I recently read this blog on thought catalog (link: Self Care is not always bathbombs ) about the state of this “self-care” trend. It was scary because I could have sworn I wrote it. Word for word matched the ideology of how I’ve been feeling. Self-Love is Not a Pinterest Quote. Now, you see, all these motivational quotes we’re posting on our social media are definitely inspiring. However, they aren’t self Love. They aren’t even self awareness. They are a glimpse, or a reminder, that says “don’t forget your journey” or “I found the perfect words to embrace my struggles.” And, to me, recognizing the reminder is more self love than the quote itself. The article goes on to talk about how self care isn’t chocolate and bathbombs. Literally. Self care sometimes is the negative. It’s the dealing. It’s the recovery. It’s many moments alone. In that article, removing all the frills, I found so much beauty. I found the real shit. The article made me realize that this self-care/self-love movement got turned into a “Keeping Up with the Jones’” episode in everyday life. We have created highlight reels to prove to ourselves that society no longer controls how we feel about ourselves by allowing society to control how we talk about ourselves. Feels kind of backwards, right? So, the idea is to go back to the nitty gritty. Seriously. Go back to what truly brings you happiness. Go back to realizing it’s okay to cry in bed for five hours straight, smoking the last of your weed, making art and turning your phone off. It is also okay to have a spa day with your girls and paying your bills on time. Live and love for you. That’s when I clicked “share” and captioned “Self-Love is Not A Pinterest Quote.”