Beware of These 21 Dubious Self-Care Trends Posing as Healthy Habits

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The self-care trend has taken off in recent years, with more and more people seeking healthy ways to reduce stress, relax the mind, and nurture the body and soul.

At first glance, many of the activities touted as self-care seem beneficial.

But upon closer examination, some supposed self-care habits are more dubious than restorative.

While relaxing activities like yoga and meditation can offer genuine health benefits, there are also Instagrammable trends that provide only temporary relief or empty promises of wellness.

We’ll take a critical look at 21 popular but questionable self-care practices that may be posing as healthy habits without truly supporting long-term mental or physical health.

Buckle up as we separate the wheat from the chaff of the self-care scene.

Let’s kick off our wellness investigation with a dance trend that seems more fleeting fun than long-term lifestyle change.

#1. Always Put Others First

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Many times we are told to put others first, to take care of their needs before our own.

The problem with this advice is that there is never any time for us in the end, so we feel exhausted and miserable.

A better solution is to balance prioritizing others and yourself.

#2. Self Care is About Solidarity

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Too many people assume that to practice self care, you need to do it by yourself.

But self care isn’t only about being by yourself.

While many healthy tips involve you being alone to recharge, many more are all about surrounding yourself with loved ones.

#3. Be Who You Are

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Being who you are sounds like great advice, right? Well, not always. Sometimes, being who you are can be a recipe for disaster.

For example, if you’re someone who is quick to anger or prone to anxiety, being true to yourself in those moments may not be the best idea. Instead, it’s important to recognize your flaws and work to improve them.

Being self-aware and open to change is crucial for personal growth. So, while embracing your unique qualities is important, it’s equally important to recognize when those qualities may need some refining. After all, we’re all works in progress.

#4. Always Trust Your Feelings

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While trusting your feelings can be valuable for making certain decisions, it’s not always reliable or the best approach in every situation. This is because feelings can be misleading.

Many factors can influence emotions, including past experiences, biases, and even physical sensations.

Therefore, they may not always accurately represent reality, and acting solely based on your feelings can lead to poor decision-making.

#5. Just Think Happy Thoughts

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It’s good to look on the bright side when life throws you a curveball.

But some people take this too far and get involved in toxic positivity, where they completely ignore reality.

You have to accept that life is tough sometimes, and you will need to figure out how to get through it.

#6. Being Brutally Honest

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We’ve all heard “honesty is the best policy,” but is it really? Being brutally honest can often do more harm than good. Sure, it’s important to tell the truth, but there’s a difference between being honest and being harsh.

When we’re brutally honest, we may inadvertently hurt other people’s feelings and cause damage to our relationships.

It’s important to consider our honesty’s timing, tone, and delivery.

Sometimes a little diplomacy can go a long way. So next time you’re in a situation where honesty is necessary, remember it’s not just about telling the truth. It’s about being tactful and compassionate too.

#7. Once You Fall Out Of Love With Someone, You Cannot Fall Back In Love

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Breaking up can be tough, especially if you’re still holding on to hope that you can salvage the relationship. But many people believe that they’re gone for good once those loving feelings are gone.

However, that’s only sometimes the case. Falling out of love with someone doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t have those feelings reignited.

Sometimes, all it takes is a change in perspective or circumstances.

Maybe you and your partner needed some time to grow as individuals. Or perhaps a spark of something new can reignite the fire you once had.

Of course, it’s not always possible, but don’t give up hope just because things aren’t working out right now. Love can be complex and unpredictable, so who knows what the future holds?

#8. Ignore The Haters

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Sometimes, ignoring those who speak mean to you is a smart thing. They may be jealous of your success. But ignoring criticism can also prevent personal growth.

It’s important to differentiate between constructive criticism and flat-out criticism. Constructive criticism can be valuable feedback that helps us grow and improve.

If we ignore all criticism, we may miss opportunities for personal development and growth.

#9. Positive Vibes Only

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You often hear the phrase “positive vibes only” as advice for maintaining a happy and healthy mindset. However, this catchy phrase isn’t always the best advice to follow.

Life isn’t always rainbows and sunshine, and it’s important to acknowledge negative emotions and work through them instead of simply suppressing them.

By focusing only on positive thoughts and feelings, we can easily fall into the trap of denying our feelings and experiences, ultimately leading to a buildup of stress and anxiety.

So instead of solely striving for positivity, let’s aim for balance and acknowledge the full range of emotions that come with being human.

One person said, “A positive attitude can get you a long way but so can acknowledging and letting yourself feel emotions.”

#10. Why Are You Sad? You Have Everything To Be Happy

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This saying makes it feel like you cannot have negative feelings if you have a lot in life, which is not true at all.

If it were, people who didn’t have a lot could never feel happy or grateful.

Allow yourself to feel your feelings, no matter your circumstances.

#11. Live Your Truth

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The advice to “live your truth” is not necessarily bad advice, but it can be problematic in certain situations. First, living your truth can be subjective. What one person considers to be their “truth” may not be the same for someone else.

This can create conflicts or misunderstandings in interpersonal relationships or professional settings where different values, beliefs, and cultures come into play. It can also lead to self-centeredness; focusing solely on your desires can lead to a lack of empathy and understanding toward others.

Sometimes, it may even cause harm to those around you.

As one person said, “I’ve yet to meet a person who uses ‘I’m speaking my truth’ who didn’t mean ‘I don’t care how incorrect or hurtful what I’m about to say is; if you don’t accept it you’re disrespecting me.’

#12. Do Whatever Feels Right

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It’s tempting to go with our gut and do whatever feels right in the moment, but that type of decision-making can come with some serious consequences.

ometimes our instincts lead us down the right path, but they can also lead us astray.

