Redefining Self-Care

I know. I can already hear you saying, "Another person telling me to prioritize self-care. But who has the time or the money for that?"

Let me be clear. I'm not suggesting you prioritize self-care—just that you weave it into your daily practice for even just 3-5 minutes a day. I'm not suggesting you join a gym or pay for massages and spa days. Self-care, in the truest sense, is uncomplicated, easily accessible and free.

A Little History

The "self-care" movement originated in the 1950s when the medical industry wanted to empower patients to take accountability for their recovery from serious illnesses instead of simply handing all power over to their provider.

In the 1960s, Black activists adopted the term to stress the importance of managing one's mental, physical, and spiritual health while doing advocacy work. Self-care was viewed as an important act of resistance for marginalized people.

In the 1970s, the feminist movement embraced self-care in advocating for bodily autonomy and mental health awareness, challenging the expectation that women should constantly sacrifice themselves for others.

By the 1990s, self-care exploded in popular culture with books and celebrity experts touting its benefits. The mainstream culture began focusing on luxuries like spa days, bubble baths, retreats with gurus, and "treating yourself." In the process, self-care's political roots became commercialized and diluted.

But now, in 2026, self-care is no longer a luxury. It's a necessity for everyone.

Redefining Self-Care

My approach to self-care doesn't involve spending money or escaping to remote, expensive locations. Self-care for me is the inner work I do to bring myself back to center when I'm feeling anxious, uncomfortable, triggered, or otherwise upset. Self-care is about tapping into the peace that lives within me but is often buried under survival mode.

Self-care is quiet work. Personal work. Gentle work. It doesn't look outside of me for peace. Self-care is the belief that peace exists within me and is available anytime I choose. Self-care is agency. Self-care is freedom. People and conditions may try to distract me from self-care. But no one can take it away from me. Self-care is as essential and natural as breathing.

My self-care practice begins with my breath. It's readily available, free, and doesn't interfere with what else is happening. Taking a few seconds to intentionally bring breath into my body, calming and regulating my nervous system, doesn't draw attention to myself and is always accessible unless something is very wrong. Breathing is my birthright—the first thing I did after being born. You too.

Sleep is self-care. Making sure (and I'm not great at this, but I'm working on it) that I get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Taking a nap when I'm tired. Saying no to things that drain or deplete me. And saying yes to things that increase my joy. It can be as simple as a 3-4 minute break while working to pause and rest my mind.

The last one is most difficult for me: stopping the phone scrolling during free time. Instead, I've moved back to making art. For me, drawing and creating art is meditative. Working with color makes my heart and brain light up.

Why Now?

There are many things happening in the world, our work environments, and within our own health that feel out of our control. We may feel like we're losing our agency. The economy, funding cuts, conflicts, division with family and friends, violence—all of it can make life feel disheartening, depressing, and scary. I get it. Believe me.

But what is in your control is engaging in simple self-care practices that are free and effortless to initiate. The chemical reactions that happen when we engage in self-care strengthen our constitution, provide a foundation from which happiness and peace can live, and give us renewed energy and resiliency to face the day. They literally shift how your nervous system responds to stress.

Self-Care Can Be Simple

Many of us think self-care means being pampered or requires an exchange of money. We believe the 1990s hype that self-care requires paying an expert to help us "do it right." While those things might be desirable or available to you, they're not necessary for an authentic personal health practice.

Self-care can be nothing more than deepening and strengthening essential things you're already doing—like sleeping, breathing, or connecting with people who make the day brighter.

The key for me is choosing activities that create dopamine. Dopamine is known as a feel-good chemical, but it's so much more. When dopamine is created, we become motivated to experience more. We anticipate the reward. Our brain gets trained and rewarded—like rewarding a dog with a treat—by learning what behaviors are worth repeating. This is how self-care becomes a practice.

My Go-To Self-Care Activities

They're essentially free, blend into my day-to-day life, and happen within my home and community:

Making art: The anticipation of creating something, problem-solving during the process, and completing milestones all activate dopamine circuits. Each small achievement provides micro-rewards that keep you engaged.

Breathwork/meditation: Slow, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system and influences dopamine regulation by reducing stress hormones.

Sleep: During sleep, your brain clears metabolic waste and rebalances neurotransmitter systems, making your dopamine system more responsive when you're awake.

Social connection: Positive interactions activate the brain's reward circuitry. Social bonding releases both oxytocin and dopamine, especially during laughter, meaningful conversation, or shared activities.

Animals: When I pause for even three minutes to give my dog, Isla, some love, I experience a drop in stress and an uptick in happiness and calm. Touch, play, and simple caregiving behaviors all engage reward circuits.

These activities don't just create temporary dopamine spikes (like addictive substances do) but support healthy dopamine function and regulation over time, contributing to sustained wellbeing.

How Do I Know if It's Working?

You can't directly "feel" dopamine, but you can notice if a self-care practice is effective by observing:

Motivation and anticipation: You feel drawn toward the activity beforehand. There's a sense of "I want to do this."

Engagement and focus: Once you're doing it, you find yourself absorbed  — time might pass without you noticing.

Sense of progress or achievement: Even small wins feel satisfying.

You want to repeat it: After the activity, you feel inclined to do it again — not compulsively, but with genuine interest.

Mild uplift in mood or energy: You might feel slightly more optimistic, energized, or capable afterward — gently buoyed, not euphoric.

You can't measure your dopamine directly, but you can learn to recognize when you feel genuinely motivated, engaged, and satisfied by an activity. Trust those feelings — they're your brain telling you something is working.

I'm encouraging you to spend a little time rethinking and redefining self-care. Think about the long-term mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits when you develop a practice that chemically shifts your mindset from helplessness to empowered.

Self-care is inner work. Inner work is essential to live an outwardly happy, engaged, and empowered life.

My New Art & Curiosity Project

If you'd like to see samples of the artwork I'm creating as an act of self-care, visit my Art & Curiosity Project: BethWonsonIsCurious.com

I'd love to hear what practices of self-care you are — or hope to be — including and strengthening in your day-to-day. Let me know.