While this term is commonly thrown around as something one must do, I am tackling self-love in my own terms. I do not believe that self-love is selfish; rather, it is essential. It is essential in order to contribute positively in society and to help others and create a positive impact on their lives.

I want to have that sense of self-worth and self-sufficiency because I am my sole provider, and I always will be. I want to be the sole provider of my happiness and the love that I immerse myself with. I want to be the sole provider of myself financially, understanding that I will never have to rely on another human to provide my basic life needs.

I want to be the sole provider of my life because I am. I never want my attachment to others to inhibit the truth that I should be my own first love and my last. This is an age of self-love that does not end. It is a type of love that is necessary to continue on, to push through the days that seem never-ending, and to captivate the moments that you wish would never end.

Honestly, it is because you know yourself best and because no one will ever experience this Earth in the same way that you do. And for that reason, I am diving into this new age of self-love. One that is put into practice each day of my life.

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I used to think that self-love and seeking a partnership were mutually exclusive, that wanting or relying on a partner almost takes away from the idea of self-love. I honestly do not think this idea could have been more wrong; I have come to believe that having that sense of self-worth is actually loving yourself enough to understand what it is that you deserve in a partnership.

Having that sense of respect for yourself is paramount, as it will lead you to those friendships and relationships that actually provide you with what can contribute positively to your life. Sometimes it is not just reading Rupi Kaur poems or treating yourself to a nice dessert, it is loving yourself enough to know that you deserve people who only choose to be in your life to lift you up and propel you forward.

With so much negativity and judgment embedded into society these days, it is so important to have a support system which really has your best interest at heart. So my new perspective on self-love will still include the occasional face mask or coffee shop visit, but it will also include removing toxic people from my life and filling that space with positivity and love from others.