“Self-care” has become big business. Scroll for five minutes and you’ll see bath bombs, jade rollers, and invitations to slow-drip lavender lattes. The message is clear: if you aren’t scheduling solo retreats and hour-long candlelit rituals, you’re somehow failing yourself.
But here’s what self-care looked like for me this month: hiring a babysitter. STAT!
When school let out three weeks ago, our regular sitter’s schedule fell through. My husband’s biggest client is in an off-season during summer, so we convinced ourselves we could manage the kids on our own and save a little money. Technically, we did “manage.” But by week three I was nodding off at my desk, half-answering emails, and spending late-night hours doing busywork that felt important in the moment but moved nothing forward.
So this past Wednesday, a new sitter walked through the door. I felt an instant jolt of energy. Like someone had flipped the lights back on. Two focused work blocks later, I remembered what productivity actually feels like. The irony wasn’t lost on me: the self-care I needed wasn’t me time with a scented candle. It was structured childcare so I could pour steady, undivided attention into building KAEIU.
Here’s the reminder I’m taking into next week, and maybe you need it too:
Self-care isn’t always soft or Instagram-worthy.
Sometimes it’s a spreadsheet decision, a budget line, or an extra set of capable hands.
Maybe for you it’s outsourcing accounting, booking that therapy appointment, or finally fixing the leaky faucet that’s been driving you nuts. Whatever it looks like, self-care is about creating spaces for you to show up where it matters most.
Wishing you a Sunday that refuels you in the way you actually need.
With love,
Maria