Leading with Love...

When you hear leading with love, what comes to mind? For some, it may be the role of the husband. For others, it may be the standard in which we parent. Others may apply this principle to how they operate their business. However, what if we applied this principle to our daily lives? When looking at our country's state, it seems that having love for another human being is lacking. What if we led with love everywhere we go and with everything we do?

Leading with love requires us not to allow how we feel to determine how we treat others. Maybe you are not having a good day or a good week. Does it give you a pass to not smile when you encounter others? Maybe you lost your job today. Does it give you a pass to be rude? We all have problems and conflicts. However, we never know what someone else is dealing with. It is not about excusing how you feel because how you feel matters. Leading with love recognizes that I am not the only one dealing with problems, so I refuse to miss an opportunity to be the 'light' in someone's life.

Sometimes we can become so consumed by our feelings, the things that are not going right in our lives, and the mistakes we have made that we forget that someone else may have it worse. You lost your job, but someone lost their family. You are tired of your spouse, but someone's spouse is in prison for a crime they did not commit. You are tired of living from paycheck to paycheck, but someone is tired of living life. It is not about always 'doing.' Sometimes choosing NOT to say something or choosing NOT to react is the most loving thing to do.

Let's get out of our heads and start leading with our hearts. Someone's life may be depending on you. It's not easy, but it's worth trying.

-Love