Thursday

"I am shaped by love, in all the forms it takes."

Welcome to Thursday! Today, we're chatting about:

• A self-care guide for moms

• Why carnations are the official Mother’s Day flower

• Our favorite Mother’s Day finds

• When Mother’s Day is hard

The Self-Care Guide Every Mom Actually Needs

Self-care as a mom doesn't have to mean a full weekend away or an elaborate routine. It's the small, consistent habits that actually move the needle: drinking water before coffee, getting outside for 15 minutes, journaling for a few minutes before the house wakes up. The bar is lower than most people think, and that's actually the point.

The key is defining what self-care means for you specifically. For some people it's movement. For others it's quiet. For others it's time with a friend who fills them back up. Whatever brings you back to yourself is worth identifying and protecting, even if it only happens in small pockets of time.

Building a simple self-care kit can make it easier to actually follow through. A journal, a candle, a good playlist, a face mask, your favorite snacks. Keep it somewhere visible so it becomes part of your routine rather than something you have to go looking for when you're already depleted. The goal isn't perfection. It's giving yourself something to come back to.

Why Carnations Are the Official Mother's Day Flower

Carnations have a reputation for being a little basic, but their connection to Mother's Day is actually a beautiful story. When activist Anna Jarvis organized the first Mother's Day celebration in 1908 in West Virginia, she distributed 500 white carnations at the service because they were her late mother's favorite flower. The tradition spread from there, and carnations became the unofficial official flower of the holiday.

Color matters more than most people realize. White carnations traditionally honor mothers who have passed away, while pink and red ones celebrate living mothers. Pink specifically represents appreciation for a mother's love, and red signals deep love and admiration. Jarvis described white carnations as symbolizing the truth, purity, and charity of mother love, which is a sentiment that has stuck around for over a century.

As for their reputation, carnations are having a quiet comeback. Florists are working with higher-end varieties in antique hues that don't even look like the grocery store version, and brides have been incorporating them for their romantic, Victorian feel. If you're gifting them for Mother's Day, they're also one of the longer-lasting cut flowers around, staying fresh for two to three weeks with fresh water every couple of days and stems trimmed at a 45-degree angle.

Our Favorite Mother’s Day Finds

Mother’s Day doesn’t have to mean overthinking the perfect gift. The best ones are often the things she’ll actually use and appreciate every day. This year’s picks focus on comfort, care, and small upgrades that make daily life feel a little easier:

• 🍫 Bar & Cocoa: A curated chocolate experience featuring 10 full-size bars from independent makers around the world. A thoughtful upgrade from typical sweets. Use code MOM10 for 10% off.

• 🧖‍♀️ Loops Beauty: Hydrogel face masks designed to stay put while she gets things done. Quick, effective self-care that fits into real life. Use code MDAY2026 for 20% off.

• 📼 Legacybox: A way to bring old family memories back to life. Convert tapes, film, and photos into digital files with 65% off using code REVEL65.

• 🥤 Beast Blender: A blender that makes smoothies and shakes easier. Blends fast, cleans easily, and fits right into busy mornings. Use code NOTETOSELF15 for 15% off.

• 🍳 Smithey: Cast iron and carbon steel cookware designed to last for years and be passed down. Naturally non-stick, PFAS-free, and even customizable with engraving. See the full Smithey collection.

Looking for more ideas? Shop the full Mother’s Day Gift Guide here.

Thank you to our Mother’s Day Gift Guide for sponsoring Note To Self.

You're Not Alone If Mother's Day Feels Hard

Mother's Day is everywhere this time of year, and the idealized image of the mother-child relationship gets amplified in every direction. For some people that feels celebratory. For others it brings up something more complicated, and both are completely valid.

There's a quiet pressure that comes with the holiday around what you "should" feel, how you "should" celebrate, and what the day "should" mean to you. When your experience doesn't match the picture being sold, it can be easy to internalize that as a personal failing. It isn't.

However Mother's Day lands for you this year, giving yourself permission to feel whatever actually comes up is enough. You don't have to perform emotions you don't feel or push through a day that doesn't sit easily. Taking care of yourself is always the right move, and that's true on this day as much as any other.

Wellness Round-Up

Parting Thoughts

• ✅ Did You Know: People spend over $30 billion dollars annually on Mother’s Day in the U.S. It's one of the biggest spending holidays.

• 🌅 Sunset Of The Day: Sunsets are more than beautiful—they’re actually good for your mood. Got a favorite one? Reply to this email with your best sunset or sunrise photo for a chance to be featured!

• 💭 Final Self-Care Thoughts for Today: Love, care, and support take many forms. However you give or receive it, it counts.

Enjoying Note to Self?

Know of a great self-care tip or article you'd love to share with the community? Want to send us pictures of you completing one of your self-care rituals? Email us at [email protected]!