A modern day woman is many different things. We wear multiple masks and operate with invisible super hero capes flowing behind us. One of the main components in our lives, a driving force, is love.

Love is something we all understand. We love our partners, children, animals, careers, homes etc. Women, by nature, are inclined to love through the power of the Feminine Divine.

But understand that love can end.

Love is like an infinity symbol; love loops itself in a never ending thread. However, as Einstein suggests, “humans cannot comprehend infinity.” So, when we stop feeling love, or love leaves us, we often times feel completely lost.

When commitments are broken, we’re broken as well. I'm here to say that whether or not you're in love, love is lost, or even if love isn't on your radar... there's only one commitment you ever need to keep: love yourself.

Why loving yourself matters

Have you ever trusted someone to do a task and the end result was unsatisfactory in comparison to what you could have accomplished? Like the old saying goes... if you want something done right, you do it yourself. This applies to love, too. While receiving love from outside sources is healthy and integral to relationships, you also can't fully rely on it as the only source.

Should life change and your source of love is gone, you don't want to be totally loveless. To provide yourself with love, ensures that you won't ever go without it. We know ourselves best, we can love ourselves the best, too. Self-love matters because we are worth it and deserve love no matter what.

There are benefits to active self-love

When you love yourself, it means you are paying attention to yourself. Our physical beings are tied to our emotional selves. If we love and value our bodies, we will likely take better care of them in a healthy way. This can mean anything from bubble baths, working out, hiking and even something like sky diving.

Being kind to ourselves in love will help us feel safe to take action in our physical lives and put our minds at ease. Take a yoga class or take yourself on a date; both acts will have huge benefits. Self-love can also help you to feel confident in your career, travel, and making decisions.

When you love yourself, you can better serve those around you

When people are mean or hurtful, it is a reflection of pain inside. If you make an effort to love yourself, you won't ever have to be a hurtful person. Loving yourself creates a warm foundation. If you're feeling love and confidence, you will be more open to sharing that loving energy with others.

People will gravitate toward you when they feel your loving energy. You can't pour from an empty glass, so similarly, you can love better when your heart is filled with love.

Self-love is an act of courage, never feel guilty or ashamed to take time loving yourself. It's not always easy to love ourselves, but the more you do it, the easier it can become. Our love begins from within and the more we give, the more we receive – start with yourself first!

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine” Ralph Waldo Emerson

By: Raquel Reyes

A writer, entrepreneur, and spiritual enthusiast: I host writing workshops for women in LA and NYC. My goal is to create a safe and inviting space for women to come together to share their love of writing - a space where judgment and competition don't exist. Our experiences shape us, so to write about them is to truly create the bridges that close our gaps as Women and as humans. We are all One. Through writing we can establish and strengthen our human connections and honor our imagination. I love travel, yoga, and Goddess energy!

Link to Raquel on Instagram, more Instagram, Facebook, Pink Pangea & Elephant Journal!