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Grandiouse · 05-04-2009, 03:43 PM

I've decided to embark on a 30 day challenge to be more loving. I got the idea while listening to Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People program. He stressed the importance of developing one's "inner circle of influence." The "Be's" (be more patient, more assertive, etc.)

I've decided to embark on a 30 day challenge to be more loving because with more love in my life, I'd like to experience greater inner peace and better moods.

The stresses of life have gotten to me in the last few months and it has affected my mental state. I feel sad at times and it shows when I am interacting with people.

To be more loving to me means to come from a real loving place in my heart. By expressing inner love, I expect changes to occur in how I treat myself and how I treat others. I expect to be a happier person overall in all areas of life.

I'll be committing to making updates everyday to log how the day went and what acts of love I did for the day.

SimonaRich · 05-04-2009, 09:07 PM

Wish you all the best for this challenge!

Grandiouse · 05-05-2009, 06:07 AM

Today, my mindset of being more loving really put me in a positive mood throughout the day. I went out into the living room in the morning and chatted with my significant other and roommate. This is something that I don't usually do at all. Instead, I isolate myself and end up feeling left out. I was there the whole time for the conversation and it made me feel good by just listening.

I went shopping with my significant other and I opened doors for her, kissed her, and hugged her. I felt like a gentleman and definitely more loving. We had a deep conversation because she had a rough day at work. I asked, "Honey, what can I do or say right now that would be helpful?" That comment really opened things up in our lines of communication.

Lastly, I was shopping with my dad. Even though we have had our differences and he had gotten angry at me for not doing what he expected, I stayed loving towards him. I live separate from my parents and when he paid for the baking soda that I got at the store, I thanked him.

Salivanth · 05-05-2009, 12:57 PM

I'm glad to know your challenge is giving you such a positive outlook on life!

Grandiouse · 05-05-2009, 10:14 PM

SimonaRich and Salivanth, thanks a lot for your support. It really HAS helped me have a more positive outlook and it's great!

Day 2

As soon as I got up this morning, I said “Good morning” to my roommate. It feels nice to acknowledge someone and have “Good morning” said back to me.

It was a little chaotic today because during the performance of our play, Charlotte’s Web, the fire alarm in the school sounded off and we all had to evacuate. No one knows if this was a drill or someone had pulled it, but it stopped out performance and after we had to cut scenes to make up for lost time. I tried to stay positive the whole time and go with the flow.

I continued to make an effort to open doors for my significant other. We went grocery shopping after the performance and when we got home, I told her I would help her get the groceries in before I did anything else. While in the store, I said Hello to the clerk and all three of us even got into a small conversation. It felt good to be included in it because I was paying attention and being presently aware of what he said.

Grandiouse · 05-07-2009, 04:05 AM

Day 3

Today’s practices of developing the habit of being more loving included many social situations in which I made a conscious choice to be social and friendly. I mentioned before that I would isolate myself whenever guests came over the house. Today, I greeted everyone and made an effort to stick behind for conversation. While I was out and about in the city, I did the same thing. I said Hello to cashiers at the restaurant and to the receptionist at the gym. I asked them how they were doing and told them to have a great day.

I felt good about today. I am also developing a habit of being more loving towards myself by listening to self-help audio programs, taking care of my health by going to the gym, and updating my blog regularly.

vilbara · 05-07-2009, 07:22 AM

When I first saw your challenge I thought it lacks clear definition: Being "more loving" is difficult to measure. This is partly fixed by your commitment to daily updates.

Keep on good work!

Grandiouse · 05-08-2009, 07:17 AM

Thanks, Vilbara. You've got a pretty interesting website for the 30 day challenges.

Day 4

One of the ways that I was more loving today was that I reached out to a cast member of mine (who I usually don’t talk to), and had a nice small conversation with him. I asked him how he was doing and whether he slept well because we usually have to get up real early to get ready for our performances. In addition, I complemented my significant other in her cooking and told her that the food that she prepared was really good. I stated, “The best salads I’ve had are the ones that you make.”

