Self-love looks different when you’re tired.
Not the “I stayed up too late scrolling” tired but the bone-deep, decision-fatigue, everyone-needs-something-from-me tired.
The kind of tired that doesn’t leave room for bubble baths, long routines, or “romanticized” self-care.
And if we’re being honest?
Most moms live here more often than we admit.
Somewhere between school drop-offs, meals, work, laundry, and trying to keep everyone regulated (including ourselves), self-love can start to feel like something reserved for other people.
People with more time.
More help.
More energy.
But here’s the truth I’ve learned — both as a mom and as a business owner in the self-care space:
Self-love isn’t about doing more.
It’s about choosing softness inside the life you already have.
Especially when you’re tired.
When “Self-Care” Feels Like Too Much
When you’re exhausted, even the idea of self-care can feel overwhelming.
You know it’s important.
You want to model healthy habits for your kids.
You want to feel calm, grounded, and present.
But instead, it can feel like:
- There’s never enough time
- You’re always last on the list
- Slowing down feels selfish
- Rest has to be earned
That internal tug-of-war, between wanting to care for yourself and feeling guilty for even needing it, is where burnout quietly grows.
So instead of asking “How do I add self-care?”
What if we asked:
“What does self-love look like when my capacity is low?”
Tired Girl Rituals (Because This Season Counts Too)
These aren’t aspirational routines.
They’re real-life rituals for days when energy is limited, patience is thin, and you’re still showing up anyway.
Think of them as small anchors — moments that bring you back to yourself without demanding more from you.
1. The Two-Minute Shower Reset
Not a spa moment.
Not a full routine.
Just choosing one sensory element — a calming scent, warm water, a deep breath — and letting it ground you.
No rushing.
No multitasking.
Just presence, even briefly.
This is self-love when time is tight.
2. The “Hands Pause” Moment
Hands do a lot.
They carry groceries, comfort kids, clean messes, hold everything together.
Taking 30 seconds to care for them — applying balm, noticing the scent, slowing your breath — is a quiet way of saying:
I matter too.
It’s small.
It’s practical.
And it adds up.
3. The Bedtime Wind-Down (Even If It’s Messy)
Self-love doesn’t require a perfectly calm house or a long nighttime routine.
Sometimes it’s:
- A light mist before bed
- One deep inhale
- Letting your shoulders drop
No rules.
No pressure.
Just signaling to your nervous system that the day is ending and you’re allowed to rest.
4. The “Carry With You” Comfort
Self-love isn’t always stationary.
Sometimes it comes in the form of something small you keep nearby like a roller, lip balm, or scent that reminds you to pause when you feel yourself tipping into overwhelm.
It’s not about fixing your day.
It’s about supporting yourself inside it.
5. Choosing Ease (Without Explaining Yourself)
This one doesn’t come in a jar or bottle but it matters just as much.
Self-love, especially for moms, often looks like:
- Saying no without guilt
- Letting something be “good enough”
- Choosing rest without justifying it
This is the part no one posts about.
But it’s often the most powerful.
The Kind of Self-Love That Lasts
One of my intentions for this year — and for the products and experiences we create — is supporting self-care that fits real life.
Not perfection (ugh, recovery perfectionist over here, so this is hard).
Not constant productivity.
Not “doing it all.”
But calm, grounded, present moments that can exist even on hard days.
Because self-love isn’t a destination you reach once everything feels easier.
It’s something you practice gently, imperfectly and right where you are.
Especially when you’re tired.
And if all you do today is pause long enough to breathe?
That counts, babe. Tomorrow is a new day and we try again.
