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Dog is love.
I was walking Frank (the dog) this week, allowing my mind to wander in and around the topic of self-love.
It’s a very human thing - not knowing how to truly, deeply love yourself.
I see my clients struggle with this often.
And I admit, I struggle here too sometimes.
In your mind, you can think it: you love who you are, love your body, love your life.
But often, it stays at the surface.
It's logical. Rational.
Very prefrontal-cortex-driven. 👍
Yet, there’s often a gap between thinking this and actually feeling it.
This thought remains a thought - one that’s hard to feel in your body or trust when things get uncomfortable.
And, the thing is, we don’t just want to believe it.
We want to embody self-love.
As I watched Frank - who exists almost entirely in the present moment - I found myself wondering:
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Does a dog have self-love?
At first glance, you might assume no.
Dogs don’t seem to have an ego to manage or an identity to protect - and without that, how could there be a “self” to love?
And yet… I think they do express self-love.
It looks like:
+ unfiltered joy
+ choosing action or rest based on safety
+ unapologetic care through play, connection, nourishment, and sleep
+ a simple loop of I need → I respond
No overthinking. No self-negotiation.
No proving.
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So, consider...
Maybe self-love doesn’t come from tightening our grip on who we think we are - or repeating the “right” thought until it sticks.
Maybe it lives in loosening.
In trusting the moment we’re in.
In responding to what we need - honoring ourselves - rather than proving who we are.
If you are curious what that might look like in your life, here's a gentle experiment:
How can you meet yourself where you are at - allow yourself to let go just a little - and be a bit more present?
Looking for a supportive practice to explore this more? Here is one of my favorite guided mindfulness practices: Yoga with Adriene - Meditation for Self-Love (13 mins)
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Who do you love?
💥 Pop Quiz!
If a documentary film crew followed you around for the last week, what would they learn about who - or what - you love?
If they observed where your time and energy naturally gravitate...
What would your actions suggest?
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💕 Reflecting on my last week... my actions would give the impression that I love:
Coffee. Dogs. Husband. My clients & students. Computer. Cooking. Peloton. Laundry. Music.
(Apparently, I love consistency, companionship, caffeine, and clean clothes. 😂)
If you are playing along here... consider your answer and also observe:
What is feeling out of alignment with what you value most right now?
For me? I’m realizing I’d like to make a bit more room for Family than Computer 😳
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Snow Day Scones
Allow met to share with you one of my most favorite traditions...
Baking scones for breakfast on a snow day.
Here in the South, getting any amount of snow is a celebration. Add homemade pastry and a hot cup of coffee and it's a friggin holiday.
What makes these so special?
I've been fine tuning this recipe for over a decade and especially love using frozen berries and fruits from the summer.
Because I love you: here is my coveted recipie 💕
Snow Day Scones
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"There is life in love and sound...
Get as much as you can keep around,
Before they put you into the ground."
Wise words from (arguably) my favorite band - My Morning Jacket.
These lyrics bring to mind something essential when exploring the topic of love:
Noticing - and receiving.
How love shows up when we slow down enough to notice it.
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If you’re a highly functioning human adult, chances are most of your days are filled with doing.
With so much attention on the task in front of us (or in a phone 😬), it’s easy to narrow our focus - and in doing so, miss what’s quietly happening all around us.
The simple, ordinary expressions of love that show up every day:
+ Strangers saying good morning as they pass.
+ A mural on the side of a public building.
+ A song carrying more than sound - memory, mood, meaning - all at once.
+ Your partner topping off your coffee in the morning.
+ A dog bringing you a toy.
+ Someone stopping to pick up a piece of trash.
There’s something deeply beautiful about our world and our communities when we soften our gaze and really look.
Evidence of unconditional love is everywhere.
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Where this feels most alive for me is while experiencing live music, and while
riding my bike.
At a slower pace, wrapped in sound- my senses wake up. I feel more connected.
There is a quiet recognition - and an openness - to love.
When we can witness love like this - even in small moments - we’re given an invitation.
Not to analyze it. Not to earn it.
But simply to let it land.
To receive what’s already here. 🙏
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A love story.
I admit - I'm not much of a romantic.
But do you know who is? My husband, Andrew 😍
And he's also a writer...
So, it seems beautifully fitting that he should be the one to tell the true story of how we met:
I Found True Love When I Stopped Looking for It - Andrew DiMeo, Sr.
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Worth Sharing
A few things I've been enjoying, learning from, or coming back to lately:
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