I notice that after 4 days of doing this challenge, what has helped me in being more loving is definitely trusting other people enough to open up to them and make an effort to talk to them. It puts me in a happy mood to know that I can talk to someone about something, and they will be receptive to what I am saying without judgement or criticism. Maybe I have been hesitant to talk to people because I had believed that what I said did not matter. I continue to show more love to myself by making time to get done what I feel is a priority.

Grandiouse · 05-09-2009, 03:37 PM

Day 5

Yesterday, the way I practiced being more loving was that I had a good conversation with a lady who was working at the store. She was in the graduate program getting her MBA and I took it as an opportunity to make small conversation with her as I was waiting for my order. I had told her that I was interested in graduate school as well and asked her how her experience was, what her goals were, etc. The conversation went well and I learned about some of the things she was doing for her program.

In addition, I comforted my significant other because she wasn’t feeling well. I spent extra time acknowledging her and showing her affection in the middle of the day, which made me feel good to be able to be there for her. I held her, kissed her, and really tried to be comforting with words and actions.

Grandiouse · 05-10-2009, 01:57 AM

Day 6

I was honestly not feeling too well throughout the day. I felt tired and a little irritated that my family was not there to see the Charlotte’s Web performance. It really dawned on me while the performance was happening that I wished I had invited them because everyone else had their family and friends there.

Nonetheless, the way I stayed loving was that I stated how I was feeling emotionally without letting my emotions get out of control. I told my significant other how I felt and I did not let my negative emotions project onto her. I found that emotions definitely affect the people around me. Today, my intention was to express how I felt so that the negative emotions could come to the surface and not build up to the point where I took them out on the people around me.

I still tried to do things like open the car door for my significant other and greet my cast members. After the performance, we had little kids come up to us for autographs and I thanked them for coming to the show. One of my cast members was waiting in the heat for the bus, so my significant other brought up the idea of giving him a ride back home. I was driving, so I pulled over and we took him in.

Grandiouse · 05-10-2009, 09:57 PM

Day 7

Today is Mother’s Day. Of course, the way I was more loving was that I gave my mom a phone call in the morning and told her “Happy Mother’s Day.” I also told her that I would be coming by later on to visit. At first, I was a little reluctant to give my mom a call partly because I didn’t feel certain that she would respond to my phone call with love. But I did it anyway, and she thanked me for calling her.

The other way I displayed my love was through texting. I texted my significant other that I loved her and I was sorry her day was going rough. The restaurant that she works in must have been busy because of Mother’s Day. Restaurants are always busy during Mother’s Day.

It is still early afternoon and I still have the rest of the day to show my love. I feel a little tired but I am committed.

Grandiouse · 05-11-2009, 11:41 PM

The major way I was more loving today was that I called my dad and asked him how he was doing. I did this while I was on my way to the bookstore, and I had been contemplating whether to call him or not. Anyone who knows me well knows that reaching out to people is something that doesn’t come too easy for me. So, the thought of reaching out to my dad and showing him love felt scary and uncertain.

When I actually made the phone call and talked with him, it turned out okay. We made some small talk and he asked me when I was going to come home to visit. I was apprehensive and scared to make the phone call, but I pushed through it and did it anyway. In the end, it actually turned out pretty well. Hooray for me!

Grandiouse · 05-13-2009, 04:41 PM

Day 9

Yesterday, the way I was more loving was that I apologized for something that I did wrong. The situation had happened the day before between my significant other and I, and it was yesterday that I realized that I was not being loving in the situation. In fact, I was mean. I took the initiative and said, “I’m sorry.”

Grandiouse · 05-14-2009, 02:45 AM

Day 10

I feel a lot better after today. It was a really nice, warm day and I took some time for myself to read, research, write. I was loving today by being attentive and listening to my significant other talk about what was going on with her work. Our roommate works at the same place, and I took the initiative to go up to her and say “Sorry to hear about you guys’ hard day.” When my significant other came home, I spent time sitting next to her and giving her a back rub. She was very tired, and I sat by her until she comfortably fell asleep.

