Does life sometimes get you down?  You try hard to find the answers for a successful, happy, and loving life, but you often come up short. If this sounds like you, then you’re about to receive some powerful solutions for your pressing problems and challenges.  In our latest Love University episode, Dr. Avila answers some of your most crucial questions for ultimate living. Here are some of the important things you will learn: *How to Handle People Problems *How to Get Ahead *How to Truly Relax *How to Handle Defeat *How to Find Someone to Love (and Keep the Love Strong) *How to Live a Joyous Life and Achieve Your Dreams

There is a powerful way to access your greatest talents and achieve your grandest goals. It is called Brahmacharya—the use of sexual and romantic energy for a higher purpose. Our guest on Love University, Melissa Barragan, multimillion dollar real estate producer, applied the principle of Brahmacharya and explained how it led her to a powerful realization of self-love and transformation.  After initiating a lifestyle of romantic abstinence beginning in 2023, she achieved her biggest sale ever--$25 million in one day (Valentine’s Day, 2024)--and helped a loving family find their perfect forever home. Here are some of the highlights from Mellisa’s experience of personal awakening: *God Is Your Valentine. Although Melissa wondered if she would find romantic love after her Brahmacharya experiment, she realized that her true love was God (Higher Nature). Instead of feeling lonely on Valentine’s Day, she experienced a great feeling of unity and love with her Higher Nature as she spent the day with a lovely family and helped them achieve their real estate dreams. *Fusing Passion, Love, and Romance.  The happiest and most influential couples in the world like Grant and Elena Cardone (real estate and motivation) have the ideal blend of love qualities.  These Supercouples are able to combine mind, body, and soul to create a tremendous partnership in which they transmute their attraction and love for each other into greatness and contribution for the betterment of society. *Livmor, Love More.  Melissa coined the phrase #Livmor (Live More) to symbolize the importance of focusing on abundance, joy, and love—every day of your life. We often feel disappointed and frustrated when we try to find happiness in externals: relationships, money, work, or experiences.  The truth is that true happiness is based on inner love and peace. To live more, we need to love more: Ourselves, others, and a Higher Nature. When we do everything with love—spending time with loved ones, eating, exercising, making love, working, giving, helping, and contributing—life becomes an absolute joy. It’s about you now. Decide that, starting today, you will give your life energy an upward turn.  Instead of wasting your vital life forces on superficial relationships, distractions, and negativity, you will use every ounce of your energy to live more, love more, and be more.  When you do this, you will achieve everything you have ever dreamed of, and your life will be a miracle come true.

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Do you or a loved one have a serious, life-threatening illness? Do you fear contracting a deadly disease in the future and having no hope for your recovery? If so, there is a way for you to rewrite your sickness story into one of triumph and peace. Our inspiring guest on Love University, Elizabeth Benedict, bestselling author and cancer survivor, shared her personal experience (Rewriting Illness) about illness (elizabethbenedict.com). On the show, she enlightened us about the realities of disease, love, and recovery. Here are some of the things we learned: *Medical Professional’s emotional reactions can influence a patient’s mental and physical state.  In psychology, mood contagion occurs when we pick up the moods of others—whether good or bad. A medical professional’s fears or negative emotions can influence the patient in a negative way. At the same time, positive emotions expressed by medical providers—compassion, optimism, and love—can also be healing forces to help the patient in their recovery. *There may be a gendered response to illness.  Men tend to be more stoic about illness and not as hyperfocused on their bodies as women often are (which explains why men may detect illness in later stages when it’s too late).   *Serious illness is an internal power struggle—choose your own way.  Some people benefit by talking about their illness to loved ones—it helps them release their tension and fear. Others do better by not talking a lot about it and focusing on positive thoughts and activities. Each person has a different internal battle and needs to choose the mental approach that works best for them. *Fear needs to be balanced.  According to Elizabeth, patients need to strike the right balance between feeling too much fear about an illness and not having enough fear to protect themselves from danger.  Although fear can be a practical and useful ally, too much fear can paralyze a person and take away their joy for living, which prevents them from maintaining the proper recovery mindset. The truth is that a majority of us will get sick and die one day. Yet, we don’t know the time or the way. Those who trust in a Higher Nature (God, spirit, nature) understand that they will be called from their bodies at the appropriate time. In the meantime, our duty is to live with as much love, joy, and contribution as we possibly can while we’re here on earth. As long as you have your body, rejoice in it, love it, and be grateful for it.

