Reading time: ~2 minutes

I’ll admit it: I’m drawn to aesthetic self-love videos, 10-step skincare routines, and posts about not caring what others think.

They make me feel good.

They make me want to buy more skincare products, more scented candles and more beautifully packaged lotions.

But more than that, they offer something quieter and harder to admit. They help me avoid the messiness of real connection.

It’s easier to turn inward. Easier to focus on myself than to face a world that feels overwhelming, where people need each other more than ever. These posts sometimes make it feel okay to ignore a neighbor in need, to choose comfort and consumption over connection.

When I started reflecting on why I love this kind of content, I realized something: maybe it feels good because it creates distance. Distance from other people. Distance from responsibility. Distance from the discomfort of being part of a community.

Another reason these posts are so appealing might be that they don’t feel like mindless scrolling. They feel productive. Like we’re learning how to live better, saving posts about self-love, collecting “neuroscience-backed” habits, improving ourselves.

So instead of doomscrolling, it feels like growth.

And that illusion makes it even more addictive.

The aesthetic “day in my life” videos and self-care posts can act like a soft barrier between us and a world that’s struggling. They soothe us just enough that we don’t feel the urgency to engage.

When I say “we,” I really mean “me.” I don’t want to assume anyone else’s intentions. Even writing this, I feel a bit hypocritical, I’ve shared plenty of self-love and self-care content myself.

And I don’t think this kind of content is bad. Not at all.

But I do think it becomes harmful when it replaces something essential.

Connection.

We need connection just as much as we need self-care. Community, relationships, showing up for others. They are part of what makes life meaningful, and even what makes us feel good in a deeper, more lasting way.

At the same time, I don’t think the answer is to drown ourselves in negative news or constant urgency. That can numb us just as much.

Maybe what we need more of is something else entirely: stories of connection. Moments of kindness. Reminders that what we do matters, that small actions ripple outward, that hope is real and shared.

So this is a small promise. To you and to myself.

To create and share more about connection, community, and hope.

And to remember that taking care of myself and showing up for others don’t have to be opposites. I believe they need each other. We care for ourselves so our cup can fill, and then gently overflow into something larger: kindness, presence, and love for others. So this is a small promise, to create and share content that holds both. Inner care, and outward connection.

Thank you for reading. I’d really love to hear your thoughts on this!

(PS: I used a bit of AI to help refine the tone and flow of this post.)