I was more loving to myself because I took some time to get my own stuff done without distraction. I enjoyed cruising down the street and listening to music. It felt great and put me in an awesome mood. Last night, even though I was extremely tired I chose to take some time to take care of my body and go to the gym at 1AM in the morning.

Grandiouse · 05-15-2009, 08:19 AM

Day 11

The way I was more loving today was that I spent a lot of quality time with my significant other. I went out and bought her some allergy medication because this city is nice and full of trees. I also made small conversation with the cashier at the grocery store.

There was one situation where I was checking into the gym and the front desk girl there just ignored me when I greeted her, “How are you doing?” She was talking to her friend and didn’t reply to me. I felt dismissed at the time and thought her action was rude, but she must have been unfocused, or she had a bad day. When I left, she was busy in another section of the gym and not at the front desk to check others in. Either way, I was loving because even though I felt bad about the situation I was choosing to think about it from another perspective.

Grandiouse · 05-16-2009, 07:59 AM

Day 12

I was loving today when I gave my significant other a gift for our anniversary. I had planned ahead and picked out a gift to surprise her with today.

I was also loving today in listening to her attentively during our drive to San Francisco. When she talked, I listened to her without giving advice or criticism. When she did ask me for advice, then I gave it to her.

I acted lovingly towards the front desk person at the gym. I went in there late night and when I was leaving, I acknowledged her by telling her to have a good night and take it easy.

Grandiouse · 05-16-2009, 11:35 PM

Day 13

Today, I was loving by smiling and greeting the front desk person at the gym. I have found that I do this for a lot of people I come across in the retail industry, and in return they are more pleasant towards me.

I was also loving when I thanked my significant other for cooking us lunch. She did the cooking and I washed the dishes, and she thanked me as well.

Lastly, I was loving to myself because I listened to a self-improvement program and took time for myself to write and do what I wanted to do.

Grandiouse · 05-17-2009, 06:55 PM

Day 14

I just had a very honest, open conversation with my significant other about our future plans and goals. It very nice to communicate openly and I showed my love by listening. Time and time again, I learn about the importance of listening all relationships – whether it be professional or personal. True listening, that which happens with compassion, understanding, and an open mind requires practice. It really is a skill and I am surprised as to how much I learn about others just by listening.

Grandiouse · 05-19-2009, 06:33 AM

Day 15

We are halfway through! Today, I was loving by going to visiting my parents and my brother. I told my dad good morning and told my brother happy birthday, since today was his special day. We went to get a cake as a family, which was a nice event.

At the grocery store, I greeted the cashier as usual and made small conversation with him about the NBA finals. Go Lakers!

It is the half way point, so what I have seen so far is that it really takes a conscious decision to be loving or to show acts of love in daily life. Things like saying hello and goodbye, giving someone a compliment, or making a phone call to someone you haven’t talked to in a while all take effort on my part because they don’t come naturally. Of course, I do it genuinely because if I tried to force it then it would not work too well. We will see how the rest of the 15 days pan out.

Grandiouse · 05-20-2009, 07:29 AM

Day 16

Let’s see. Today was a tough day. I acted lovingly when I apologized for being insensitive. I realized this only after the situation had happened, and I thought it would be best to make amends so there is not leftover tension.

I displayed acts of love when I gave everyone a hug at a meeting that I had. I quickly got that love reciprocated when the group was very accepting of what I had to say.

That was my day. Not too many details, but the lessons are important nonetheless in terms of being loving. For one, apologize if you think you did something wrong. Own up to it. Secondly, love is shown both physically and verbally – utilize both.

Grandiouse · 05-21-2009, 02:07 AM

day 17
Today, I was loving towards my significant other because I kissed her, hugged her, and opened doors for her. I also celebrated with her because she got an A in her economics class as well as having other personal victories.

I was loving because I gave my roommate a few compliments about how nice her bathroom looked with all of the decorations in place. Also, I complemented someone else on the wall posters that they had up. Overall, I had a pretty good day.

