How do you practice self-care?
Well, that depends. Are we talking about the version that looks good on Instagram or the kind that actually helps?
Because if it’s the polished kind, I whack on a face mask, light a candle that smells like lavender and false hope, and pretend a bubble bath has ever fixed anything beyond sore feet.
But the real kind? Well, that’s a different story.
It’s saying no when I really want to people please but need to keep the peace.
It’s dragging myself outside when I’d rather sit and obsess over things I can’t change.
It’s unfollowing that one mum on Instagram who makes me feel like I’m failing at life just because she meal-preps and wears activewear without irony.
It’s choosing early nights over pointless plans and stepping back from people who drain the life out of me.
It’s sitting with my tangled thoughts instead of running headfirst into distractions.
Self-care, for me, isn’t about candles and calm playlists on Spotify, it’s about showing up for myself when it’s hard, awkward, or just plain boring.
And yeah, sometimes it’s also lying on the floor eating crisps and ignoring my WhatsApp notifications. That counts 💜
Lottie x
Thirty Something Plus VAT 
We do what’s good for us! Not social media goddesses. Behind the scenes, they are no better than us!
LikeLiked by 1 person