Last week I had the pleasure of attending an intimate dinner consisting of sixteen independent women, and what I expected to be simply a nice social gathering turned out to be a such a meaningful and memorable experience that I can’t help but share. This gathering was the second dinner in a series of events hosted by Respect my Crown, an organization created to encourage women to step into abundance through the values of spirituality, sisterhood and service.

What made this evening so unique was the theme of self-love and relationships which led into an open-conversation as we went around the table vulnerably expressing our unique stories and sharing our experiences. We also discussed how society has placed expectations on women to get married by a certain age and adopted the assumption that happiness can only be attained once a life partner or significant other “completes” us. Several women shared the frustration that is derived from these traditional expectations, but that was short lived as we celebrated ourselves as complete individuals thriving in our lives and feeling fulfilled and joyful through means other than a romantic partnership.

As we attentively listened to each other and offered genuine insight and support, each of us was filled with compassion towards ourselves and one another…and the amazing dinner and gift boxes were a fantastic plus! Learn more about this movement at respectmycrown.com and check out some of the dinner highlights below!