Grandiouse · 05-21-2009, 10:33 PM

Day 18

One of my loving acts today was that I took my significant other to the doctor. I had suggested it because she had allergies and was coughing pretty badly the night before. When we got the doctor, we found out she had a sinus infection so it was a good thing we found it out sooner than later.

Grandiouse · 05-23-2009, 12:18 AM

Day 19

Ok, so the receptionist who I said last time was somewhat cold to me completely changed. I stated last time that it bothered me a little that I greeted her and she ignored me. Well today, I greeted her and she returned the greeting back. She even smiled while she was saying “Hello.”

Then when I left, I walked by and said “Have a good one.” She said pleasantly, “See you later! You too.” I was very surprised because of the complete difference from last time. I am glad I stayed loving and today, she smiled and greeted me back.

Grandiouse · 05-24-2009, 08:21 AM

Day 20

An act of love today was going to visit my mom and brother, while being honest and truthful talking to my mom. In another situation, I had come across an individual who indirectly caused me pain because he had caused pain to someone really close in my life. I ran into him and as hard as it was, my act of love was knowing my part in not creating more hostility. I greeted him out of respect and got on with what I was doing without paying too much attention to him.

Grandiouse · 05-24-2009, 10:23 PM

Day 21

It’s Saturday afternoon on Memorial Day Weekend. I went to church today and thanked a veteran for his service. I also ran into my empowerment program coach, who I hugged and wished a great weekend to.

My significant other and I went to an Ethiopian restaurant to eat. She made me an anniversary card because today is the day that we first kissed almost two years ago – one of the many anniversaries that we acknowledge and celebrate. She’s still recovering from a sinus infection and didn’t get any sleep last night. I massaged her and lovingly put her to bed. I let her know to call me if she needed anything.

Smartass · 05-24-2009, 10:44 PM

Thanks for being so lovely loving Grandiouse

Grandiouse · 05-26-2009, 06:34 AM

Thanks, Smartass! haha

Day 22

I was loving today when I called my brother and invited him to watch the game with me. I was also loving when I gave hugs and kisses. Overall, I really feel a lot more loving today and I showed it.

Grandiouse · 05-27-2009, 02:39 AM

Day 23

Being loving to myself means for me to have balance in my life. I find time to do things that are important for me such as reading and working out. I was loving toward myself last night when I was saying incantations as I was walking on the treadmill. This was an idea that I got from Tony Robbins. You basically chant positive messages out loud while you are moving your body in order to condition the mind.

Secondly, this morning as I got up I thought about the good things in life. I thought about the beautiful weather that we are having and about how good that makes me feel. I also stretched my back and moved my body around. This is another idea from Tony Robbins as he states that upon getting up, it is important to get your body moving and be in a state of gratitude.

Grandiouse · 05-28-2009, 07:05 AM

Day 24

I was loving today by thinking about the “team” instead of the individual. I was at work and I didn’t feel too good about working or providing service. It was only myself and another coworker closing the store. I put aside my own needs for the immediate need of the team because I knew that he could not have gotten everything done without my help. I reassured him that we would be okay to get everything done before closing and I helped him with a lot. Thankfully, we got everything done.

Grandiouse · 05-31-2009, 05:49 AM

Hey everyone,

I am finally updating. I have been dealing with some stuff the past few days and just didn't have time to update on here.

Day 25/26
I am combining both days into this post because I have had to work really late last night and didn’t get a chance to update. Yesterday, one of the loving things that I did was I had a real good conversation with a friend of mine. We shared with each other for about an hour and she gave some good advice about some of the things that I was going through. At the end of our conversation, I thanked her for the help.

Today, I was at the store getting a case of bottled water when I saw a lady looking at it. I asked her if she wanted one and when she said yes, I grabbed a case for her and put it in her cart. She thanked me after.