Do you get stressed, afraid, or sad?  Does conflict with others wear you down? If the answer is yes, there is a solution for you.  It is called empathy: caring and giving with intention—both to yourself and others. Our esteemed guest on Love University, Judith Orloff (drjudithorloff.com), empathic psychiatrist and New York Times bestselling author shared light on the “Genius of Empathy” from her new book with the same title. According to Judith, empathy is an important part of emotional intelligence and a powerful healing tool for ourselves and others.  Here’s what we learned from Judith about the amazing gift of empathy: *You need to start with self-empathy.  You may be hard on yourself, self-critical and attacking yourself about your flaws and mistakes. This is especially the case for sensitive and caring people who often excessively take on the psychological burdens of others and don’t know how to set healthy boundaries. If this sounds like you, it's important to put yourself in your own shoes and be an advocate for your self-worth and value.  Love yourself by putting your hand over your heart and repeating this phrase: “I forgive myself for my past and I open my heart to my future. I am a loving and valuable human being. I can say “No” to others and still be OK. All is well.” *Practice empathy toward others.  Place yourself in other people’s shoes; feel as they feel during your time with them.  When someone angrily cuts you off on the road, instead of getting angry in return, you can slow down your thought process and see the situation through their eyes. You can consider, “Maybe they’re having a rough day—perhaps they’re feeling sick or just got into a fight with a loved one. There may be a reason for their behavior that I’m not seeing.” When you substitute your irritation and anger for empathy and love, you start to display compassion, and you have a desire to relieve their suffering. Think about how much the angry person suffers from their own reactions—their face gets red, their veins pop. They can’t really help themselves. Now you can forgive them and move on to a higher plane of feeling.   *Develop empathy toward the world.  According to Judith, it’s important to understand the “Power of We” instead of “Us Versus Them.”  The truth is that we are all interconnected as human beings. We all share this planet. We all breathe in air, eat, sleep, love, and work. We suffer from the same feelings of regret, sadness, anger, and frustration. We all want to love and be loved, enjoy life in the way we can, and feel meaningful or valuable in some way. By seeing other people as part of a grand human family, we can develop a global sense of empathy. We can send a healing thought or prayer to people in parts of the world who are in horrible conflict or strife.  Also, by practicing the beautiful Tonglen meditation, we can inhale the suffering of others and breathe out compassion and love.  In this way, we can help heal the world as we heal ourselves. Empathy is on a continuum. Some people are very empathetic, others moderately so, and some (sociopaths, narcissists) have little, if any, empathy. The good news is that a majority of people can increase their empathy toward themselves and others.  By doing so, you will quiet the unkind voices in your head (self-critical thoughts), and you will befriend yourself and others.  You will also establish good boundaries so you are not overwhelmed by the negativity of others. And, most importantly of all, you will extend loving energy without expectation and shine your light of love to all who may receive it. Empathy is truly a genius, and the genius is in you. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. JOIN AVILA AND LOVE UNIVERSITY FOR A LIVE PODCAST AND BOOK SIGNING AT THE LA TIMES BOOK FESTIVAL: SATURDAY APRIL 20TH 12 TO 5PM AT USC CAMPUS, BOOTH 145.  WE'LL HAVE A BLAST, MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND LEARN VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE.

