Celebrating Valentine’s Day last week with my family and friends reminded me of the fundamental element that encompasses what I teach my clients: It’s all about relationships, it’s all about love and it starts with you.

Relationships: As we look back on our lives and what is truly important, it’s always about the people; those who touched our lives in some way and those whose lives we were able to impact. Our relationships are what give us true depth and meaning.

Love: The foundation of all our relationships is in giving and receiving love. Many of the problems in our lives are rooted in an inability to give and receive love in a healthy and mutually nurturing way. Somewhere the love “got messed up.” Unless you’re in a good place mentally and emotionally and have a certain level of confidence and self esteem, it’s difficult to love yourself, let alone others.

You may wonder what love has to do with your business. In business, you’re working to surround yourself with the right people; whether they’re clients, vendors or referral sources. If you look at others who seem to be surrounded by people who truly support them, you’ll notice that people enjoy being around people that make them feel happy, valued and respected. You exude what’s deep within you, so hopefully that’s love.

You: Love for self will lead you to the greatest life and fulfillment, but it’s the emotional obstacles, including our fears and unresolved anger that holds us back from understanding how to love ourselves and give love to others. This is why I teach emotions and personality management, or managing reality and accepting what you can and cannot change.

You hold the key to your own happiness and success, which will come from your relationships that grow out of love. Learning how to manage your emotions and personality will help you get there. We’re all a work in progress, and it is my hope that my clients are growing in their ability to give and receive love for themselves and love for others.