Last week we saw that our common understanding of love is upside-down. Love is not something we need from others in order to overcome loneliness or to be happy or fulfilled. It is not the desire for physical intimacy with another. Love is something that radiates from our hearts and it is this giving that brings us joy and connection in our lives.
So the first step towards love is to stop being selfish, to stop putting yourself above others. This means practicing giving yourself to others without asking for anything in return.
This requires a certain level of mental honesty to ensure that these acts of service come from a genuine place of love and joy, rather than as self-interested calculations to buy love.
The goal is to give without seeking love from others. To let go of the need to be loved and instead notice the joy in the act of loving itself.