Are you an intuitive and sensitive (feeling) person? Perhaps you’re someone who loves psychology, philosophy, spirituality, and finding the meaning of life. If that’s the case, then you may be an Idealistic Philosopher, the rare personality type (about 4%) who believes that “love is the perfect place: quiet, peaceful, and kind.” On Love University, Dr. Avila began a new series on the 16 LoveTypes (Myers-Briggs romantic styles) based on his classic bestseller LoveTypes. In this segment, Dr. Avila reveals the qualities of the Idealistic Philosopher personality and how they can find and keep love. Idealistic Philosophers (INFP on the Myers-Briggs) have these characteristics: Internal (Introvert) Energy, represented by the letter I.  They primarily get energy from their own thoughts, as opposed to socializing with other people. Although they can be quite talkative and sociable at times, they can get tired talking too much and may need to retreat to a private and quiet place to recharge their batteries. Intuitive/Imaginative, represented by the letter N.   Idealistic Philosophers view the world through their imagination and their vision of what is possible. They may not be as practical as the other LoveTypes, but they believe they can eventually bring their dreams into reality. They also believe they have a special mission to fulfill in life, and this vision will keep driving their quest for love and meaning. Feeling/Sensitive, represented by the letter F.   Idealistic Philosophers make decisions primarily with their heart (feelings). If they need to say something to someone and it may hurt their feelings, they may not say it because they want to maintain harmony in the relationship. As feelers, single Idealistic Philosophers are also “hopeful romantics”—they’re always thinking the next person they meet could be their soulmate. Spontaneous (or Perceiver on the Myers-Briggs), represented by the letter P.  Idealistic Philosophers tend to be playful, fun, and spontaneous. By other people’s standards, especially the more structured types, they may be disorganized and unstructured. However, Idealistic Philosophers don’t see it that way. They would say they are organized in their own way, and they value people and experiences over strict structure.  Their motto is: You only live once, enjoy it. Therefore, by combining the four letters above, the Idealistic Philosopher is known as the INFP. Overall, the Idealistic Philosopher (INFP) can be a warmly appreciative and supportive romantic partner.  In terms of challenges, if you’re an INFP, you tend to be hard on yourself (self-critical) so you need to practice self-love and self-forgiveness.  Here’s the good news: If you can love and appreciate yourself as an Idealistic Philosopher, you can attract a like-minded mate who shares your passion for finding a meaning in life. A good match for you is an Idealistic Philosopher or the more structured Mystic Writer (INFJ on the Myers-Briggs).  Regardless of your disappointments in the romantic world, as an INFP you can discover your compatible love partner. When you meet that ideal soul mate, your joy will have no bounds, and you will create a harmonious relationship that lasts a lifetime.   SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. JOIN AVILA AND LOVE UNIVERSITY FOR A LIVE PODCAST AND BOOKSIGNING AT THE LA TIMES BOOK FESTIVAL: SATURDAY APRIL 20TH 12 TO 5PM AT USC CAMPUS, BOOTH 145.  WE'LL HAVE A BLAST, MAKE NEW FRIENDS, AND LEARN VALAUBLE KNOWLEDGE.