Day 27
I felt extremely loving all throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening. At work, I thanked a veteran for his service in the army and told him that his choice to serve was very admirable. Secondly, while I was visiting with my mother I thanked her for giving me life advice and her opinions. When I saw my dad, I asked him how are you? When he left for work, I said bye to him.

05-04-2009, 03:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	30 Day Challenge - Be more loving I've decided to embark on a 30 day challenge to be more loving. I got the idea while listening to Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People program. He stressed the importance of developing one's "inner circle of influence." The "Be's" (be more patient, more assertive, etc.) I've decided to embark on a 30 day challenge to be more loving because with more love in my life, I'd like to experience greater inner peace and better moods. The stresses of life have gotten to me in the last few months and it has affected my mental state. I feel sad at times and it shows when I am interacting with people. To be more loving to me means to come from a real loving place in my heart. By expressing inner love, I expect changes to occur in how I treat myself and how I treat others. I expect to be a happier person overall in all areas of life. I'll be committing to making updates everyday to log how the day went and what acts of love I did for the day.

05-05-2009, 06:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Today, my mindset of being more loving really put me in a positive mood throughout the day. I went out into the living room in the morning and chatted with my significant other and roommate. This is something that I don't usually do at all. Instead, I isolate myself and end up feeling left out. I was there the whole time for the conversation and it made me feel good by just listening. I went shopping with my significant other and I opened doors for her, kissed her, and hugged her. I felt like a gentleman and definitely more loving. We had a deep conversation because she had a rough day at work. I asked, "Honey, what can I do or say right now that would be helpful?" That comment really opened things up in our lines of communication. Lastly, I was shopping with my dad. Even though we have had our differences and he had gotten angry at me for not doing what he expected, I stayed loving towards him. I live separate from my parents and when he paid for the baking soda that I got at the store, I thanked him. Last edited by Grandiouse; 05-05-2009 at 06:13 AM.

05-05-2009, 10:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	SimonaRich and Salivanth, thanks a lot for your support. It really HAS helped me have a more positive outlook and it's great! Day 2 As soon as I got up this morning, I said “Good morning” to my roommate. It feels nice to acknowledge someone and have “Good morning” said back to me. It was a little chaotic today because during the performance of our play, Charlotte’s Web, the fire alarm in the school sounded off and we all had to evacuate. No one knows if this was a drill or someone had pulled it, but it stopped out performance and after we had to cut scenes to make up for lost time. I tried to stay positive the whole time and go with the flow. I continued to make an effort to open doors for my significant other. We went grocery shopping after the performance and when we got home, I told her I would help her get the groceries in before I did anything else. While in the store, I said Hello to the clerk and all three of us even got into a small conversation. It felt good to be included in it because I was paying attention and being presently aware of what he said. Last edited by Grandiouse; 05-05-2009 at 10:28 PM.

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05-04-2009, 09:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
SimonaRich Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London, United Kingdom Posts: 912	Wish you all the best for this challenge!

05-05-2009, 12:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
Salivanth Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 43	I'm glad to know your challenge is giving you such a positive outlook on life!

05-07-2009, 04:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 3 Today’s practices of developing the habit of being more loving included many social situations in which I made a conscious choice to be social and friendly. I mentioned before that I would isolate myself whenever guests came over the house. Today, I greeted everyone and made an effort to stick behind for conversation. While I was out and about in the city, I did the same thing. I said Hello to cashiers at the restaurant and to the receptionist at the gym. I asked them how they were doing and told them to have a great day. I felt good about today. I am also developing a habit of being more loving towards myself by listening to self-help audio programs, taking care of my health by going to the gym, and updating my blog regularly.

05-07-2009, 07:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
vilbara Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stuttgart, Germany Posts: 101	When I first saw your challenge I thought it lacks clear definition: Being "more loving" is difficult to measure. This is partly fixed by your commitment to daily updates. Keep on good work!

