Soft Life Fatigue: When Self-Care Starts to Feel Like a Performance
The “soft life” trend is everywhere: slow mornings, minimal spaces, nourishing rituals, and a preference for peace over hustle. It promises rest, boundaries, and a break from burnout culture.
But in therapy sessions, a new feeling is emerging:
“Even my rest feels like work.”
The soft life was meant to be freeing. But for many, it’s becoming a performance. There’s quiet pressure to journal, meditate, keep your space serene, and somehow, share it all.
What began as care can quietly become another form of perfectionism.
This creates a subtle but powerful fatigue. People feel guilty when routines slip, or ashamed that they still feel anxious after “doing everything right.” They start to question whether they’re healing properly at all.
But here’s the truth: healing isn’t always beautiful, calm, or camera-ready.
It’s often:
Crying after setting a boundary
Sitting with uncomfortable emotions
Feeling stuck, messy, or uncertain
Resting without it looking ‘productive’
The wellness industry and social media can sometimes frame peace as a polished aesthetic. But peace is a feeling, not a performance.
A few questions to check in with:
Am I doing this for me, or because I think I should?
Does this truly feel restful, or like another task?
What does my version of care look like right now?
There’s nothing wrong with loving routine or ritual. But if rest feels like pressure, it might be time to pause and reconnect with what genuinely supports you.
Therapy makes space for the messy, real, human parts of healing.
You don’t need to perfect your peace.
You just need permission to be where you are.
If you’d like to connect, recah out using the form below.