may seem weird because many of us don’t experience all these things on the daily, but they aren’t meant to be rarities. They are the basis of life, and as such, we must trust that these qualities exist in all of us, and that we deserve them, along with all the other wonderful things life has to offer. So whenever we get a glimpse of them, whether it be a simple as taking in nature’s beauty or the wonder of a child’s innocence, we need to acknowledge it and appreciate every moment. So sit, breath, and acknowledge the sun rising within and notice the shift. Happy y’all!

Day 20 of Become What You Believe states that we all seek something reliable and true upon which to guide and build our life. It begins with ever present consciousness, a silent awareness from our true self, our truth, which occurs naturally and becomes more familiar as we meditate and sit in silent awareness. Without the stillness of awareness most of us go through life based on old memories, conditioning, and habits handed down from others vs. it being something we consciously decide for ourselves. It’s a rigid, regimented way of life, but it doesn’t have to be because the truth, like our true self, is dynamic and adaptable. Remember? We are the authors of our own story. All we have to do is speak, act and know from our true self, that our truth lies in the values we stand for and who we are, not what others want us to be or think we are. So let’s allow stillness in, along with that light of truth to guide us toward our best self and begin writing a new chapter in the story of our lives. #becomewhatyoubelieve #beginagain #letgo #meditate #beaware #sitinstillness #livethelifeyouwant #liveyourtruth

A photo posted by Rocio Chavez (@yoursassyself) on

  Day 21, the final day of Become What You Believe, helps solidify that stillness and meditation are what will always help guide us to our truth, our true self, which is the light and source for all that is good in the world. And when we open up in belief of our similarities and our shared humanity, that light begins to shine brightly from the inside out. It’s always there supporting us, encouraging us, waiting to illuminate the path to our true self. Yes, many times, it can appear dimmed, even darkened when we allow the noise of life to take us from awareness, from stillness, but it’s always there waiting to be tapped within. We just have to sit in stillness long enough to remember and begin parting the clouds (old habits/perceptions) that are dimming our steady light. Perceptions have a strong influence on us and can sometimes cloud our true self when we allow those perceptions to make us feel week, diminished, fearful and unloved. Meditation and stillness however, allow in clarity, as we realize that those are merely thoughts, not truths and as such we can chose to ignore them and begin to write a more positive chapter for our life. Yes, all those negative thoughts we hold about ourselves – I’m not smart enough, pretty enough, thin enough, cool enough, rich enough – are just that, thoughts, and not the truth. We get to decide what’s true for is so why not change them to I am enough and I am worthy of receiving the best life has to offer. ? Pretty empowering right? So what are yoy waiting for? Start living the life you want! ? And thanks so much for following along with me these last 21 days. They’ve been amazing! Here’s to believing in the best version of you!!! #becomewhatyoubelieve #letgo #loveyourself #empowering #lifechanging #happiness   A photo posted by Rocio Chavez (@yoursassyself) on

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45 Comments

    • Awe thanks lovely. So happy they help make your day. You’re fab decor definitely does that for me. 😀 And I hope that we both get to a place soon where we believe we’re just as fabulous as the next person because we are, we just have to get out of our head (perceptions of self) to know that it’s true. 😉 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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  8. I tend to add a lot of books to my reading lists at a time based on suggested books. The theme for my reading lately has been Love. Who knew that I could read 5 books about love and learn something new every time.

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    • Isn’t that the truth. And you’ll find that if you re-read those same books at a different point in your life, you’ll gain other things. It’s funny how that works, but experience always has a way to shape perception.

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  9. It pleases me so immensely when someone follows the path of Love, not allowing anything, biases, judgements or negativity to cloud their path. All the best to you as you continue your quiet explorations.

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  10. What a lovely journey about improving yourself and your life. I’m glad you learned a lot and it’s really what you gained that matters. Experience is always a good teacher!

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    • I know Liz and we do it daily, it’s crazy, but we need to see ourselves in the same light so we can begin to love ourselves and thus expand our love for others. It can seem hard, but it is so worth it 😀

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    • Yes LaQuinda, it can be a crazy thing to realize at first, but yes, thoughts are just things so the more we put our mind to them, we can make them come true, which is why we have to be careful to only let good, positive ones be our guide. 😉

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    • Agreed Beth! Change and learning is constant, we just have to roll with it and not worry because if it presents itself to us, there is something to be learned from every experience. Thanks for dropping by!

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