Self-care #7 – Light your favorite scented candle

I am a complete sucker for a scented candle. In fact (shameless plug time) I have written a post on how to burn candles correctly. Bet you didn’t know that there was a wrong way, huh.

You are now informed.

You’re welcome.

But does burning a yummy smelling candle count as self-care, by this definition?

‘The practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress‘

Oxford Dictionary

In my personal opinion, not really. It’s something very nice to do for yourself & and something I do often, but if you’re looking to turn off your stress response there are other things that have more impact.

Random side note –

I remember reading this thing that said picture how you would live if you had your dream life, and start doing that. For me, I picture a blogger who’s wearing an oversized knit jumper and leggings, hair in a messy topknot. As they type away on their laptop with one leg tucked beneath them there’s a collection of pretty crystals and plants surrounding their boho workspace, complete with a flickering scented candle. Occasionally they stretch, pick up their very cute coffee mug and wander to the wall of windows and gaze out to the misty forest while a gentle rain falls…

Clearly, that is not me. For starters, I live in Australia and its summer. There are no knit jumpers, or misty rainfall here! And I definitely can’t afford a wall of windows, let alone ones overlooking a forest.

(And does Australia have forests? Or do we just have the bush here? It doesn’t quite have the same ring to it…)

So really, it mostly boils down to the pot plants (for which I am moderately successful in keeping alive) and pretty candles. Each time I write I light a candle. It makes me happy and makes me feel as though I’m living my best life now and that is definitely not a bad thing.

Random side note over.

Back to candles and self-care now.

To use candles as an act of self-care I would pair it with something. Take a bath by candlelight. Take a quiet moment as you light the candle (correctly) and enjoy the smell as you practice deep breathing.

So that’s my 2 cents about candles as self-care, it’s super nice but more beneficial when paired with another self-care act.

What are your thoughts? Do you think candles are self-care in their own right? Let me know!