Jada Pinkett Smith promotes self love

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Jada Pinkett Smith urged her fans to love themselves in a post to mark Valentine's Day.

The 'Magic Mike XXL' star - who is married to Hollywood star Will Smith - penned a sweet message for her followers on social media to encourage them to practice self-love.

She wrote on Instagram: "The journey to self love can be a brutal process. Especially in those moments when we must deny ourselves that which is familiar... but harmful. Like releasing victimhood and embracing personal power. Without personal power/self love, there is no foundation to build love for someone else because it's the power needed to dissolve the ego which is our greatest obstacle to truly loving anyone. Without self love, all one has is their ego which gives a false sense of personal power through its brutal and unkind nature."

And the 47-year-old actress says it is important to "transfer our trust to our hearts from our egos".

She added in her lengthy post: "The ego will never fail to strangle the love out of one's heart if we allow it to take center stage in our relationships. Transferring our trust to our hearts from our egos is a painful process in learning HOW to love. BUT... through it all... when we finally get to the place where we can give and receive love in its most pure state... ego free... it is only ever... beauty (sic)"

Jada had previously opened up about her relationship with Will Smith, admitting they don't call themselves "married" so they can see themselves without expectations.

She explained: "I needed a different form to dissolve all the expectations that I had of a marriage. I needed to do that to see Will outside of husband and see him as a human being."