Happy Spring! Welcome Back to Love

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For me, spring is the time of new love and fresh starts!  Are you ready for a fresh start in your love life?

Here’s a love quiz that appeared in my book on believing in love again:

What do you believe about love now?

We all have to start somewhere in our journey back to believing in love again. No matter how we have been betrayed in our past, most of us started out certain that love would improve our lives. In fact when we were young, love seemed like the answer to all of our problems. Unfortunately, later in life it may seem like the cause of all of our problems!

Let’s see what you now believe about love. Consider these thought-provoking statements.

How many of these describe your feelings most of the time:

*Finding an appropriate partner is now a high priority for me.

*Sharing love is the most meaningful experience in life.

*I believe I am worthy of unconditional love and compassion.

*I love and accept myself exactly the way I am.

*I have a circle of family and friends who appreciate me exactly the way I am.

*I reject relationships where I feel sad, used or damaged.

*I clear up misunderstandings with others as soon as they occur.

*I feel loving others teaches me much about myself.

*Feeling loved and appreciated makes me feel good about myself.

*A loving relationship is a safe and healthy place to get most of my needs met.

*I believe we are all lovable in some way.

*I believe I deserve to be loved for exactly who I am.

*I believe I have the right to ask for what I need in relationships.

*I feel strong enough to say “NO” to anyone at any time if I feel taken advantage of or abused.

*I accept that not everyone will like me. I can bear their lack of approval.

*A relationship means that my partner will listen and honor what I have to say.

*I quickly sense when I am around toxic people and leave immediately.

*Being in love renews my energy, making me feel like I can do anything.

*I believe I will find the kind of love I seek if I approach it with an open heart.

*I believe there are many others just like me, seeking the love they need in positive and healthy ways.

Where do you stand on this love quiz? Were you able to answer yes to most of these questions?

Self-love and acceptance is the first step towards believing in and finding love again. If we cannot find a way to love ourselves absolutely, how will we ever learn to accept others in that way?

“Learn to pretend there’s more than love that matters…”                            –  Indigo Girls

Laura Lee Carter, MA Counseling Psychology, the writer behind the popular online magazine Midlife Crisis Queen,has been helping others turn midlife difficulties into opportunities for personal change since 2007. Besides working as a psychotherapist, Laura Lee has authored a number of books and e-books on midlife transformation.  Don’t miss her new book: Find Your Reason to Be Here: The Search for Meaning in Midlife. Follow her on Twitter: @midlifequeen