Is this the year of your prosperity, joy, and love? The answer is a resounding “Yes” according to our distinguished guest on Love University, Marci Shimoff (happyfornoreason.com) the woman’s face of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series and #1 NY bestselling transformational author (Happy for no Reason; Love for No Reason).  In our delightful conversation, Marci shared the secrets of maintaining your happiness and loving nature and achieving your dreams, regardless of any obstacles and problems you may experience.  Here are some of the marvelous insights we learned from Marci: *Believe the Universe is Loving and Benevolent.  Happy and successful people expect that good things will happen to them. Because of their optimistic and grateful natures, they are open to new opportunities. They are prepared to accept the best and they often receive the best the Universe has to offer.  Repeat this to yourself every day:  “The Universe has abundant good for me—love, happiness, and success. I just need to open the door to my wonderful good.” *Build Up Your Emotional Immune System. Mood contagion is what happens when you pick up the moods of other people—either positive or negative.  This is especially the case if you are a sensitive or empathic person who absorbs the energy of others. When you’re around negative people, tell yourself:  “I am my own castle of positive energy; no one and nothing can enter and disrupt my peace and happiness. I am protected and safe.  I am content.” *Take Ownership of Your Happiness.  According to Marci, many people need to have a reason for happiness (“I need a new job, relationship, house, experience…”).  The problem is that happiness from external things soon wears off and you’re back to the emotional state you had before. Lasting happiness comes when you don’t have a reason for your happiness. You are just happy, period. To develop your inner happiness, repeat this to yourself:  “I will not let any unhappy thoughts penetrate my mind. If a negative thought enters my mind temporarily, I will quickly discard it. I will only allow peaceful and joyful thoughts to penetrate my consciousness. I am happy and free.” *Raise Your Love Set Point. Love Set point refers to a certain baseline level of loving energy that you tend to have in most situations. The good news is that you can increase your love set point; you can become more loving, and you can feel more loved.  For example, you can practice unconditional self-love by loving the unlovable in you (something you consider unappealing about yourself). Part of this is forgiving yourself for any things you have done that you regret.  Also, you can become more loving toward others by giving fully from your heart—doing altruistic and kind acts to help others (giving money to the homeless, listening empathetically to a hurting friend). At the same time, you can look for the similarities and beauty in others and recognize the oneness of all humanity. Finally, you can connect with a Higher Nature (God, Spirit, nature) that is all-loving and helps actualize your potential to love yourself and others to the fullest. Yes, this will be the year of your happiness, success, and love.  All you have to do is work from the inside out—develop these traits first within yourself—and then manifest them in the outside world. When you do this, you will attract all you desire:  career and financial success, excellent physical and mental health, and an amazing lifestyle.  Yes, this is your year of wonder and accomplishment. Rejoice in it; excel in it, love it.

Do you have an emotional bully in your life who harasses, demeans, or criticizes you? Maybe it’s your boss, friend, or even your love partner.  Or perhaps you bully yourself relentlessly, pointing out all of your flaws and weaknesses and making you believe you’re a puny little nothing. If that’s the case, then there is help on the way. Our friend and favored guest, Sean Kanan, Emmy winner and beloved actor in the classic Karate Kid and Cobra Kai franchises, graced us with his advice on how to defeat the bullies in your life. Here are some important tips we learned from master teacher Sean (wayofthecobra.com):   *Never compromise your character. Stand firm in who you really are.  Don’t let other people try to tempt you or bully you into doing things you don’t really want to do. When you stay true to your inner self—your Hara (center of power in the East)—you will be happy and proud of your authentic nature. No one can push you off balance.  *Respect yourself and others. Be kind and compassionate to yourself and other people. Although anger is a common reaction when others try to hurt us, we need to rein in our reactions and do what is best for our mental and physical health. See the angry person as someone who suffers from their own out of control nature, while you maintain your calm and peaceful composure. Practice self-care, breathe deeply, meditate, or engage in a spiritual practice. Conserve your integrity and peace of mind at all costs. *Take a Personal Inventory. Fear is what holds many people back. In a journal or notebook, write down the fears you have in your life. Note the times you have the fear, the intensity of the fear, and what you did to deal with it.  When you do this, you will discover your fear triggers—when and how you become fearful and anxious. Now you can begin to neutralize the fears and focus on the parts of you that are good, powerful, and noble. *Think From Abundance. Many times our anxieties, worries, and insecurities stem from our belief in lack—we think we don’t have enough; we’re not good enough. As a result, we settle for being with negative and critical people who feed into our erroneous self-belief that we’re not good enough. The simple antidote is to believe that there is an abundance of love, prosperity, health, and happiness for you. When you think from a mindset of abundance, you never have to settle for less. You can live more and love more, always. Yes, you can defeat inner and outer bullies by the power of your mind. You don’t even have to throw a punch or kick. Most bullies are cowardly, so having a steely inner mind of confidence, poise, and balance will throw them off balance and defeat them. You can also defeat your inner critical thoughts (thought bullies) by saying: “I don’t need to listen to your poisonous words. I can be free, strong, loving, and happy. I am the Cobra. I am Invincible.”

