I used to think self-care was just another thing to fail at, like remembering birthdays or watering plants. Now it's more like preventative maintenance on a car that's already driven way too many miles. I remember when "burnout" was just a trendy word, not a state of being I was intimately acquainted with. Now the goal isn't even thriving, just not actively falling apart at the seams, which feels like a HUGE win most days.