We hear it all the time. "Take time for yourself." "To be the best mother and wife, you need to take time to nurture your own soul." Even practical, lifesaving advice on airplanes follows the same tune, "Please put on your own oxygen mask before helping your child or others around you."

Let that sink in.

Even in emergency situations, we are expected to help ourselves first before we can help others, even when the others are our own children. Doesn't that tell us something important; loud and clear?

The problem is, our society contains many double-edged swords; double standards abound. We tell women to take care of themselves, but by the same token — we also send mixed messages. These mixed messages carry implications that women who take time for themselves (to go to the gym, get a manicure, spend time alone in nature…the list is endless) are selfish. How dare she take time from her toddler to polish her nails? How dare she take money out of the family budget to pay someone to polish her nails?

Something I preach in my classroom, especially to the young ladies, is the importance of empowering one another. Too often, especially through the glitz and glam of social media, we find ourselves comparing.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

And we know this. But we still do it. We compare our mundane daily chores with everyone else's highlight reel. We are rocking babies to sleep, exhausted and moody, and there we are scrolling and comparing. I'll be the first one to admit I do it, too.

But, my dear readers, we know better. We need to know better and we need to do better.

Not only do we need to encourage other women to take time to do whatever it is they like to do for themselves, but we also have to serve as examples and living testimonies in our own lives. I talk to a lot of women. Some are my age. Some are younger. Some are older. All of us echo similar sentiments. We know how much we give…and give…and give. And we need to feel that it is more than OK to take, too. Whether that taking is an impromptu manicure or a weekend getaway with girlfriends. We need to normalize this behavior so that all women feel empowered to take time to feed their souls.

I challenge you to take that cooking class. Sign up for the Zumba class, the pole dancing class, the ballroom dancing class. Step out of your comfort zone. Doing so is exhilarating and rewarding.

You really deserve it.