Licensed counselor Lawrence Lovell shares four real ‘self-care’ habits for busy lives
Mon, August 17, 2026 at 9:41 PM
The Meditation Sisters talk about self-care (Credit: Amanda Kinseth, WPDE)
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) —Between work, parenting and everything else competing for attention, finding time to truly “exhale” can feel out of reach. A licensed counselor says real self-care isn’t about squeezing in more indulgences — it’s about building habits that actually support your life
Lawrence Lovell, a licensed counselor and the owner of Breakthrough Solutions Counseling, shared four tips for practicing what he calls real self-care
First, Lovell recommends focusing on maintenance over indulgence. Instead of treating self-care as an occasional reward, he emphasizes the value of consistent practices that keep you steady day to day
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Second, he suggests saying the harder word — “Yes” for some people, “No” for others. The point is to recognize where boundaries or commitment are needed most and to choose the response that supports your well-being, even when it’s uncomfortable
Third, Lovell urges people to watch for “self-care” that’s actually avoidance. He cautions that some habits labeled as self-care can become ways to dodge stressors rather than address them
Finally, he recommends rechecking what’s actually working now. What helped in one season of life may not fit another, and Lovell says it’s important to reassess and adjust your self-care to match your current needs
