The Beauty of Gentle Courage and Self-Care

Summer Slump

The world is often full of strange synchronicities. Self-care has been such a feature this week, both for myself and for my coaching clients. It feels like both they and I are finding it harder to be motivated to keep healthy routines going. I notice I am seeing and hearing so much lately about people not even knowing where to start with showing ourselves compassion and kindness.

For some, it can be Summer itself, with its promise of a slow pace, freedom, fun, and longed-for getaways. The days become busier, routines go out the window, and before you know it, you’re running faster than you were before, and running on fumes to boot.

We forget in the lure of warmth, sizzling BBQs, and the constant smell of sunscreen, that we still need support physically, emotionally, and mentally. We still need to make time for ourselves. In fact, for some of us, we need it more than before, because, for all its ease, Summer can be stressful.

For others of us, the transition between lazy Summer days, the freedom and quiet, the longer evenings, and holiday adventures, back to the faster pace of normal life can not only be tricky but leave us feeling unmotivated and even low. It’s like that “back to school” feeling that never quite goes away.

As summer draws to a close, the “Summer Slump”, whatever its cause, often gives way to reconnecting with the stress and anxieties of predictable schedules and life’s demands. Even making the most of the final days of Summer can feel pressured. And self-care? Well, that becomes a time burden and a chore.  

The Power of Self-Care

Yet, there’s something powerful about the way we care for ourselves. Not in the picture-perfect sense that’s so often pushed at us, but in the quieter choices we make each day, the ones that feed our spirit as much as our skin. The actions and choices that tell us we matter too.

Self-care doesn’t need to be complicated or take ages when you’re feeling that Summer pressure. Sometimes the most nourishing rituals are the simplest. Maybe it’s taking a few extra minutes at night to slow down with your skincare routine, not rushing but really noticing the textures, the scents, the way your breath deepens as you let the day go.

Maybe it’s taking a long soak in the bath or a shower with vibrant, luxurious scents that spirit you away to a tropical paradise. Or perhaps it’s just about taking a few minutes to put some makeup on and feel more together when you face your day.

Whatever it is for you, notice how these small pauses feel in your body and mind, recognising that this too can be a way of showing ourselves kindness. Small moments like these create a sense of safety and calm, a reminder that we can hold space for ourselves no matter what else is happening in the world.

But self-care isn’t only about soothing, it’s also about balance. It’s finding the sweet spot between tending to our inner world and showing up with confidence in the outer one. When we create routines that feel sustainable rather than overwhelming, we step into a kind of harmony that shows in our posture, our energy, and even in the way our skin glows. Notice which routines feel balanced and nourishing to you personally; it’s not about doing everything perfectly, but feeling right in your rhythm.

And then, there’s courage. The kind that doesn’t always look like climbing mountains or making dramatic changes. Sometimes courage is as simple as choosing a bright lipstick on a day when you’d normally play it safe. Or wearing your natural hair or with a salt spray spritz to give it wave and volume, when you’re used to hiding it. Or meeting your own gaze in the mirror without immediately critiquing what you see.

These seemingly small decisions carry weight. They are private rebellions, quiet affirmations that say: I am allowed to take up space. Tiny acts of gentle courage can ripple out in surprising ways. These small, bold gestures are reminders that beauty is not about perfection; it’s about daring to express the truth of who we are, even in the subtlest ways.

When you combine gentleness, balance, and courage, something shifts. You start to notice that self-care isn’t a checklist, it’s a dialogue with yourself. And in that dialogue, you can discover both comfort and confidence, softness and strength. Try picking just one small nurturing gesture this week; it doesn’t have to be complicated, but doing it consistently makes it transformative.

Your gentle challenge

Choose one small way to nurture yourself this week, one way to bring balance, and one small, bold gesture that feels just a little braver than usual. See how it feels to weave all three together.

These ideas can each stand on their own, and I’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks, like simple evening rituals of release, ways to balance beauty with energy, and little acts of brave beauty. But they all come back to this: self-care as an act of gentle courage.

I’d love to know what small act of gentle courage you try first.

If you’d like to explore products that can support your own self-care rituals, please check out my Tropic online shop here.

For more ideas on how to create a more mindful skin-care routine, click here, and for more reflections on self-care, click here.