Well, another Valentine's Day is upon us, which means candy and roses and social media posts galore. I'm all for showing others how much you love and care about them, but I think we should also prioritize the love that we're giving. It can be so easy to get caught up in pleasing other people and making sure your family and friends know how much you care about them, but in order to give the proper amount of love to others, we have to love ourselves first.

The term "self-care" is something I used to just consider as doing hygienic acts, such as taking a shower and brushing your teeth. The more research I've done on it, though, the more I've learned that it's actually more focused around balance and restoring your overall health -- mentally, physically and even spiritually. Acts of self-care can be as simple as eating a healthy breakfast, going for a jog to relieve stress, or even dedicating time out of your day to journal or read a good book. It's crucial to take time to put yourself and your own needs first, so you can have enough positive energy and good vibes to then share with others.

Putting yourself first can often times come across as being selfish, but if you don't take into consideration your own feelings, you can't possibly give the kind of love that the people in your life deserve. When you're constantly focused on those around you, you can easily become stressed out and run down. Take time to put yourself first before you reach a point where you become anxious and fatigued, and your "love tank" is on empty because you've give all you have to others.

Truth is, love is all about giving. But if we keep on giving and giving to others and forget about ourselves, we'll end up with nothing left to give. As confusing or contradictory as it may seem, the more love you give yourself, the more love you then have to give to others. By dedicating time to self-care, we build up our love for our own self, which will result in a deeper love and connection with others.