At the kick-off of February, I shared with you that though the “month of love” is the PERFECT time to celebrate the loves of your life, it’s also the BEST time to rekindle your love for YOU!

But what about when the month revolving around love comes to an end?

While I was recently speaking at a women’s event, I discussed the power of celebrating ourselves. But throughout this conversation a few ladies interjected they are often shamed for feeling TOO good about themselves.

…it’s almost as if society (and unfortunately other women) build us up yet wrong us when we are confident in who we are.

And let me tell you what we collectively decided…

Ladies– we may not have direct access to change societies view of what an empowered woman looks like, BUT we DO have the power to encourage the women in our lives to celebrate themselves and each other!

But where do we start? GIRL, you start with YOU.

Don’t let the end of February be the end of a confident YOU who takes time to learn, love, and celebrate herself. Keep doing things for you, things that show your love for you, to you!

But how?

For me, that means spending time ALONE with my thoughts and feelings. It may not sound like much but as someone who struggles with silence, I’ve discovered when I force myself outside my comfort zone and into a space without constant conversation, music, and podcasts to distract me, I think a bit clearer and rediscover how powerful I am!

In these solo moments I’ve learned something I can’t stress enough. There is nothing wrong with skipping family gatherings or a night out with friends to spend time with you (if that’s what is healthiest for you). There is also nothing wrong with taking yourself to dinner or drinks, or even on a trip solo. GIRL, spend time rediscovering and celebrating you. Continually taking steps toward the best version of you in the way that’s best for you is not wrong, so never allow yourself to believe the lie that it is. AND never shame another woman for doing so.

Let’s continue to empower ourselves and each other to be the BEST us!

All photos courtesy of Quist Pix Photography