Quick vocabulary test, what does the word love mean? Is love only limited to feeling towards other people and objects? The first time I heard the word love was from my parents. At the time I understood that the word love was something you say to those who you enjoy being around and those who make you smile and laugh and get that fuzzy and warm feeling inside.

The second time I heard the word love was from a guy who wasn't sure how to properly use the term. I cringed, felt uncomfortable, and in a panic said "Thank you". Both of these encounters represent two different forms of love and yet they were not the love I still look for today.

Love should come from the heart. It should be the word and the feeling that you cannot hold back. I truly believe it is a word that has been thrown around too lightly and has lost its true intentions.

One thing that has never been taught is how important it is to fall in love with yourself. You are taught to love the boy that gives you butterflies every time you see him, and love your friends and to love the idea of falling in love with something.

Sadly, the idea of love and loving others has been preached and pushed to the point where people genuinely forget how to fall in love with themselves. I personally do this as well, and I have made it a goal to fall in love with myself wholeheartedly and freely.

Now I don't mean take yourself on a date and buy yourself flowers (even though its perfectly okay to treat yourself) and shut out everyone else. I am suggesting the idea of falling in love with how you start a book but never finish, or how to love banana pancakes only on Sundays, or how you daydream about the impossible, and how rainy days make you feel inspired and refreshed.

Fall in love with the little quirks that you used to hate and appreciate how they make you unique and beautiful in your own way.

Practicing self love is simple and extremely important. Some ways to practice self love is to plan out time in everyday to do something you love and something that will benefit you in some way whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally.

This could range from taking a hot bath while reading your favorite book, or going for a run and sweating out the bad vibes, or simply eating that bowl of ice cream because it makes you feel content.

Love should not stem from the idea of two people being together, and love should not define a person to be happy or not happy. Love should stem from what helps you personally glow and grow.