Love First is an Idea, a Life Philosophy, a Framework, a Shared Identity, and a Movement.
As an Idea, Love First teaches that with all we have discovered, learned, and invented, the best foundation for us to heal the world’s pain and overcome our collective problems, is the philosophy of Universal Love. It offers us a lens or filter through which we can channel our thoughts, words, and actions, and create miraculous results.
What is Universal Love?
Unhelpfully, “unconditional love” leaves no room for boundaries, and therefore conflicts with our need for self-love. Conversely, Universal Love—or just Love with a capital L—is love spread in every direction: for everyone, everything, everywhere (all at once). That includes love for the self and, therefore, love for boundaries, for: “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” (Prentis Hemphill)
Love First as a Life Philosophy
As a philosophy or way of life, Love First helps you see and create the most universally loving solutions, practices, and outcomes to any challenge we face. Whether it is inner strife, conflict with others, or personal challenge, Love First helps us attune to the wisdom in our hearts and be our best selves. In return, you’ll find the universe conspiring to help you, as Serendipity is a common side-effect of Love.
A Framework for living a love-filled life
The practices of Love First begin with the four elemental foundations, corresponding to the classical elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air.
The Earth practice is to Share Your Story: this grounds you into a strong sense of self, builds mycelial connections to others, and allows you to be seen and understood. Practice telling stories of both your successes and your struggles, and hone your craft as a storyteller.
The Fire practice is to Embrace Vulnerability: like fire, vulnerability is our source of power, creativity, and innovation. Lean into discomfort to expand your sphere of growth, and you will find more magic inside.
The Water practice is to Be Truthful: water flows with no opinion, no agenda, no dominion. It just accepts reality for what it is, and so must you. Face your inner fears, clear out the cloudy self-deception offering you comfort, and find your authentic truths.
The Air practice is to Believe In Possibility: like air, we take a sense of possibility for granted, but without it we face existential dread. Without air we cannot breathe, and without a sense of hope or optimism that tomorrow can be better, we lose the will to live. Always believe that another option is possible, another choice can be made, or at the very least, that another way of looking at things can change your perspective on anything.
After harnessing the four elements, Love First teaches practices such as Express Gratitude, Own Your Actions, Practice Mindfulness, Speak Your Needs, Ask For What You Want, Honor Our Differences, Break The Fourth Wall, Play Together, Win Together, Create And Gift, Restore Balance, Don’t Be Perfect, Question Everything, and many more. Each practice helps you channel the energy of Love into your life, whether for your relationships, career, hobbies and passions, or anything else.
A Shared Identity
Love First People are those who embrace Love First as a way to connect with others. They use “Love First” as a prefix—kind of like a secret handshake, except openly. To be a Love First Person is to live life by it, but one can be a Love First Mother, a Love First Christian or Love First Muslim, or, say, a Love First Software Engineer. Take how you identify, prefix it, and contemplate what applying the practices of Love First would look like in your unique, specific circumstances. And then share those perspectives with others.
A Movement for the Transformation of Ages
We are entering the Age of Love, wherein humanity builds a sustainable future for itself both environmentally as well as societally. This is our generation’s make-or-break moment, and we get to decide how we show up for it. Will we do the inner healing work required so that we can overcome our external differences and bridge the divides? Can we empower enough people for us all to co-create a society not rooted in shame or legacy structures of oppression and inequality, and envision a world evolved therefrom with Love as its founding principle and practices?
Only together can make a world that works with Love for all of us.
Will you Go Love First?