Recently, the concept of a “soft life” has gained popularity on social media platforms, especially among young people. The soft life movement is a social movement that promotes a lifestyle of comfort, prioritizing one’s mental health, intentional happiness, and minimal challenges.
It is a rejection of the struggle culture and toxic productivity that have been normalized in our society. Black women, in particular, have been known for their hard work and arduous lifestyles, often celebrated as the epitome of the “strong black woman” narrative. However, this narrative is not only limiting but also harmful to our physical and emotional health.
Keep reading because this article is more than just a “how to live a soft life as a black woman read,” we plan on scratching more than just the surface when it comes to this soft girl lifestyle.
It’s More Than Just Hashtag/ #softlife
At first glance, the soft life may seem like a luxury lifestyle that requires much money and time. However, it is not about living a life of ease or a life of black girl luxury. Instead, it is a way of life that prioritizes our emotional and physical health, interpersonal relationships, and way of being. It is about letting go of the need to hustle and grind every day and embracing a softer approach to life.
What Does Living a Softer Life Mean, Then?
Living a softer life means different things to different people. For some, it may mean taking small steps towards better self-care, such as setting healthy boundaries, practicing emotional intelligence, and rejecting social pressures. For others, it may mean finding stillness in the morning or taking a slow pace in everyday life. It may mean enjoying the little things in life, such as fine dining or spending quality time with loved ones.
Black women, in particular, can benefit greatly from adopting a soft lifestyle. We often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, juggling everyday responsibilities and dealing with difficult times. Read my throwback take on touching on self-care being radical for black women. However, we can take an active step towards better care for ourselves by embracing a softer approach to life.
Quiet Quitting and Rejecting the Strong Black Woman Movement
One great way to start living a soft life is by rejecting the “strong black woman” trope and embracing our feminine energy. We can also set healthy boundaries in our interpersonal relationships and let go of toxic relationships that do not serve us.
As black women, we often feel pressure to be everything to everyone, leading to burnout and emotional exhaustion. By setting boundaries and prioritizing our needs, we can care for ourselves and be our best selves for those around us.
Moreover, we can prioritize our emotional health and practice self-care regularly. This may include taking longer hours of sleep, engaging in physical activities that promote our physical health, and finding a calm place to unwind.
It’s a Forever Choice to Say Yes to Slow Living
The soft life movement is not just a social media trend or an aesthetic movement. It is a lifestyle trend promoting intentional happiness, emotional and physical health, and rejecting the struggle culture. It is the exact opposite of the hard life that many of us have been conditioned to believe is necessary for success.
Encourage yourself to find balance and peace in your lives and reject the idea that you must constantly push yourself to the limit. Remember, It is a lifestyle that encourages you to slow down, take care of yourself, and find joy in the present moment.
Different Ways We’ve Upheld Black Women and Our Resillence
Black women have long been celebrated for their strength and resilience. However, this narrative has often been used to justify the mistreatment and exploitation of black women in various spaces, including corporate America.
The pressure to constantly prove ourselves as strong black women have led to the normalization of hustle culture and the glorification of hard work. But what if we could live a life of quiet luxury, free from the constant stress and pressure of everyday life?
This means letting go of the need to constantly prove ourselves and instead embracing the softer, more nurturing aspects of ourselves. It means recognizing the value of emotional intelligence and prioritizing our emotional health.
Read more of our content covering the work environments:
15 Professional Self-Care Ideas to Enhance Your Time at Work
How to Stop Dreading Work: Creative Actionable Tips to Help You!
Daily Affirmations For Black Women In Toxic Work Environments
51 Positive Affirmations for Work When You Want To Quit
Self-Care for Black Women is Imperative
Another important aspect of living a soft life is practicing self-care. This can take many forms, from taking a few minutes each day to meditate, engaging in shadow work or using your self-love journal to engaging in physical activities promoting our physical health. It is about finding what works best for us and prioritizing self-care in our everyday lives.
It’s Not Only About the Luxury Culture
Living a soft life does not mean living a life solely of luxury or extravagance. Rather, a lifestyle of comfort and intentional happiness prioritizes our physical and emotional health. It is about finding ways to live our best soft life, even amid everyday responsibilities and difficult times.
It’s Not Exclusive to Lifestyle Influencers
The soft life movement is not just a social media trend or an aesthetic movement. It is a social movement that promotes a lifestyle of intentional happiness, emotional and physical health, and the rejection of toxic productivity.
It is a rejection of the struggle culture and a celebration of the stillness of the morning, the calm energy of a peaceful life, and the rejection of the struggle. It is a lifestyle of comfort, minimal challenges, and quiet luxury.
It’s Not About Spending All of Your Coins
Living a soft life is also about finding ways to achieve financial freedom without sacrificing our physical and emotional health. This may mean rejecting the traditional corporate America model of working longer hours and instead finding new ways to achieve financial stability (through self-care) while prioritizing our well-being.
It’s Not Exclusive to the Luxury Lifestyle
The soft life movement is for more than just those who have the luxury of time or money. It is a lifestyle trend that anyone can embrace, regardless of their circumstances. It is about finding the balance between work and rest, hustle and self-care, and hard work and soft living.
It’s a Permanent Lifestyle Choice
Living a soft life is about finding intentional happiness in the little things, like the stillness of the morning or the calm energy of a peaceful life. It is about finding joy in everyday moments and rejecting the idea that we must always strive for more. It is about embracing the lifestyle of comfort and minimal challenges and finding ways to prioritize our physical and emotional health in the process.
The Soft Life is A Gateway to Ease
The soft life movement is not just a passing trend or a social media phenomenon. It is a social movement changing how we think about success, happiness, and well-being.
It is a rejection of toxic productivity, the struggle love narrative, and the idea that we must constantly push ourselves to the limit. Instead, it is a celebration of the quiet quitters willing to let go of the need to continually prove themselves and instead find peace in the present moment..
The strong black woman narrative has been pervasive in the black community for years, but it is time for us to reject this harmful trope and embrace a softer approach to life. The soft life movement rejects the idea that black women must always be strong and resilient in the face of adversity. It is a celebration of our dainty princess side.