You’re that woman. The woman who puts the needs and desires of others before your very own. You live your presence each day just passing through the motions of your daily routine. Forcing a friendly expression on your face as called for and laughing right on cue.

After all, you have pretending down to a science. You believe the longer you pretend, the harder you force yourself and others to believe you’re happy that after a while, you will be. The absence of pleasure you have from within doesn’t only derive from one significant thing, but a number of little messes jumbled together to make what seems like a permanent battle you must confront each day.

You glance into the mirror and stare at the reflection of the empty woman looking back at you, almost unable to even recognize her. You trace your fingers along the darkened circles under your eyes, flashbacks of all the sleepless nights you spent tossing and turning surface. Your eyes are not as bright as they once were, and you notice your smile no longer lights up a room. You wonder to yourself what others see when they catch sight of you.

Is this what they see?

You no longer even notice you’re revolving your entire world around others; you’ve been dismissing your individual needs for so long it happens naturally now. Life is suffocating you. There is no pleasure or passion, just merely a feeling of endless longing to break out of the darkness.

Baby girl, you need to love yourself. Not just any kind of love — an unselfish, deserving, satisfying type of love.

Your body is the temple of your soul. How can you hope for any level of happiness in your life if you remain unhappy with the person you are? Break away from the patterns you have formed of taking care of others before taking care of you.

How does anyone expect you to be a gift to their life when you aren’t even taking charge of yours?

My challenge to you today is to fall in love with yourself. I assure you, no other human being on this Earth is better deserving of receiving the love you have to offer than you.

Start a journal, pick up a few personal development books, take up yoga or a hobby that you placed on the back burner for so long. Anything at all that will make you a better you.

I encourage you to write three small things every day you admire about yourself. Then, I want you to write ways you can get back to that woman whose smile once took others’ breath away,

Do this for you, no one else but you.

I promise you, once you love yourself again all will improve. Your peace of mind, confidence, relations with others and you will notice yourself laughing not on cue but so hard tears build in your eyes. Only then will you flash back on the weak woman you once were and a genuine smile will form on your lips.