Three words for 2023: Live, Love and Matter

I often listen to a personal growth guru by the name of Brendon Bruchard. One of his mantras that I have always found helpful is “Live, Love, and Matter.” If you think about this mantra it covers a lot of bases. I would challenge you to start your new year thinking about these three words. What do these words mean to you and how can they change your life? Isn’t that what we are all looking for - to live, love and matter? How are you doing with putting these words to work for you?

LIVE

I tend to be an over achiever who thinks the longer my  "to DO” list gets and the more I achieve, the more value my life has. I could not be more wrong. Over the past few years I have done a life inventory almost daily. I take time to check in with myself and ask, “Did I live the life I wanted to today?” I started to take my “to DO” list and transformed it into a  “WHO DO I WANT TO BECOME” list. Too often I get caught up in all the things I “HAVE” to do for others, but this year, I have made it a priority to keep challenging myself to do what I want to become. Are you taking time to feel and enjoy your life and not just get through it? Are you living it in a way that brings you joy and fulfillment? If not, start to reflect what changes you need to make no matter how small.

LOVE

There are two parts to love: am I loving others and am I being loved. Both are vital to our well being. Too often we excel at loving other people to the point of neglecting ourselves. As caretakers we forget the other side to love which is the dire need we have to receive it too. How have you opened yourself up to being loved by others and pursuing the things you love in your life? Too often we measure and equate love with having to exhaust all of our time and energy on the sacrifices we make for others. I often tell myself, “I don’t have time for ME.” To not recognize that you are deserving of your time and love, is to never find the gifts and value of the life you were given to live. 

Recognize that you cannot give what you do not have. Love is not an obligation defined as a constant medal of sacrifice or something we accept as draining. If you want to love others, begin to sincerely love yourself. I have found when I do, the love I am capable of giving becomes so much more sincere and authentic. When I give myself the time to receive and enjoy love, I give more love to others as an overflow of who I am.  It is not something I "have" to do, but it flows as something I can't help but do. This year take time to make sure you receive the love and caring you need. Make that time to give love not only to yourself but make sure you receive it from others.

MATTER

The word matter has become my word for 2023. On my vision board it is at the top in big and bold letters. Part of my daily inventory is to make sure that the things on my “to BE” list make a difference in my life and in the live’s of others. I definitely have my chores and things I HAVE to do on my list, but I have started to get so much better at thinking about what matters to me. I prioritize the things on my lists and all of my goals according to what matters most. I can then move the needle in my life and the lives of others forward in a much more meaningful way. Does the time you spend have purpose and is it leaving an imprint. If it does not, put it off to the side and get honest about it. What do you need to let go of this year to enhance the feeling that your time and life matter to you?

Think about these three words  live, love, and matter more into your daily life. The better I get at doing that the better my life feels to me. Share below some words you will use in 2023 for your life and what meaning are they making to how you live and feel about your life?