Dr. Ted here! The energy of love is empowering, to say the very least. However, all too often, it becomes just an overused phrase. The essence of love is more than something uttered in the moment, more than a pat on the shoulder, and certainly more than a simple “love ya.”

To experience the real meaning of love, start inside yourself. To truly appreciate and love someone or something, begin with self-reflection. How do you feel about yourself? Do you have unshakable self-confidence, and do others see that in you as well? When you speak of unlimited potential, are you confident you have it beyond any shadow of a doubt? Confidence in one’s self is the key to feeling loved from within.

Now, confidence isn’t about blatantly going through life with a “know-it-all” attitude, but rather it’s about certainty and awareness. As defined by Webster’s Dictionary, certainty is the mental state of being without doubt. When you remove doubt from your energy field, you open the door to opportunity and abundance. And awareness is about being in the moment with regard to others as they respond to your confidence and commitment. To this end, certainty and awareness, when combined successfully, can make a world of difference in your ability to feel confident and thus love yourself from within. This confidence, built from a solid foundational belief in you, allows you to love yourself. And, only then can you really and truly love someone else.

Loving oneself is the key to being and appearing confident, whether as a spouse, parent, boss, or employee. The energy of love is foundational in making choices when dealing with others.

Just the other morning, I watched a young and ever-so-cute little girl of about three interact with her dad at breakfast. She wanted to do this and that, and finally, Dad had to lay down the law. He held her arm firmly at the table and explained in no uncertain terms just how the rest of the meal would work. He was confident about his position, and she understood without any doubt. She got quiet for a moment and could have easily started a scene of frustration and mayhem, yet she understood his love and confidence. He was confident and committed to an excellent breakfast for the entire family. Rather than making a scene about her fight for independence and her “getting her way,” Dad was soft, loving, and confident. He did not doubt what was going to be the outcome of this challenge.

Are you genuine with your actions and deeds? Are you consistent with the way you treat others? Can you be counted on when the going gets tough? When coming from a position of unconditional love, being tied to the outcome dissipates into the ethers. Treating others with loving respect becomes the norm. And, by exuding love in the face of adversity – by taking the higher road of love – you can never go wrong.

Thus the energy of love permeates all boundaries and all challenges. Love is timeless. If a challenge pops up, pour love all over it immediately. The result may not be apparent right away, but by having a foundation built strongly on love and the inner confidence of everything working out perfectly in its own time, we wake up every morning in faith and in being thankful and grateful for the blessings we already have.