Jay Shetty

The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Think Like a Monk offers a revelatory guide to every stage of romance, drawing on ancient wisdom and new science. Nobody sits us down and teaches us how to love. So we’re often thrown into relationships with nothing but romance movies and pop culture to help us muddle through. Until now. Instead of presenting love as an ethereal concept or a collection of cliches, Jay Shetty lays out specific, actionable steps to help you develop the skills to practice and nurture love better than ever before. He shares insights on how to win or lose together, how to define love, and why you don’t break in a break-up. Inspired by Vedic wisdom and modern science, he tackles the entire relationship cycle, from first dates to moving in together to breaking up and starting over. And he shows us how to avoid falling for false promises and unfulfilling partners.

8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go

Ashlyn Barrett

When you like a flower, you pluck it. When you love a flower, you water it daily.

I want you to experience the expansive love that you hope exists.

I want to help you intentionally build love instead of wishing, wanting, and waiting for it to arrive fully formed.

We prepare for love by learning how to love ourselves in solitude. Alone, we learn to understand ourselves, to heal our own pain, and to care for ourselves. We acquire skills like compassion, empathy, and patience. 

"Language has created the word loneliness' to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word 'solitude to express the glory of being alone."

There are three stages on the way from loneliness to solitude: presence, discomfort, and confidence. 

Confidence is important in a relationship because it helps us talk to the person we like without seeking their approval or hinging our self-esteem on their reaction. When we aren't looking for them to validate our tastes and choices, we can appreciate their kind words without being misled or distracted by them.

You’ll want a partner who respects not only your goals, but why they are your goals.

Solitude helps you recognize that there is a you before, a you during, and a you after every relationship, forging your own way even when you have company and love.

8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go quotes

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