If I had to create a 4 Pics, 1 word puzzle for today, I would show the following images: 1) A Valentine’s Day card, 2) A baby kissing a mother, 3) A couple embracing and 4) Two kids holding hands. Four letter word. What is it?

LOVE.

Love is a funny thing. I would guess that it is one of the most charged words in the English dictionary. Either it conjures up images of babies, happy couples and cute animals or it conjures up memories of old flames, a love not yet found or frustration with cheesy rom-coms.

What is it that has us sway one way or the other with our feelings towards this word? As a coach, I am trained to look at concepts from different perspectives – is it simply a matter of changing our perspective and outlook? And if so, why bother?

We bother because without love, both from self and from others, we would die of loneliness, feel unfulfilled and be on an endless search for something outside of us to satisfy our desires. This is neither sustainable nor achievable.

I believe that there is a strong link between how we feel about love for ourselves and how we feel about love towards others. Before we can let others in, we need to let ourselves in.

Leo Buscaglia talked about love being a learned phenomenon. This week, let’s re-learn what there is to love about ourselves. As you go to bed, ponder this question with curiosity:

“What does the child in me love about the adult in me?”

Connect in. Listen to the message. Receive the love.

Seema Sodha