When I think of the word love, my first thought is usually about a feeling.

That warm, fuzzy, cozy feeling I have for someone — like my Bri. Or Banana. Or Max. (the cats!)

Then there are the feelings attached to how much I love chocolate chip cookies with nuts… preferably with a side of coffee ice cream.

Or how much I love walking along the ocean on a warm (but not too hot) sunny day.

Eventually though, I find myself asking a different question:

What else is love?

Lately I’ve been realizing that love isn’t just a feeling.

Love is also a behavior.

It’s a choice — a small decision we make over and over again throughout the day.

To be patient instead of reactive.
To be curious instead of judgmental.
To offer kindness instead of indifference.

In other words, even when I’m not feeling loving, I can still choose to act lovingly — toward you, toward myself, or toward whoever happens to be in front of me in that moment.

And something interesting happens when we practice love this way.

Sometimes the feeling of love shows up afterward.

Which makes me wonder…

Maybe the real practice isn’t just finding love.
Or even keeping love.

Maybe the deeper invitation is learning how to be love.

So this week I’m trying a little experiment.

Before reacting to someone — a partner, a friend, the barista, or the stranger who just cut you off in traffic — I’m going to pause for a moment and silently ask myself:

“What would being in love look like right now?”

Then I’ll try that.

Not perfectly.
Just intentionally.

Care to join me?

Next week I’ll share another small way we can practice being love in everyday life.

Wishing you Big Love with a cherry on top,

Arielle