What if I told you about an unsung hero, an American diplomat and businessman, who did incredible things to help America and the world during World War II? This man, one of America’s leading industrialists, put his business career on hold to help save European Jews during WWII, assist in deposing Mussolini, the Italian dictator, and block Germany from succeeding in the war.  On Love University Podcast, we had the pleasure of learning about this mystery man, Myron Taylor, courtesy of award-winning legal scholar, Evan Stewart. In Evan’s latest book, “The Man Nobody Knew,” Evan painstakingly recounts unknown and fascinating details about Myron’s influential, yet modest and humble life, and the way he helped save many lives during WWII. A fascinating portrait of a man who sacrificed for his country and the world, Myron’s life is an inspiration to many of us today who realize that history can, and does, repeat itself.

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Once in a while you meet a person who is endlessly fascinating and an absorbing conversationalist. This is who we met when Donna Spruijt-Metz joined Dr. Avila on Love University Podcast.  An Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Public Health at USC, a former professional flutist, and an acclaimed poet, Donna enlightened us on various life topics and inspired us to find our true inner nature and develop a love for learning.

If you or a loved one is on the Autism spectrum, or if you have been curious about this condition, then you’re about to learn some fascinating things about this often-misunderstood diagnosis.  On our Love University podcast, we had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Sneha Mathur, autism expert, as she enlightened us on the truth about those who are classified as being on the “spectrum.”  Sneha talks with Dr. Avila about the natural diversity and creative potential that these unique individuals may possess. Although a number of them can have challenges in social and behavioral areas, they may also exhibit great qualities of creativity, intense focus, loyalty, the ability to detect patterns, and passionate productivity. According to Sneha, what was once viewed as a severe mental disorder can be reconceptualized in a more positive way that respects the abilities and contributions of these extraordinary people.

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Imagine if you had to disguise your race and gender or risk capture and death?   This is exactly what happened to William and Ellen Craft, an enslaved married couple in the Deep South during Pre-Civil War times. In 1848, Ellen, whose mother was half-white, disguised herself as a white male slaveowner and her husband, William, played the part of her slave as they traveled North to escape slavery.  Since Ellen couldn’t read or write, she tried to bypass any nosy questioners by having her arm in a sling and pretending to be sick. With various close calls and harrowing situations, they eventually made it North and became activists for anti-slavery. Through it all, their love for each other kept them safe, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Join celebrated author, Ilyon Woo, and Dr. Avila as they discuss the amazing lives and journey of William and Ellen Craft on Love University, based on Woo’s NY times bestselling Master Slave Husband Wife.  It is a story that will melt your heart and inspire you to reach for your own mental freedom.

“My father was kidnapped and killed when I was young. I fell into a deep depression and almost lost the will to live. But then, during my darkest hour, I discovered the magical words “Live More” and my life transformed. I realized that I had more to live and I could teach others about the amazing possibilities of life. I became a Ms. Universe contestant and pageant winner, as well as one of the top real estate producers in the nation, with over $200 million in sales. I work with celebrities and everyday people to help them buy their dream properties. I am Melissa Barragan, the Queen of Florida real estate, and this is my story. Please tune into Dr. Avila’s Love University   and listen as we discuss the secrets of Living, Loving, and Being MORE. I did it and you can do it too.  Love and Blessings, Mellisa. @liv_mor."

