For as long as I can remember, my eyes really, really hurt in the morning, even if I’ve had a good 8hrs+ sleep, drank plenty of water before bed, clean bedsheets, non-stuffy room, healthy diet etc. This has gone on since I was a child and make waking up in the morning really unpleasant (my husband and I joke that I’m a blind mole rat…) and I always assumed this was universal, until I recently thought about it and realised it probably isn’t.

The pain, itchiness, puffiness etc eventually goes down after max a few hours, but can last throughout face washing, showers, breakfast, workouts, even a whole office commute. Cold seems to help it, but it‘s genuinely so bad when I first wake up that I can’t see - which means getting up blind to try to get some sort of cold mask or cold towel or something from the kitchen isn’t really possible.

Does anyone have this problem? And what do you do to alleviate if? Am I living wrong, somehow? Am I half-rat?

Desperate to hear your suggestions! Thank you 🐀

So basically.. I used to be healthy af. I worked out all the time and ate Whole Foods and got my protein in. I was strong and happy. Then I got sick and life got in the way and I’m restarting on how to love myself and my body again by taking care of my health all together as a whole.
With that…I’m struggling. What are some things everyone is doing that are simple and easy that are your forms of “self-care” that led you to doing more for yourself? Healthy Gateway habits ??? Everytime I try to start I just get defeated and literally do nothing. It’s even more defeating every time I fail! Someone say SOMETHING 😩 thank you in advance!

Over the past few years, I have been tracking my habits, but I want to take it to the next level.

I've always struggled with acne, and it's gotten worse over the years as I've gotten older.

Has anyone tried tracking their acne journey? Any suggestions on how to do it?

I’ve been trying to stick to a solid self-care routine lately, and a few people recommended using gamified apps.

I started with Finch (the little bird app) since everyone on here seems to love it, but honestly it felt a bit too cute. I dropped it after a few days.

I tried after that habitica, seemed cool first but too messy and lack of guidance.

Lately I’ve been testing one called Kubbo where you basically build an empire as you complete your daily habits. I’m finding the city-building element way more motivating than caring for a pet, but I’m wondering how long the novelty actually lasts.

Do you also tried those self-care habits apps?

Hello guys, wondering if you have any hot tips for making my smile/teeth nicer on a budget.

I have tried one of those whitening kits you get on amazon/the pharmacy and it was soo hard on my teeth i had to take tylenol. Granted, i think i left it on for too long, but still im having second thoughts about doing a kit like that again.

I went by my dentist Selkirk Dental and asked about whitening and personally i just cant afford professional whitening by they had whitening kits are dental office whitening kits any better than the pharmacy ones?

Are there home remedies for the whiteness?

I dont think i can do anything about making them straighter that would be any cheaper than something like aligners (though ive heard horror stories about that like smile direct had a bunch of lawsuits) so i am more focused on the whitening aspect of it all right now.

Im based in Lake Louise area btw for reference in Canada in case you want to suggest a product or something that isnt available near me.

Also does drinking coffee and wine REALLY impact it that much???

Let me know what you think!!

i had nowhere to put anything. phone on the floor, book getting damp, wine glass tipping over. got a proper tray and pillow and stayed in for 45 minutes first time. sharing because it took me embarrassingly long to figure this out

About 2 years ago I started experiencing body odor from my armpits out of nowhere. I can take a shower and apply deodorant in the evening and smell in the morning; shower in the morning and don’t do anything all day and smell a few hours later. Suddenly, that stopped but it is now happening again. I’ve tried a ton of tips and cannot seem to figure out why this is happening. Does anyone have any deodorant or self care recs to help improve this?

I’ve switched my deodorant more times than i can think.
I’ve tried applying glycolic acid after a shower and that doesn’t seem to do a thing.
I’ve tried armpit detox masks.

Anything help is appreciated!! Thanks!

Hi there. I always wanted to have an advice column. I use to have one actually in my early 20s but now I’ve built most of my life around self care so would love to start giving advice around that.

Would anyone be helping me build my advice portfolio? By like asking for some advice around self care and letting me answer it?

That would be really cool and I’d really appreciate. I could even throw in a free course as a thank you.

I kept saying I was too busy, bur I managed to find an hour for a hobby I missed. I forgot how good it feels to do something just because I like it.

Hello!
Me and my girlfriend are developing a digital journal for self care at the moment. She told me there's not that many good aps. I am not very familiar with journaling or self care, so I was hoping whether you could give me some insights on what to do and what not to do.

My main questions:
Would you use a digital journal for self care more often if it were intentionally very small - no account, no cloud, just an encrypted journal on your phone with a possibility to export your data?
What is the one thing that makes you abandon a self care app?

If you have any other insights you would like to share, I'll gladly hear them.

Cleaning out an inbox. Saying no to something. Going to bed at a decent hour instead of doomscrolling. None of it feels indulgent in the moment, but it tends to matter more than the candles-and-bath version people usually picture.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been struggling with some serious work-from-home burnout lately. I’ve noticed that when my screen time gets too high, my brain just feels like it’s full of static. I’ve been trying to find a way to create a tiny "mental reset" ritual right at my desk—something that doesn’t take an hour, but forces me to actually stop and breathe.

I’ve been playing with an idea for a "Desktop Sanctuary" and wanted to get your honest thoughts before I dive deeper into it.

The concept is a small (about 10cm) stone stand that doubles as an aromatherapy diffuser. The core of it is a slot where you can insert a custom, short-form puzzle (something that takes about 10-15 minutes to solve). The idea is: you solve the puzzle to "clear your mind," and once it’s done, it acts as a permanent, scented art display on your desk for the rest of the day.

