Welcome to day 3 of the Valentine’s Day Blog-a-thon. Today’s guest blogger is a very good friend of mine. Terry Hernon MacDonald is the author of How to Attract and Marry the Man of Your Dreams. You can visit her blog at Dating Advice (Almost) Daily and sign up for her newsletter at MarrySmart.com.
THE LOVE YOU TAKE IS EQUAL TO THE LOVE YOU MAKE
So wrote the Beatles, and they got it right.
Too many women (and men, for that matter) approach love the wrong way. Several times a month, they dress up and leave the house for dinner with some soul they found on a dating site, hoping he’ll turn out to be the person of their dreams.
Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with dating sites (on the contrary, they provide access to men you might not ordinarily meet, and they help you clarify what you do — and don’t — want in your ideal partner). But it’s still very possible that you’ll meet that person of your dreams just going about your day, doing ordinary things.
That’s why you must be ready for love every moment of your life.
Relax. I’m not suggesting you schedule a chemical peel before you head to the supermarket. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen women in sweats and no makeup ending up in line behind cute guys without wedding rings. These women don’t get attention because they think they only need to look good on date nights. To attract the right man, women need to look good all the time. (I’m not being sexist. Are you impressed guys who wear sweat pants?)
Unless you’re going to the gym (and even there, you’d want to be presentable), it really helps to look your casual best at all times. When you put yourself together, you tell the world you care about yourself. Caring about yourself inspires others to care for you, too.
And while putting yourself together is critical, it’s more important that you treat people — whether you would date them or not — with love and kindness. Smile at the cashier. Warn the old man coming out of church about the slippery patch you noticed in the pavement. Use the time on line at the DMV to think happy thoughts. Please don’t be the woman who’s constantly sighing and checking her watch. She repels people.
It truly helps to cultivate a spirit of love wherever you are, whether it’s the supermarket or a hospital visiting a sick friend. You just never know who you’re going to meet, and you do not know who the people you do meet could help you to meet. Be kind to the tired-looking woman who serves your morning coffee. She just might have an honest, successful brother who’s ready for a relationship with a warm-hearted woman like you.
Spread love wherever you go. Know that what goes around, comes around. Develop the reputation of being “that lovely woman.”
By all means, start by loving yourself. People who love themselves attract more love. Slow down, stop rushing around, and take time to do things you enjoy. This is your life we’re talking about, and you must make time for your interests. (Your interests make you interesting.) If the quest to find a life partner has become your sole interest, please find another. You could meet the aunt of a great guy at a knitting class, piano lessons, or a cooking course.
And, if you’ve become accustomed to eating out of sacks and cardboard boxes, this is the time to take that cooking course. Raise your standards and start nourishing the love of your life. (That would be you.) Learn to make something you really enjoy. Make it slowly. Savor it with a glass of good wine. And please set the table. You wouldn’t expect a man you want to impress to eat from a pot while standing at the stove, would you? So why do you allow the love of your life to do it?
Treat yourself the way you want the man of your dreams to treat you, which will enable you to get used to being treated well. This way, when you’re out with some substandard loser, your radar will go off. Instead of making excuses for his behavior, you’ll know better. You will go home alone, happy to spend time with someone who treats you like the treasure you are. (That would be you again.)
It will only be a matter of time before the right man shows up to treat you as you treat yourself.
You truly will be amazed when you a) treat others as you would have them treat you, b) dress to expect good things, and c) treat yourself as you want the most fabulous man in the world to treat you. You’ll find yourself attracting new people, specifically good men. You’ll also attract better friends, better jobs, and better circumstances.
Go forth. Love and be loved.
To learn more about Terry, visit www.MarrySmart.com
Did you read the first two posts of the Valentine’s Day blog-athon? No worries, just click below:
Day #1 Love is in the Air and Its All about You by Marla Martenson
Day #2 Fall in Love on Valentine’s Day with Yourself by Bobbi Palmer
Single for too long, Ronnie wanted to find love. She put her skills from personal development and her spiritual path to work, dating 30 men in 15 months to meet her adorable husband Paul. Discovering the keys to manifesting and midlife dating, she founded It’s Never Too Late to help smart, successful women find love or live an empowered and magical life. Ronnie Ann Ryan, MBA, CCC, is a Certified Coach who has helped 1,000s of midlife women with her Love & Magical Life Coach services. She’s the host of the Breathe Love & Magic podcast and has been featured on NBC, ABC, & Fox News, NPR, BBC, eHarmony, MSN.com, and Connecticut Magazine among others. Also, Ronnie is the author of 6 books which are available on Amazon.
Cathy – what a great phrase – your cloak of love. The Beatles are still a favorite of mine too. Thanks for joining in on the Valentine’s Day Blog-a-thon.
This post is so important. Love attracts love!
My favourite line is
“Slow down, stop rushing around, and take time to do things you enjoy.”
or as the old saying goes ‘Stop and smell the roses.’
When you are out at the local shop or beach… no matter what you are wearing (hopefully smart casual reflecting the respect you treat yourself with) – put on your cloak of love!
I love the part where you talk about the spirit of love. You are so on target and I talk about this as well. While you suggest being the “lovely woman”, I call it being “delightful”. Either way – you cannot go wrong! When you share your love on Valentine’s Day or any day, you add joy to the world and that will work to make you a happier person and more attractive as well. Shine your light of love this week and then keep it going!
If you haven’t read Terry’s book, you might want to get your own copy here http://www.marrysmart.com/?hop=coach4date
Great reminder, Terry. Too often we get so set in our ways and blase as single women that we forget what it means to be attractive. It’s not being dressed to the nines and having your hair perfectly coiffed as if you just stepped out of the salon, but it IS about being fresh, presentable and vibrant. Every time we step out the front door, there’s the potential to run into the love of a lifetime. So why not be fully prepared for it?