Day 7

LOVE DARE ~ DAY 7

Love Believes the Best

Today's dare, get 2 sheets of paper. On the first one, spend a few minutes writing out positive things about your spouse. Then do the same with negative things on the second sheet. Place both sheets in a secret place for another day. There is a different purpose and plan for each. At some point today pick a positive attribute from the list and thank your spouse for having this characteristic. (ask your self which list was easier to make? What did this reveal about your thoughts? What attribute did you thank your spouse for having?)

The further I go in this the more I feel like I am not the wife I thought I was. I would have told you all that I am crazy in love with the greatest man EVER! I am, but my actions don’t line up with the words my mouth delivers. It is real easy to say the things we want others to believe and even ourselves. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Barney with all my heart and soul and we do a lot of what this book is teaching on the positive aspects but, I'm realizing I don't show that love the way I thought I did. I am excited to see what happens when I choose to take it to the next level.

So this part of the book starts out with talking about a small room deep inside your heart. This room is called the appreciation room, we go there every so often and enjoying visiting that special place. On the walls are all the great and wonderful attributes of our spouse. Most things were written on these walls when we first met. For me some of the things written on the walls say: Smart, loving, sensitive, (really, really) cute, honest, giving- you get the idea the list truly goes on and on.

Now, deeper down in your heart in a dark corridor of your heart lies the depreciation room. Unfortunately we visit there as well. (I do this) As you probably guessed on these walls are things written that irritate and bother you about your honey. These things are out there due to frustration, hurt feelings and disappointments. The room is lined with weakness and failures of your spouse. If you stay there long enough you will start saying things like “my husband is so selfish” or “I think I married the wrong person”. Staying in this room WILL kill your marriage. Even if you feel that things in this room are true, so are the things in the appreciation room. (how’s that for a reality check)

So, we all need to settle down and take up residency in the appreciation room! Meditate on the positives about your spouse, and we will learn that there are even more wonderful qualities that can be written on the walls. The choice to explore the positives in your marriage starts with you. You need to make a habit of reining in your negative thoughts and focus on the positive ones. It is a decision you make whether they deserve it or not.