05-08-2009, 07:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Thanks, Vilbara. You've got a pretty interesting website for the 30 day challenges. Day 4 One of the ways that I was more loving today was that I reached out to a cast member of mine (who I usually don’t talk to), and had a nice small conversation with him. I asked him how he was doing and whether he slept well because we usually have to get up real early to get ready for our performances. In addition, I complemented my significant other in her cooking and told her that the food that she prepared was really good. I stated, “The best salads I’ve had are the ones that you make.” I notice that after 4 days of doing this challenge, what has helped me in being more loving is definitely trusting other people enough to open up to them and make an effort to talk to them. It puts me in a happy mood to know that I can talk to someone about something, and they will be receptive to what I am saying without judgement or criticism. Maybe I have been hesitant to talk to people because I had believed that what I said did not matter. I continue to show more love to myself by making time to get done what I feel is a priority.

05-09-2009, 03:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 5 Yesterday, the way I practiced being more loving was that I had a good conversation with a lady who was working at the store. She was in the graduate program getting her MBA and I took it as an opportunity to make small conversation with her as I was waiting for my order. I had told her that I was interested in graduate school as well and asked her how her experience was, what her goals were, etc. The conversation went well and I learned about some of the things she was doing for her program. In addition, I comforted my significant other because she wasn’t feeling well. I spent extra time acknowledging her and showing her affection in the middle of the day, which made me feel good to be able to be there for her. I held her, kissed her, and really tried to be comforting with words and actions.

05-10-2009, 01:57 AM	#10 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 6 I was honestly not feeling too well throughout the day. I felt tired and a little irritated that my family was not there to see the Charlotte’s Web performance. It really dawned on me while the performance was happening that I wished I had invited them because everyone else had their family and friends there. Nonetheless, the way I stayed loving was that I stated how I was feeling emotionally without letting my emotions get out of control. I told my significant other how I felt and I did not let my negative emotions project onto her. I found that emotions definitely affect the people around me. Today, my intention was to express how I felt so that the negative emotions could come to the surface and not build up to the point where I took them out on the people around me. I still tried to do things like open the car door for my significant other and greet my cast members. After the performance, we had little kids come up to us for autographs and I thanked them for coming to the show. One of my cast members was waiting in the heat for the bus, so my significant other brought up the idea of giving him a ride back home. I was driving, so I pulled over and we took him in.

05-10-2009, 09:57 PM	#11 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 7 Today is Mother’s Day. Of course, the way I was more loving was that I gave my mom a phone call in the morning and told her “Happy Mother’s Day.” I also told her that I would be coming by later on to visit. At first, I was a little reluctant to give my mom a call partly because I didn’t feel certain that she would respond to my phone call with love. But I did it anyway, and she thanked me for calling her. The other way I displayed my love was through texting. I texted my significant other that I loved her and I was sorry her day was going rough. The restaurant that she works in must have been busy because of Mother’s Day. Restaurants are always busy during Mother’s Day. It is still early afternoon and I still have the rest of the day to show my love. I feel a little tired but I am committed.

05-11-2009, 11:41 PM	#12 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	The major way I was more loving today was that I called my dad and asked him how he was doing. I did this while I was on my way to the bookstore, and I had been contemplating whether to call him or not. Anyone who knows me well knows that reaching out to people is something that doesn’t come too easy for me. So, the thought of reaching out to my dad and showing him love felt scary and uncertain. When I actually made the phone call and talked with him, it turned out okay. We made some small talk and he asked me when I was going to come home to visit. I was apprehensive and scared to make the phone call, but I pushed through it and did it anyway. In the end, it actually turned out pretty well. Hooray for me!

05-13-2009, 04:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 9 Yesterday, the way I was more loving was that I apologized for something that I did wrong. The situation had happened the day before between my significant other and I, and it was yesterday that I realized that I was not being loving in the situation. In fact, I was mean. I took the initiative and said, “I’m sorry.”