Is something holding you back from achieving your dreams?  Does the obstacle seem too great?  If so, then you are about to be inspired by our guest on Love University, Zana, an amazing new musical artist who overcame great obstacles to influence the world with her music.  Growing up during the horrors of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, she escaped and started a new life in the US. Transforming her pain into power, her music was shortlisted for an Oscar and considered for Grammy nominations in three categories. Her music speaks to the soul and her musical language is love. Listen as Zana raises our spirits by channeling songs through her Higher Nature.  In a candid and uplifting way, she shows us what it takes to drive toward your vision and achieve your most treasured goals, no matter what.

Would you like to give your children one of the biggest advantages in life? You can by giving them the gift of being bilingual.  Teaching your children a second language at an early age can open them up to exciting new cultural experiences, advantageous job and career opportunities, and a world of travel adventures.  Join us on Love University and listen as our special guest, Maritere, award-winning parenting expert and author, explains the importance of teaching your child to be bilingual in our fast-changing, technology focused world.

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Would you like to create your own reality and achieve your wildest dreams? Now you can by applying a powerful three-part system of mental and physical transformation based on self-hypnosis and neural reprogramming. On Love University podcast, we met Diego Soto, an acclaimed expert on installing new mental frameworks and living successfully.  Diego taught us the three steps for conquering negative thought patterns and implementing positive mental habits to fulfill your deepest desires. On the show, we also witnessed a real-life case study as Diego helped Carlos, one of LA’s most notorious gangsters, overcome his fears and develop a new mindset of peace, love, and hope.   Here are the three steps to inner and outer fulfillment as explained by Diego: 1.Have a Defined Intention:  What is it that you really want in life? Focus on that one goal, and everything else will fall into place. Perhaps, you desire a loving relationship and family life, material comforts and financial security, a beautiful home, wonderful friends, amazing travel experiences, or the opportunity to contribute something positive to the world.  Now that you know your defined intention, write it down, speak it into existence, and focus on it daily. Maintain a Clear Visualization.Through meditation, affirmations, journaling, or prayer, imagine that you are achieving your ultimate aim. Whatever you imagine, make it very clear in your mind. Imagine all of the sights, sounds, tastes, and scents of your dream goal. Perhaps, you see your dream home—a beautiful white house on a hill overlooking a gorgeous sandy beach with clear blue water. You imagine your home filled with loved ones, as you do the creative work you love. You smell the scents of delicious seafood cooking in the kitchen. Your hear the joyous laughter of those around you. Experience the Full Feeling of Actualization.  Once you have a clear intention, and visualize your goal becoming reality, you need to feel it in your body, heart, and soul. What is the emotion you experience when you meet your soul mate, start your dream business to help the world, travel to your most beloved destination? Perhaps, it’s joy, curiosity, love, gratitude, and so on. Focus on that feeling as it propels you beyond your fears and barriers, and takes you to the promised land of your ultimate dreams.Yes, it’s true. You can create your own reality and change your mind from fear to love, from regret to satisfaction, and from sadness to joy. Practice daily and you will be amazed at how much you can achieve in your inner and outer life. JOIN DR. AVILA LIVE FOR A TALK: FINDING YOUR SOUL MATE: ASKING THE 4 MAGIC QUESTIONS, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2023, 7PM AT BARNES AND NOBLE (PEMBROKE GARDENS), IN GREATER MIAMI, FLORIDA 14572 SW 5th St Suite 10140 Pembroke Pines, FL 33027

Have you ever felt regretful or sad about the past? Perhaps, you feel that you’ve made some serious mistakes or blunders that have cost you important things in your life—love, success, finances, opportunities, health, or happiness. If you feel burdened under the pain of lost hope and unrealized expectations, there is good news for you. There is a way for you to recapture your power and joy through the magic of Self-forgiveness: forgiving yourself for any imagined or real errors you may have made in the past. On our Love University podcast, we delved into the final secret of happiness—Forgiveness, especially Self-Forgiveness. We pick up where we left off in the story of our two protagonists:  Harry, the pompous psychiatrist, and Tanaka, the eccentric, but brilliant, martial arts master.  Together, they will discover what forgiveness truly is, and their lives (and yours) will be changed forever.