In today’s The Big Story podcast, we’ve all done it. Life is hard, the week is long and rather than force yourself to be out and about on a Friday night, you just need to unwind. All by yourself. Maybe do a little online shopping or pamper yourself however you please … so you turn down the invite, sit down on the couch and practice a little “self-care”.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this. We all need breaks! But you should be aware that it’s not that simple. There are trillions of dollars to be made from self-care practices and products, and the industry is only growing as we become more isolated and lonely. 

Allie Volpe is a senior reporter at Vox. She said self-care has come far from is health care and social movement roots. “Wellness isn’t something you get from other people it’s something you buy it’s something you show off and it’s often something that you do alone,” said Volpe.

So next time you feel like backing out of something to stay inside alone, maybe ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Is it just because it’s easier?

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