A Self Care & Feeling YOU Again Boudoir Experience

Radical Self-Care: The Art of Reclaiming Yourself

Self-care has been commodified into spa days, scented candles, and bubble baths—soft, delicate things wrapped in pastel packaging. But let’s get real. True self-care is not about escape; it’s about reclamation. It’s about carving out space to breathe, to exist, and to thrive despite the systems that try to shrink us.
The history of self-care is deeply radical.

Activists like Audre Lorde reminded us that caring for ourselves is an act of survival. In a world that constantly demands our labor—whether physical, emotional, or intellectual—choosing to prioritize our well-being is a refusal to be consumed. It’s the foundation that allows us to show up for ourselves and each other in the fight for collective liberation.

I first heard the concept of radical self-care from Sonya Renee Taylor, whose book The Body Is Not an Apology opened my eyes to how capitalism has co-opted self-care, turning it into another product to consume rather than a practice of liberation. Her work helped me see self-care not as an indulgence, but as a necessary resistance against a system that profits from our self-doubt and exhaustion.

Additionally, Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, has been doing powerful work in reframing rest as an essential and liberating act of resistance. Her message is clear—rest is not a privilege, but a birthright, and reclaiming our rest is a form of defiance against grind culture. Our nervous systems need time to unwind, to repair, and to find balance amidst all that we are moving through.

Self-Care Beyond the Surface

You don’t need an expensive retreat or a curated morning routine to practice self-care. It can be found in the smallest acts, the quiet choices that reinforce your worth and your freedom. Here are a few ways to reclaim self-care as an act of self-preservation and empowerment:

1. Listen to Yourself Without Judgment
Society has trained us to override our needs—to push through exhaustion, to keep the peace, to be productive at all costs. One of the most radical things you can do is listen to your body and mind without guilt. Need to rest? Rest. Need to step away? Do it. Need to say no? Say it—without over-explaining.

2. Make Art, Not Perfection
Expressing yourself without an agenda is an act of defiance in a world obsessed with output. Write, paint, dance, take photos—just for you. No pressure, no performance. Just creation for the sake of feeling alive.

3. Wear What Makes You Feel Powerful
Dressing for yourself is an act of self-definition. Whether it’s bold lipstick, your comfiest hoodie, or spend the day at home in the buff—clothing (or the lack of it) can be a tool for self-expression, not a performance for others.

4. Take Up Space
You are not too much. Your presence, your voice, your joy, your grief—it all deserves room. Move through the world as if you belong, because you do. Whether that means speaking up in a meeting or posing unapologetically in front of a camera, claim the space you’re in.

5. Build Your Own Definition of Beauty
Patriarchal beauty standards are designed to keep us small. Reject them. Stand in front of a mirror and admire yourself like you would a masterpiece in a gallery. You are art—no filters, no disclaimers needed.

6. Connect With Others Who See You
Liberation is not a solo journey. Find people who get it—who celebrate you, challenge you, and remind you of your power. And if you can’t find them? Start building that space yourself. Community care is self-care.

7. Offer Yourself Space to Rest
While taking up space is important, it is equally essential to offer yourself space to rest and just be.
Our nervous systems need time to unwind with all that we are moving through. Rest is not laziness; it is a necessary reset that allows us to continue showing up fully in our lives. Give yourself permission to step back, breathe, and exist without the pressure to produce or perform.

Vancouver Portrait Photographer Michele Mateus creates portraits of people with elements of nature. Pictured here is a man holding up purple flowers as an offering.

Self-Care as a Path to
Collective Liberation

Taking care of yourself is not selfish—it’s strategic. You cannot pour into the world if you’re running on empty. By nourishing yourself, you build the stamina to challenge oppressive systems, to uplift others, and to create the change you want to see.

My work as a photographer exists at the intersection of self-care and collective liberation. It’s about witnessing yourself fully, without apology. It’s about rejecting outdated narratives and stepping into your own power. When you stand in front of my lens, it’s not just about a beautiful image—it’s about a radical act of self-recognition. A reminder that you are worthy of being seen, exactly as you are.

And when we care for ourselves, we create the capacity to care for others. Self-care fuels the fight for a freer, more just world because when we are whole, we can show up with strength and clarity. It’s how we resist burnout, sustain our activism, and cultivate communities where everyone has the space to thrive. Our liberation is intertwined, and it starts with honoring ourselves.

Self-care isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s how we survive, how we heal, and how we move toward a future where we all have the freedom to exist without shrinking. So go ahead—take the time, take the space, and take the damn picture.

You deserve it.