While you know for a fact it’s super important to invest in your appearance, well, sometimes, it just feels like there’s a bit too much work that goes into it. Like, yeah, sure, self-care used to sound like a normal human thing. You just take a bath, go for a walk, drink water, put on a face mask, and stare into the void for ten minutes, or scroll TikTok before bed. Sounds normal enough.
And now? Well, self-care can feel like an unpaid internship in a weird way. No, really, think about it, there’s a morning routine, a night routine, supplements, powders, a “non-negotiable” movement plan, a five-step scalp ritual, and somehow it all comes with a link, a discount code, and a person telling everyone it “changed their life.” Okay. But also, no. If wellness starts feeling like homework, that’s a sign it’s gotten way too complicated.
It’s a Chore When it’s Basically Just Shopping
Well, a huge reason self-care feels exhausting now is that it’s constantly being sold. Influencers make it look like peace requires ten products, a perfectly curated bathroom shelf, and enough little glass droppers to run a science lab. Plus, you should also keep in mind here that the algorithm loves routines that look expensive and complicated, because complicated routines keep people watching and buying.
But no, it’s probably apparent at this point that real self-care usually isn’t that photogenic. It’s repetitive and basic. It’s not always exciting. It’s the stuff that actually supports the body and brain, not the stuff that looks cute lined up on a counter. Also, it’s not 20 layers of serum either.
Big Pamper Moments Should Still Happen
You probably notice at least on social media that it seems like these things seem to happen regularly, like sometimes weekly, an influencer posts going to a sauna, getting a facial, getting red light therapy, going into one of those ice rooms, getting a massage, cupping treatment, well, you get the point already. But no, you shouldn’t be getting any of those things weekly (unless you have some of those things at home, like a sauna or LED mask, for example).
But sure, for special times, you should look into high-end spa services as a nice little way to treat yourself, but you shouldn’t see these special things as a maintenance requirement, because they’re not. Wearing sunscreen and taking a shower is a maintenance requirement, not getting a massage and laser treatment.
Restorative Self-Care is Usually Boring
Does applying sunscreen sound fun to you? No? Good, because that’s the point. The stuff that actually restores people is often unsexy, it’s boring, it’s not fun, and you probably won’t get a rush of dopamine either. It’s less “glow-up routine” and more “basic maintenance so the nervous system stops acting like it’s being chased.” It’s eating something that actually nourishes the body. It’s going to bed earlier because of exhaustion, it’s not having screen time a few hours before bed, those sorts of things. Again, it’s fine to do more fun things every now and then, but they should be occasional, not the standard.
