Is Love enough?

Is love enough?? According to couples’ therapist Sean McBride in a recent podcast with Simon Sinek (Episode 123), love alone is not enough. Successful relationships, both personal and professional, require more than just love. McBride calls it SMART love—a combination of connection, communication, and understanding.

I’ve long advocated for active listening. But it turns out that listening is not enough. You have to hear your partner. And not many of us can truly hear the other person’s message. Truly hear it.

This deep level of listening involves emotional intelligence: connecting emotionally before connecting rationally.

Effective communication and conflict resolution skills are vital. Disagreements and challenges are natural, and being able to navigate them is key. It requires:

1.??????? Self-Awareness: Understand and Manage your own emotions.

2.??????? Empathy: Acknowledge, Read, and validate your partner’s feelings.

3.??????? Togetherness: Focus on what your partner does right and celebrate it.

To foster healthy relationships beyond love, make regular deposits into your ‘relationship bank’ by appreciating your partner regularly. Recognize that minimizing or dismissing emotions can be damaging. Validating someone’s feelings doesn’t mean you agree with them; it shows you understand and value their emotions.

This month, we completed our 4th edition of our Audacious Leaders Retreat in Transylvania. A key part of our retreat is listening to each other, so we truly hear and practice togetherness. The Tibetan teachings play an important role in the second part of our retreat, when we learn to optimize our energy.

Serendipitously, ?I recently came across some Lessons from the Tibetan monks. I’ve chosen my top ten:

1.??????? If you like it, say it.

2.??????? If you don’t like it, say it.

?3.???????If you want something, ask for it.

4.??????? If you don’t understand, ask.

5.??????? If you want to be understood, explain.

?6.???????If you want to meet someone, call them.

7.??????? If you miss someone, tell them.

?8.???????If you are wrong, admit it and say sorry.

9.??????? Everyone has their own Truth.

10.?? The most important thing in life is love.? The rest is detail.

It turns out that Love is enough….

I almost didn’t write a newsletter this month. It’s been a crazy busy month, something my clients are complaining about too. We all need to read my friend, Zena Everett’s book, “The Crazy Busy Cure”, available here. Or join our Retreat next year!

This month we also completed the 2nd edition of our leadership programme Artemis. In our clients’ words, “this is a program for anyone who is curious about how they can show up differently and navigate their leadership journey with more calm, confidence and enjoyment.” In other words, showing up from a position of love, not fear.

And all of our programmes at ADAPTAA have been created and delivered with love.

This monthly newsletter has been a commitment I made two years ago. And commitment is a big value of mine. So, I am writing it with love on the last day of the month.

Until we meet again, may you be surrounded by love and guided by understanding. ?With heartfelt gratitude and commitment, I wish you all a wonderful month ahead.

ADA, May 24

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