Welcome to the first week of LOVE makes US great! 

I have a challenge with the term self-love. Although it has made a profound difference in the level of joy in my own life, all too often, I hear the term tossed around lightly and associated with superficial, commercial actions.

Here is my purely personal point of view. Self-love for me is about cherishing and loving all of the parts of myself that make me uniquely me - my body with all of its scars and wrinkles from the challenges I’ve made it through, my brain that gets a little foggy post cancer drugs and menopause, my personality quirks (too many to mention), my fear of failure (will anyone read this blog). 

It’s easier for me to think about the “faults” than the “good” things – my body that (thanks to yoga) can do the splits in my late 50s, my brain that reminds me to consider different perspectives, my ability to find the upside in down situations, my love of travel. 

I bring more self-love into my life by dedicating time to intentionally engage in activities that remind me that I matter. This might mean writing an end-of-year accomplishment list. It may be saying yes to going for a walk with a friend. It might mean saying no to a 4 o’clock meeting so I can go to a yoga class. 

Self-love is not an indulgence, it is an essential exploration. As my sage friend and coach #Lisa Marie Platske, says, "If you don't take care of yourself, how can you take care of anyone else.” In parallel, if you don’t love yourself, how can you truly love anyone else?

Here we are in early January. It is the perfect time to reflect back on 2024. Please think about, write down, and ideally share in the comments three things you did in 2024 to bring more love to you and three things you commit to doing in 2025. 

Love requires participation. Love requires sharing. Love requires action. Love requires commitment. What you share is amplified and inspires others.

With gratitude,

Joyce Aiko

(yes, love actually is my middle name)