Self-Care Is a Divine Journey

Self-care is often painted as indulgent spa days, fancy massages, or catching up with a friend over coffee. While those things are lovely, they only skim the surface. True self-care is a divine journey—it’s about nurturing the mind, body, and spirit in a way that brings harmony, alignment, and balance into your life. It’s about filling your cup before pouring into others, honoring your needs without apology, and seeing self-care not as selfishness, but as service to self.

Growing up, we were sold a packaged dream: a university degree, marriage, a home, kids, and eventually retirement. Whole systems were designed to perpetuate this narrative. But in recent years, many people have stepped back from these traditional paths—choosing child-free marriages or even no marriage at all. Why? Because there’s a collective awakening: an understanding that life is not only about chasing milestones but about creating meaning, vitality, and joy in everyday existence.

A Brief History of Self-Care

The roots of self-care run deep and carry political, social, and cultural weight. Throughout Western history, women were often confined to domestic roles, their needs secondary to the men in their lives. The women’s suffrage movement, feminism, and civil rights movements reshaped this narrative, reclaiming self-care as an act of autonomy and empowerment.

Feminism, in particular, reframed self-care beyond beauty routines or domestic duty. It became about self-love, self-acceptance, and self-compassion—radical acts of resistance against oppressive systems. Black women, often queer activists, pioneered this form of self-care as a survival tool. Angela Davis and Ericka Huggins practiced yoga and meditation while incarcerated, advocating for holistic wellness upon release. Rosa Parks, too, practiced yoga for years, demonstrating that self-care was not a luxury but a necessity for resilience.

Even the Black Panther Party embraced wellness, incorporating martial arts and nutrition programs into their community work. Self-care here was revolutionary—a way to strengthen mind, body, and spirit to sustain collective liberation.

As author Brendon Burchard says, “Living a charged life is about living fully, vibrantly, and intentionally.” That’s exactly what self-care has always been about at its core.

What Modern Self-Care Looks Like

Fast forward to today, and self-care has ballooned into a global industry worth over $450 billion. While products and services, from adaptogenic teas to deep tissue massages, have their place, true self-care cannot be bought. No candle or bath soak can heal the depletion caused by overwork, internalized capitalism, and disconnection from our communities.

Modern self-care should not be about numbing exhaustion but about reclaiming vitality. It asks us to slow down, reassess values, and realign how we live. It challenges the belief that our worth comes only from productivity and endless achievements. Instead, self-care in its truest sense brings us back to harmony with ourselves, alignment with our values, and balance across the demands of life.

Tips to Create a Self-Care Routine That Cultivates Harmony, Alignment, and Balance

1. Harmony – Carve out practices that soothe your inner world. This could be journaling, meditation, or evening walks that calm your nervous system. Harmony comes when your thoughts, emotions, and actions move in sync.
2. Alignment – Get crystal clear on your values. What truly matters to you beyond societal expectations? Build routines that reflect those values. For example, if health is a core value, prioritize movement and nutritious meals not as punishment but as devotion to your body.
3. Balance – Accept that balance is fluid, not fixed. Some weeks work may demand more, other weeks your family or creativity might take centre stage. The key is to avoid extremes and to continually return to a centre point where no single area of life depletes you.
4. Connection – Invest in people and experiences that uplift you, even if they don’t hold transactional value. Relationships, community, and play are essential for replenishment.
5. Boundaries – Say no unapologetically. Self-care is not just about what you do, but also about what you refuse to carry. Protecting your energy creates space for harmony, alignment, and balance to flourish.

Because here’s the truth: just because you can’t have it all, all the time (balance) doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aim for it.

Think about it

Beyond the candles and cozy baths, what are the no-cost rituals that make you feel grounded and whole?