The powerful four-letter word "love", when said or heard, feels so warm and caring. What a delicious experience it is to love and to be loved. In order to succeed in loving relationships, it is important to have a deep understanding of what that word really means, and to know how to open up our hearts and express ourselves in healthy ways. Finally, we need to believe that we deserve precious love, so that we can allow ourselves to experience it in our lives.

Everyone is basically good. I know this because whenever any of my clients did something immoral or destructive, they expressed guilt feelings even if no one ever caught them. I am also convinced that we are all naturally loving. I came to this conclusion when I noticed that after clients released all their anger, fear, and hurt, they instantly began to feel the underlying love that was always there, under their negative feelings, waiting patiently to be allowed to flow.

Often men and women were unaware of how they were feeling, what they wanted to communicate, and how to express their truth. I look forward to the day when "Romantic Relationships 101" will be a required course in schools, when we will be taught how to become aware of our feelings and to communicate appropriately. What a gift that would be for everyone! It was sad to see couples hurting for many years, because they lacked the necessary tools to build a healthy relationship. (Could you imagine what kind of houses would be built if we had no guidelines or the proper tools?)

The following suggestions are parts of a mini course called "Romantic Relationships 101." The goal is to provide you with important insights and solutions to help you experience the successful loving relationships you desire and deserve.

Our negative thoughts can block us from love. The following positive thoughts can help you create loving relationships. Write, sing, and/or say them until they become part of your automatic thinking.

Affirmations

1. I forgive myself for all my wrongdoings.

2. I am a good person and I deserve love.

3. I love myself unconditionally.

4. I am offering my love to others unconditionally.

5. I am naturally a loving being.

6. I accept that being loving is the solution.

7. I measure my success of each day by how much I have given and received love to others and myself.

8. I accept that what people say or do is a reflection of them and not of me.

9. I realize that love is my power to heal myself and others.

10. I am opening my heart and choosing to express love.

11. I forgive others who act in hurtful ways because they don't feel lovable or are afraid to love.

12. I am lovable.

13. I am attractive.

14. I am becoming more loving and loved everyday.

15. I am in a wonderful loving relationship with my perfect partner.

Once you are in a loving relationship, the following vows can serve as guidelines for a fantastic relationship.

A Promise of Love

I will:

Honor your thoughts and feelings.

Tell you my truth in a loving way.

Treat you as an equal.

Accept your uniqueness.

Value the ways we balance each other.

Compliment and appreciate you.

Solve all our conflicts with win-win solutions.

Spend quality time with you.

Continually seek excitement and the magic of life with you.

Love you and myself unconditionally.

Express my deep love for you in many ways.

Cherish you with all my heart.

You now have some general insights into how to succeed in relationships. It is also helpful to be the person you want to find, because like attracts like. For example, if you want to be with a sincere, fun person, then be sincere and fun. You deserve a loving, healthy relationship. Go for it!