The Soft Life Isn't Just a Trend, It's a Reclamation

How Women Are Redefining Rest, Peace, and Luxury As Resistance

The Pursuit of the 'Soft Life'

Women have tuned in to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. They have tuned in to candle making and crafts and even trended the 'one pan pasta' dish. Many viewers found solace in the thoughts placed into every aspect of Meghan's creations, prompting conversation online regarding 'the soft life.' What does that look like in a world where women aren't intentionally given space to seek it?

What is the "Soft Life?"

The 'soft life' is the rejection of hustle culture and deep diving into aspects of life that only consume comfort, relaxation, and center a person's wellbeing.

For generations, women, especially Black and brown women, have been socialized to see struggle as synonymous with strength. We are told that survival mode is noble, that sacrifice is virtuous, and that rest must be earned ONLY after every other need has been met. We are also told to shoulder everyone else at the expense of our own wellbeing.

The idea of the "soft life" has been misunderstood or trivialized as a social media trend. However, it is anything but superficial. It is a radical shift in the way women are reclaiming their time, peace, and dignity.

For many women of color, hustle culture isn't a choice. It's a necessity rooted in generational survival. Black women have always had to work, even for the oppressor. But that necessity has come at a high cost: physical exhaustion, emotional burnout, and mental health crises that too often go untreated.

Is the 'Soft-Life' Elitist?

It is no secret that rest has never been equally accessible, which leaves the question, is this "movement" elitist? Rest should not be a luxury, and that is precisely the point. The fact that so many women feel they can't rest unless they've earned it reveals the deeper structural issues at play. Access to ease, safety, and leisure has always been determined by race, class, and privilege. The soft life movement doesn't ignore this. Instead, it confronts it.

When women center softness and create moments to center themselves, they reject the roles society has forced upon them: caretaker, martyr, and workhorse. Choosing rest in a culture that commodifies women's labor is an act of resistance. It is political. It is powerful. And it should be accessible to all.

More than aesthetics or luxury, the soft life is about intentional living. It is about creating space for joy, for slowness, for healing. It's about saying no to toxic relationships, exploitative work environments, and social norms that equate burnout with success. It's about choosing peace, not because life is easy, but because peace is necessary.

A Reminder to Make Time For You

The pursuit of the 'soft life' shouldn't be viewed as just a trendy idea. We must expand the conversation beyond individual choices and into collective action. If we want all women to access a life that allows them moments to breathe, we must push for systemic changes. Living wages, universal healthcare, paid leave, and accessible mental health service should be a part of that change. We must dismantle the very structures that make softness a luxury instead of a right.

The soft life isn't a retreat from responsibility. It's a refusal to be crushed by it. In embracing softness, women are not turning away from power—they are redefining it. With a full cup, we can do so much more.