Because You Deserve It: How Pop Culture Helped Redefine Self-Care

When we think of self-care, we often imagine yoga mats, expensive retreats, or influencers sipping green juice. But real self-care, the kind that sticks, often comes from something simpler: seeing your own struggles, quirks, and quiet victories reflected back at you.

Sometimes, that mirror is pop culture.

Movies and shows aren’t just distractions. They give us space to feel seen, to process what we’re going through, and even to laugh when life feels too heavy. This World Self-Care Day, we look at how a few titles from Lionsgate Play remind us of small but meaningful ways to care for ourselves.

1. Laughing through it: Son of a Critch

Son of a Critch is a coming-of-age comedy that’s not just hilarious, but deeply human. It shows us that humor is a powerful coping mechanism. Sometimes, the best self-care is simply finding the funny, even when things aren’t perfect.

2. Feeling it all: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist

Self-care isn’t always about calming down. Sometimes, it’s about letting go. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist follows a young woman who starts hearing people’s thoughts in the form of musical numbers. Whether it’s grief, joy, anxiety, or love, the show reminds us that emotional honesty is healing. Crying during a musical montage totally counts as self-care.

3. Decluttering your beliefs: Ramy

A little mental decluttering can go a long way. Ramy explores spirituality, identity, and the pressure to fit into cultural expectations. It doesn’t offer easy answers, but that’s part of its magic. Self-care can also mean questioning what you’ve always believed and giving yourself permission to change.

4. Reclaiming your power: Madam

Taking care of yourself sometimes means refusing to shrink. Madam follows a woman who stirs controversy just by being unapologetically herself. It’s a reminder that boundaries, boldness, and even a bit of rebellion can be radical acts of self-preservation.

The takeaway? Self-care isn’t always a solo ritual. Sometimes it’s letting yourself connect with a character, a story, or even a song that feels surprisingly close to home. So grab a snack, sink into your favorite chair, and watch something that makes you feel. Because healing doesn’t only happen during yoga or journaling. Sometimes, it happens on your screen.

About Lionsgate Play

Lionsgate Play, a premium streaming service from Lionsgate India and Starz, offers bespoke quality content to its users. It boasts premium and curated content including Premieres, billion-dollar Franchise Movies and binge-worthy Box Sets. Lionsgate Play is accessible to consumers in the Philippines via www.lionsgateplay.com for Php79 monthly with PLDT Home and Php199 quarterly plan with Smart.

A curated selection of Lionsgate Play titles is also available on Cignal Super, the Philippines’  first and only streaming aggregator app. With only One Login, One Subscription, users can watch content from multiple streaming apps for only P799/month (Premium+ Plan) or P499/month (Premium Plan).

For more information about Lionsgate Play Philippines, visit lionsgateplay.com and follow them on Facebook,  Instagram, and Tiktok.

About Cignal

Cignal is a multi-platform media company in the Philippines, offering a wide range of content through satellite television, streaming services, and digital platforms. With a strong commitment to delivering powerful stories and meaningful connections, Cignal continues to bring joy and entertainment to Filipinos everywhere – enriching lives through innovation, technology, and the Filipino spirit.

About PLDT Home

PLDT Home is trusted by Filipinos to deliver the fastest internet connection and future-ready innovations to their homes. It is the only telco in the Philippines that has received the most prestigious “Fastest Fixed Internet, Five Years In a Row” award at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ 2022 – a first for PLDT and the Philippines. Enabling moments that bring the family closer together, PLDT Home offers unli-entertainment including Lionsgate Play and its library of award-winning titles.

About Smart

Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT, Inc., the Philippines’ largest and only integrated telecommunications company. Smart serves approximately 97% of the country’s population with its combined 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, and 5G network, providing mobile communications services, high-speed internet connectivity, and access to digital services and content to Filipinos, supporting the country’s growing digital economy, and providing the best customer experience for an increasingly digital Filipino lifestyle.