When we base our choices solely on what feels good, we’re not considering the potential long-term effects or the impact on those around us.

As one person said, “There’s also the problem that sometimes we have to go through some unpleasant things in the short term to get worthwhile benefits in the long term.

If you always avoid things that make you uncomfortable, you’re probably stunting your own growth.”

#13. Girl Boss

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While “girl boss” has become incredibly popular in recent years, looking at the other side of the coin is important. While it can be empowering to see women taking charge and succeeding in their careers, the term can reinforce harmful societal expectations.

There is the expectation that women must balance work and family life while looking perfect doing it all. The “girl boss” idea perpetuates the idea that women need to do it all and do it perfectly.

Additionally, the term can lead to competition and pressure among women to be achieving and “bossing” up constantly. Celebrating women’s successes in the workplace is important, but we should also recognize and challenge the societal pressures that come with the “girl boss” label.

#14. Manicures And Pedicures

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Manis and pedis are great ways to destress and indulge. But not everyone enjoys this form of self-care.

As one person says, “I feel like stuff like face masks and pedicures and manicures, etc. are constantly pushed on us as “self-care” to the point where like, you almost get conditioned or peer pressured into believing it is, even if you don’t genuinely enjoy it.”

At the end of the day, you have to pamper yourself in ways that make you feel good, not what is trending.

#15. Blood Is Thicker Than Water

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Many people subscribe to the notion that family ties are the strongest bonds one can have. While this can certainly be true in some cases, it’s important to remember that just because someone is related to you doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best person to have in your life.

Blood relatives can often be toxic, abusive, or not good for mental health.

As one person said, “If they are toxic or abusive then there is no reason for you to keep that around in your life, especially if it is detrimental to your own well-being/mental health.”

#16. Test Friendships

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Sometimes, people suggest testing friendships as a way to determine who your true friends are. But is that a good idea? Remembering friendships are built on trust and mutual respect is important.

Testing someone’s loyalty might betray that trust and damage the relationship.

One person commented, “Any kind of advice that tells you to test friendships by withholding contact to see if they’ll notice or straight up tells you to drop friends that don’t reach out to you regularly is a very selfish and passive aggressive thing to do. If you miss your friend then call them up, don’t play cat and mouse games.”

#17. Show Them What They’re Missing

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Spite may seem like a tempting emotion, especially when someone has wronged us or we feel wronged in some way.

But the truth is, spite never leads to anything positive. Instead, it slowly consumes us from the inside, leaving us bitter and resentful towards others.

One person said, “That’s kinda the point. I’ve been in places thinking I was never good enough for people, and the only way I could get out of bed was to show people I was doing well in my own and didn’t need their approval. Eventually it clicked that I could just do it for myself. It just took time. But I probably wouldn’t have gotten there if I didn’t have the ‘bad attitude’ first.”

#18. If You Can’t Handle Me At My Worst, You Don’t Deserve Me At My Best

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We’ve all heard the classic line, “if you can’t handle me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best.” While it may seem empowering and strong, it isn’t always the best advice to follow.

Sure, embracing yourself and your quirks is important, but it’s equally important to recognize and acknowledge your flaws.

Using this phrase as an excuse for negative behavior or treating others poorly isn’t healthy or fair. Relationships are about give and take, and expecting people to put up with bad behavior is problematic and damaging.

Ultimately, striving for personal growth and development is important, rather than leaning on a catchphrase that can justify negative behavior.

#19. You Don’t Need Medication Just Fresh Air

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Another piece of bad advice is when you are depressed or feeling down, you simply need to get outside and enjoy the fresh air.

While being outside is great, in some cases, medication is needed.

Of course, it should not be your first choice, but it is an option in some cases.

#20. Detox Cleanses

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Detox cleanses promise to flush your system of toxins and waste, leading to improved health, weight loss, or more energy. 

In reality, however, most detox diets are nutritionally imbalanced and can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

The truth is, that the body does not need an external supplement to help it cleanse itself of toxins. Your liver and kidneys are already excellent at taking care of that on their own.

#21. You Need A Rebound Relationship

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Many people believe that having a rebound relationship is the best way to heal after a breakup.

However, this can be a slippery slope. 

Being in an emotionally charged situation with someone you don’t know very well can often lead to more hurt and confusion down the line.

Give yourself a chance to heal and learn from your experience before jumping into a new relationship. 

Taking time for yourself can help you avoid making the same mistakes again in future relationships.

Choice You Will Regret in 10 Years

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We all make choices in life. Some turn out to be smart ones, and others, well, not so much.

Here are 10 bad choices that if you make them today, you will regret them in 10 years.

10 CHOICES YOU WILL REGRET IN 10 YEARS

When Life Gives You Lemons

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Nothing in life always works out perfectly.

Many times we hit rough patches where everything goes wrong. Learn how to handle these situations and come out better on the other side.

When Life Gives You Lemons

The Secret To Living A Happier Life

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Do you want to be happier? It’s a lot easier to get than you might think.

Here is a step by step plan to help you have a happier life and get more out of every single day.

HOW TO LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE

Self Care Ideas To Nurture Your Mind, Body, and Soul

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It is important in life to take some time to care for ourselves.

Too many of up prioritize everything else and when it comes time to pamper ourselves, we don’t have the energy.

Here are some simple ways you can take care of yourself, regardless of how exhausted you are.

SELF CARE IDEAS THAT NURTURE YOU

Things To Be Grateful For

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They say it’s the little things in life that bring us the most joy.

But too many times, we are too busy to acknowledge these things.

Here are over 50 small things about life to be grateful for.

THINGS IN LIFE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR

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