What Does Love Look Like?

I was driving down the road in Texas one day and while scanning the radio stations I heard the song by Johnny Lee, “Looking for love in all the wrong places…”

I thought, Wait a minute, how can we look for something unless we know what it looks like?

What does LOVE look like?

Most often when we look at society today, love is not the first, second, or even the third thing we see.  However, when we put our LOVE shades on, we get to see the world from a totally different perspective.

What does LOVE look like? Let’s examine closely and as in approaching any goal, let’s start with the END in mind: E. V. O. L.

E – Experience it

There is an old poem that says: 

“I love myself so much

So that I can love you so much

So that you can love you so much

So that you can start loving me”  (Author Unknown)

One can never give something that they have never experience or have not realized they possess.

Joy Golliver stated that, “The meaning of life is finding your gifts; the purpose of life is to give it away”.

Love isn’t love until you give it away.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Experience it.

V – Voluntary Self-Sacrifice 

(Doing things out of Love and not obligation, manipulation, or reciprocation)

It involves Going the extra-yard even though it may cost you or inconvenience you.

You’ve heard the saying, “People don’t care how much you know, they want to know how much you care.”

When was the last time you Voluntary Self-Sacrificed with NO STRINGS ATTACHED?

O – Ordinary Acts becoming Extraordinary Expressions

Say it with me, “OH!” “OH!” is the response you will get when you do something for someone that may be ordinary to you but becomes an extraordinary expression to them just because of the care you took in doing it.

As a child my Mom would bake cakes for the family and other people.  I would always look forward to being able to lick the batter from the mixing bowl.  No matter where I was in the house my Mom would often save the bowl and call me to do the “cleaning”.  Sure it was just a bowl of leftover batter; but for me it was an Ordinary Act becoming an Extraordinary Expression of love.

L – Look, Listen, & Fill

My wife’s mom passed away when she was only 13 years old.  That was the last time, she remembered riding in a limousine.  When we were planning our wedding, she shared that story with me and didn’t want to ride in a limousine on her wedding day.  That story stuck with me.  However, 5 years into our marriage I was able to surprise her at the house with a white limousine, red carpet, and a night on the town to replace the childhood memory with something wonderful.  To this day, 11 years later, she smiles when we talk about it.

(As you can imagine…I was the man that night!!!...and it was all because I Looked, Listened, & Filled)

There are opportunities all around us everyday to express love.  However, it takes a willful act on our part to not just look and listen, but also to fill.

If you truly desire to make the most of your life, fuel your life daily with the right stuff.

Look for ways to…

Experience Love

Do Voluntary Self-Sacrifices

Make Ordinary Acts Extraordinary Expressions

Look, Listen & Fill

Then you will be equipped and have the strength to take on and overcome any challenge that comes your way.   As William M. Thackeray once said, “To love and win is the best thing.  To love and lose is the next best thing.” 

Now! That’s what LOVE looks like.  

Take the opportunity to make today and every day an expression of LOVE.  

Aim High…

© 2011 Aldean Pearson

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Aldean “Al” Pearson is a Professional Speaker, Trainer, and Growth Coach.  He is the Co-Founder of the LĪVE! movement, a speaking, training and coaching organization committed to developing extraordinary people, families, and businesses. His “up-front and candid,” yet at times humorous approach empowers his clients and audiences to look past their limitations to find the hidden gems of capability within. He is married with twin boy and girl. 
Contact: AlPearson1@gmail.com

Become Inspired! 
Join our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/AldeanPearson
Follow us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/AldeanPearson
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BE A QUITTER!

BE A QUITTER!        BE A QUITTER!          BE A QUITTER!

That sounds strange doesn't it? 

Henry Ward Beecher said, "It is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich."

Today you will be enlightened to a unique perspective about quitting! 

Most often we look at the word quitting from a negative perspective, 

However, I'd like to spark your interest in Quitting - Quitting the negatives to live positive.

Take a ride with me as we explore the lifestyle of a quitter.

Quitting means giving up, bringing a  cessation to something that you were involved in, and stopping  progress or halting growth - that's what quitting is all about -  halting growth somewhere in the process.

There’s the story of Peter, who at a New Year's party, turns to his friend Ken, and asks for a cigarette.

'I thought you made a New Year's resolution to quit smoking,' Ken responds.

'I'm in the process of quitting,' replies Peter with a grin. 'Right now, I am in the middle of phase one.'

'Phase one?' wonders Ken.

'Yeah,' laughs Peter, 'I've quit buying.'

WOW! As you can see, it's easy to quit something that can help you; but it's harder to quit something that can hurt you.

BE A QUITTER! BE A QUITTER!

It's Alright!

It’s alright to be a quitter when you're talking about smoking, alcoholism, or about drug abuse. Being a quitter is even alright when it deals with a pervasive habit of procrastination.

Isn't it nice to know that being a quitter is okay?  It's all based on outlook.

When people say to you, "You're a quitter."
You can tell them "Yes", I made the choice to quit the negatives in my life.

I have scaled the walls of rejection.

I have leaped over the hurdles of abuse.

I have persevered through the winds of discouragement. 

Yes, I am a quitter of the negatives:

I don't speak about it;

I don't involve myself in it,

And I don't celebrate it. 

Do you realize that being a quitter can make you a winner?

Vince Lombardi once said, "A winner never quits and a quitter never wins."

I challenge that, because quitting negative behaviors makes one a winner.

Now that quote does project a feeling of persistence and endurance; however, after closer inspection, its accuracy is based on the perspective of subject matter.

What are you quitting?

Are you quitting something that's going to help you?
I challenge you to do the contrary.

Today, look at yourselves as winners as you begin to quit those things that have been hurting you and causing hurt to others.

Those things that have held you down. 
Those things that have pushed you back.

Those words that were spoken over you that you accepted as truth.

Quit - looking at yourself as a statistic. You're better than that.

Quit - looking at yourself based on past relationships. You're stronger than that.

Quit - looking at yourself based on a lapse in judgment. You're smarter than that. 

Quit - looking at yourself based on the neighborhood you grew up. You're more than that.

Quit - looking at yourself based on the family you're in. You're bigger than that.

The world is only a reflection of what you believe. You can make this world better by first believing in yourself and the one who created you.

As Anita Koddick said, "If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room."

Think about it…

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

You were created to do something that no one else has the talent, capability, looks, and strength to accomplish.

When you are able to see yourself in that capacity, then you will be able to quit doing those things, hanging around those people, and going those places that hinder your purpose.
You were created to WIN!

BE A QUITTER!  BE A QUITTER!   BE A QUITTER!

It's alright to be a quitter, when it allows you to grow.  

Aim High…

© 2011 Aldean Pearson

_____________________________________________________________________________

Aldean “Al” Pearson is a Professional Speaker, Trainer, and Growth Coach.  He is the Co-Founder of the LĪVE! movement, a speaking, training and coaching organization committed to developing extraordinary people, families, and businesses. His “up-front and candid,” yet at times humorous approach empowers his clients and audiences to look past their limitations to find the hidden gems of capability within. He is married with twin boy and girl. 
Contact: AlPearson1@gmail.com

Become Inspired! 
Join our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/AldeanPearson
Follow us on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/AldeanPearson
Connect on LinkedIn: www.Linkedin.com/in/aldeanpearson