05-14-2009, 02:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 10 I feel a lot better after today. It was a really nice, warm day and I took some time for myself to read, research, write. I was loving today by being attentive and listening to my significant other talk about what was going on with her work. Our roommate works at the same place, and I took the initiative to go up to her and say “Sorry to hear about you guys’ hard day.” When my significant other came home, I spent time sitting next to her and giving her a back rub. She was very tired, and I sat by her until she comfortably fell asleep. I was more loving to myself because I took some time to get my own stuff done without distraction. I enjoyed cruising down the street and listening to music. It felt great and put me in an awesome mood. Last night, even though I was extremely tired I chose to take some time to take care of my body and go to the gym at 1AM in the morning.

05-15-2009, 08:19 AM	#15 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 11 The way I was more loving today was that I spent a lot of quality time with my significant other. I went out and bought her some allergy medication because this city is nice and full of trees. I also made small conversation with the cashier at the grocery store. There was one situation where I was checking into the gym and the front desk girl there just ignored me when I greeted her, “How are you doing?” She was talking to her friend and didn’t reply to me. I felt dismissed at the time and thought her action was rude, but she must have been unfocused, or she had a bad day. When I left, she was busy in another section of the gym and not at the front desk to check others in. Either way, I was loving because even though I felt bad about the situation I was choosing to think about it from another perspective.

05-16-2009, 07:59 AM	#16 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 12 I was loving today when I gave my significant other a gift for our anniversary. I had planned ahead and picked out a gift to surprise her with today. I was also loving today in listening to her attentively during our drive to San Francisco. When she talked, I listened to her without giving advice or criticism. When she did ask me for advice, then I gave it to her. I acted lovingly towards the front desk person at the gym. I went in there late night and when I was leaving, I acknowledged her by telling her to have a good night and take it easy.

05-16-2009, 11:35 PM	#17 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 13 Today, I was loving by smiling and greeting the front desk person at the gym. I have found that I do this for a lot of people I come across in the retail industry, and in return they are more pleasant towards me. I was also loving when I thanked my significant other for cooking us lunch. She did the cooking and I washed the dishes, and she thanked me as well. Lastly, I was loving to myself because I listened to a self-improvement program and took time for myself to write and do what I wanted to do.

05-17-2009, 06:55 PM	#18 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 14 I just had a very honest, open conversation with my significant other about our future plans and goals. It very nice to communicate openly and I showed my love by listening. Time and time again, I learn about the importance of listening all relationships – whether it be professional or personal. True listening, that which happens with compassion, understanding, and an open mind requires practice. It really is a skill and I am surprised as to how much I learn about others just by listening.

05-19-2009, 06:33 AM	#19 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 15 We are halfway through! Today, I was loving by going to visiting my parents and my brother. I told my dad good morning and told my brother happy birthday, since today was his special day. We went to get a cake as a family, which was a nice event. At the grocery store, I greeted the cashier as usual and made small conversation with him about the NBA finals. Go Lakers! It is the half way point, so what I have seen so far is that it really takes a conscious decision to be loving or to show acts of love in daily life. Things like saying hello and goodbye, giving someone a compliment, or making a phone call to someone you haven’t talked to in a while all take effort on my part because they don’t come naturally. Of course, I do it genuinely because if I tried to force it then it would not work too well. We will see how the rest of the 15 days pan out.

05-20-2009, 07:29 AM	#20 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 16 Let’s see. Today was a tough day. I acted lovingly when I apologized for being insensitive. I realized this only after the situation had happened, and I thought it would be best to make amends so there is not leftover tension. I displayed acts of love when I gave everyone a hug at a meeting that I had. I quickly got that love reciprocated when the group was very accepting of what I had to say. That was my day. Not too many details, but the lessons are important nonetheless in terms of being loving. For one, apologize if you think you did something wrong. Own up to it. Secondly, love is shown both physically and verbally – utilize both.

05-21-2009, 02:07 AM	#21 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	day 17 Today, I was loving towards my significant other because I kissed her, hugged her, and opened doors for her. I also celebrated with her because she got an A in her economics class as well as having other personal victories. I was loving because I gave my roommate a few compliments about how nice her bathroom looked with all of the decorations in place. Also, I complemented someone else on the wall posters that they had up. Overall, I had a pretty good day.

