Creating Community on the Beltline
Every Friday, Imani Murray buys herself flowers as a form of self-care. As she explored what self-care looks like for her, she found that most people didn’t make time for it. It was in December 2023 when she had the idea of helping others with self-care. She sat on the idea for a few months before officially launching the Atlanta-based business The Self Care Lab in 2024 on National Self-Care Day.
The Self Care Lab encourages individuals to prioritize self-love and focus on self-care through free pop-up experiences and hands-on workshops. One of The Self Care Lab’s most popular events is its weekly Saturday morning walks. The walks are through The Walk Club, which is under the Self Care Lab brand. The Self Care Lab hosts events in Atlanta, New York, and other cities.
The Walk Club launched in December 2024, but attendance was affected by the cold, so Murray tried again a few months later during the spring. The club’s typical walk lasts five miles and starts at 9 a.m. EST. As someone who is originally from New York, Murray said her walks feature many women who are not originally from Atlanta but are looking for community.
“Five miles sounds scary, but when you’re with us and yapping, it doesn’t feel like five miles,” said Murray.
In just a few months, the walks went viral on TikTok, and now every walk features 30 to 40 women. That viralness also caught the attention of the business platform Square.
In partnership with Square, The Self Care Lab is hosting a women’s wellness walk on October 18, 2025, on the Atlanta Beltline Eastside Trail at 9 a.m. EST.
According to a press release, the one-hour, three-mile walk will feature on-site activations including a self-care wall, music, and a Kane’s Shoes giveaway for 100 participants. Local partners Little Tart Bakeshop and Just Add Honey Tea Company, who also use Square, will be featured at the walk. The walk will also have a community celebration.
It should be noted that The Self Care Lab brand is open to everyone, but The Walk Club is strictly for women.
Self-Care Comes in Many Forms
Through The Self Care Lab, Murray emphasizes how self-care isn’t one set thing. It could be taking a nap throughout the day at The Rest Spot, an Atlanta-area women-only private club for women to rest. Or it could be taking yourself to the movies, and anything in between.
“It’s really whatever brings you joy…[and] understanding that there are more levels to self-care,” said Murray.
Sipping tea can be a form of self-care, which is why Square made the connection between The Self Care Lab and Just Add Honey Tea Company. Just Add Honey Tea Company will be giving away free tea to participants at Saturday’s event.
Just Add Honey Tea Company Owner Brandi Shelton has been in business for 19 years and has been on the Atlanta Beltline since 2019. She travels the world meeting farmers and bringing their tea to Atlanta. Whether she’s visiting India, Japan, Kenya, or Taiwan, each trip makes her fall in love with tea more, and she’s spreading that love with the city.
“What I love about tea is that it needs to be steeped,” said Shelton. “You have to slow down, you have to give it the time it deserves.” She added that we have to do the same for ourselves by pouring back into ourselves.
Shelton practices self-care by taking Pilates four times a week. Every Sunday, she and her friend do 30 minutes of Pilates, 30 minutes of running, grab matcha, and pick up flowers from Trader Joe’s, a ritual they never miss.
She considers tea a form of self-care and is happy to provide it for others.
“Tea is what you want it to be. The tea can meet you where you are, just like your walk,” said Shelton.