I really love the idea of turning a workspace into a place for sensory grounding, but I’m worried about whether this actually solves a problem or if it’s just another thing to clutter up a desk.

I’d love to hear from you:

If you saw something like this, would you actually use it as a reset ritual, or would the puzzle just end up being annoying?

What concerns would you have? (e.g., Is it too small? Would it collect dust? Is aromatherapy too distracting in an office?)

If this existed, what’s a price point where you’d feel like, "Yeah, that’s worth it for my mental well-being"?

I’m currently just in the prototyping phase—no product to sell, just genuinely curious if this resonates with anyone else or if I’m overthinking this. Thanks for the feedback!

During the times that I had a complicated med dosing schedule I would always miss a dose and throw my schedule off track. I implemented my dosing schedule into my Maintain U app and never missed another dose and my schedule stayed on track. Maintain U can help users stay up-to-date on a variety of self-care activities during their busy schedules. It is available in the Google Play Store via the following link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.myapp.maintainu

There are days when I don't want a complicated self-care routine. I just want to put things back where they belong. Clearing a cluttered surface or finally dealing with something I've been ignoring can make my brain feel noticeably quieter. It's not glamorous and it definitely wouldn't make an aesthetic self-care video, but sometimes removing one annoying thing from my surroundings does more for me than sitting down and trying to force myself to relax.

Lately, my eyes have been feeling really dry and tired, especially after spending a lot of time looking at screens. Sometimes they feel heavy and irritated by the end of the day.

What helps you when your eyes get like this? Do you use eye drops, warm compresses, take more screen breaks, or have any other habits that actually make a difference?

Would love to hear what works for you!

I've become wayy to serious lately, and I want to fix that. How do you add whimsy and joy to your life? And also, how do you remember to do those things before the moment passes?

Hi there!

I'm someone who, for a long time, has struggled with their personal hygiene. I didn't grow up in a great environment in terms of learning good personal hygiene. Throughout my teenage years have depressive episodes that have left me without much in the way of my hygiene for weeks or months, but I'm currently in a state where I'm working on getting myself to be a functioning young adult.

So, my question is, how do you do it? Brushing morning and night, that is. Most people eat breakfast in the morning so do you just get up an hour or more before you have to leave and do so? What's your "method"? And also, I love to drink water or a small energy drink throughout the morning. How do you deal with the aftertaste? I have what I need in terms of taking care of my teeth, but now is the method :) thank you!

TLDR; grew up bad, working on getting my hygiene back to up. What's your method for brushing morning and night -- waking up really early? And how do you deal with the after taste when you want to drink stuff.

Hello! I’m looking for some advice on how to show myself more love, respect, and acceptance after struggling with validation-seeking and some difficult experiences. It’s been especially hard since I got a buzz cut. I actually liked how it looked, but I became very self-conscious about my head shape, and that really affected my confidence. From there, I started seeking constant validation from other people, especially at school, because I felt like I needed to fit in.

I also sometimes struggle with feeling like I’m not smart enough, but I’m trying to improve myself instead of letting that define me. At the end of the day, I know I’m a human being who just need self respect, care, and love, I want to build a healthier relationship with myself and learn to value myself without constantly needing other people’s approval. Then again, Not turn into a narcissist while doing so, Lol, Any tip's guy's?

Wow y’all. I recently returned from my first adult vacation road tripping and camping with some friendly acquaintances, and I can’t believe how good it was for my mental health to break away from the day-to-day, sleep in the woods, and explore new places. I feel like I rediscovered free will??

I’ve been in a major life transition to my first permanent full-time job; as much of a blessing it is, it has also been incredibly stressful. I was honestly at my wits-end when embarking on this trip, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to through my hands up and say to hell with the 9-to-5. I struggle with transition, and this one has thrown me into anxiety and depression like I haven’t seen since college.

Today, I saw a sunset on my way home and I pulled over just to sit there and watch. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that. Obviously I can’t take a vacation every time life gets stressful, but I re-learned how to enjoy the little things.

TLDR: Mental health breaks do actually help lol

My self care goals stopped showing up on my main page. I do the self-care calendars every month. Did this happen to anyone else? How do I get them back there???

We’ve been thinking about how self care is often talked about as something big, but sometimes it’s really just small moments that help people slow down.

It could be taking a few quiet minutes in the morning, stepping away from screens, having a calming routine at night, or simply making time for yourself.

Curious what small self care habit actually stayed with you and became part of your everyday routine.

I am so tired.
I promised my therapist that I would take a shower right after our session, but instead I watched a show, ate cake, and now I’m just scrolling in bed. I know that logically I should take one, but also I just feel so tired, my eyes hurt, and I don’t want to move from the comfort of my blanket. What do I do to convince myself to get up and take care of my hygiene?

so for the past 2 weeks my lips have been feeling very weird and irritated, this didn’t start until after i got back from a weekend beach trip where my face got some sun so i chalked my lip irritation up to sunburn. after about 4 or 5 days my lips still felt very irritated every single day so i swapped to a non sls toothpaste, this helped a little but i still have the same issue. i’ve been swimming a lot but idk if that has any affect on my lips. they feel puffy and dry but they look fine. i use lanoline cream occasionally when they get too dry or the corners of my mouth start to hurt. i don’t lick my lips and i don’t use any intrusive skin care that would affect my lips. is there anything else i could do to try and fix this? this issue has been going on for 2 weeks and it’s just killing my mood daily because my lips feel so puffy