05-21-2009, 10:33 PM	#22 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 18 One of my loving acts today was that I took my significant other to the doctor. I had suggested it because she had allergies and was coughing pretty badly the night before. When we got the doctor, we found out she had a sinus infection so it was a good thing we found it out sooner than later.

05-23-2009, 12:18 AM	#23 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 19 Ok, so the receptionist who I said last time was somewhat cold to me completely changed. I stated last time that it bothered me a little that I greeted her and she ignored me. Well today, I greeted her and she returned the greeting back. She even smiled while she was saying “Hello.” Then when I left, I walked by and said “Have a good one.” She said pleasantly, “See you later! You too.” I was very surprised because of the complete difference from last time. I am glad I stayed loving and today, she smiled and greeted me back.

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05-24-2009, 08:21 AM	#24 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 20 An act of love today was going to visit my mom and brother, while being honest and truthful talking to my mom. In another situation, I had come across an individual who indirectly caused me pain because he had caused pain to someone really close in my life. I ran into him and as hard as it was, my act of love was knowing my part in not creating more hostility. I greeted him out of respect and got on with what I was doing without paying too much attention to him.

05-24-2009, 10:23 PM	#25 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 21 It’s Saturday afternoon on Memorial Day Weekend. I went to church today and thanked a veteran for his service. I also ran into my empowerment program coach, who I hugged and wished a great weekend to. My significant other and I went to an Ethiopian restaurant to eat. She made me an anniversary card because today is the day that we first kissed almost two years ago – one of the many anniversaries that we acknowledge and celebrate. She’s still recovering from a sinus infection and didn’t get any sleep last night. I massaged her and lovingly put her to bed. I let her know to call me if she needed anything.

05-24-2009, 10:44 PM	#26 (permalink)
Smartass Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 200	Thanks for being so lovely loving Grandiouse

05-26-2009, 06:34 AM	#27 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Thanks, Smartass! haha Day 22 I was loving today when I called my brother and invited him to watch the game with me. I was also loving when I gave hugs and kisses. Overall, I really feel a lot more loving today and I showed it.

05-27-2009, 02:39 AM	#28 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 23 Being loving to myself means for me to have balance in my life. I find time to do things that are important for me such as reading and working out. I was loving toward myself last night when I was saying incantations as I was walking on the treadmill. This was an idea that I got from Tony Robbins. You basically chant positive messages out loud while you are moving your body in order to condition the mind. Secondly, this morning as I got up I thought about the good things in life. I thought about the beautiful weather that we are having and about how good that makes me feel. I also stretched my back and moved my body around. This is another idea from Tony Robbins as he states that upon getting up, it is important to get your body moving and be in a state of gratitude.

05-28-2009, 07:05 AM	#29 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Day 24 I was loving today by thinking about the “team” instead of the individual. I was at work and I didn’t feel too good about working or providing service. It was only myself and another coworker closing the store. I put aside my own needs for the immediate need of the team because I knew that he could not have gotten everything done without my help. I reassured him that we would be okay to get everything done before closing and I helped him with a lot. Thankfully, we got everything done.

05-31-2009, 05:49 AM	#30 (permalink)
Grandiouse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 197	Hey everyone, I am finally updating. I have been dealing with some stuff the past few days and just didn't have time to update on here. Day 25/26 I am combining both days into this post because I have had to work really late last night and didn’t get a chance to update. Yesterday, one of the loving things that I did was I had a real good conversation with a friend of mine. We shared with each other for about an hour and she gave some good advice about some of the things that I was going through. At the end of our conversation, I thanked her for the help. Today, I was at the store getting a case of bottled water when I saw a lady looking at it. I asked her if she wanted one and when she said yes, I grabbed a case for her and put it in her cart. She thanked me after. Day 27 I felt extremely loving all throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening. At work, I thanked a veteran for his service in the army and told him that his choice to serve was very admirable. Secondly, while I was visiting with my mother I thanked her for giving me life advice and her opinions. When I saw my dad, I asked him how are you? When he left for work, I said bye to him.