Why Self-Care Isn't a Luxury - It’s a Necessity
In this "short and sweet" episode, I’m coming to you straight from my facial appointment - makeup-free, hair back, and glowing from the inside out! After an unexpected but life-changing buccal facial, I couldn’t wait to share the powerful realization I had while on the treatment table.
We often talk about the "oxygen mask" theory, but are you actually living it? I’m diving into why being nurtured and cared for is the fuel you need to show up for your family, your work, and your life. Whether it’s releasing physical tension or finding mental clarity, I’m here to remind you that you are worth the investment.
In this episode, we chat about:
Why taking care of yourself is a necessity, even when money or time is tight.
My personal experience with post-surgery tightness and how specialized treatments changed the game.
The difference between an "average" treatment and finding the "real deal."
A gentle nudge to book that appointment you’ve been putting off (consider this your sign!).
If you’ve been feeling a little poured out lately, let this episode be the permission slip you didn't know you needed to fill your own cup.
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Hello friends. Welcome back to the Well and Worthy Life podcast. I'm so glad you're here.
So, I had outlined a podcast for you guys, but that's going to have to wait for a different time because I just had a buccal—I think that's how you say it, B-U-C-C-A-L—facial. I thought of so many things while I was lying there getting this amazing facial, and I had to share it with you because I just feel like, as I was lying there getting it... and you can see right now, my hair's a little bit greasy. I just have my hair pulled back if you're watching this on YouTube. Anyway, I have no makeup on because they washed it all off in the facial.
But I was lying there and I was thinking: I wish everyone—and I mean everyone—could experience what I just experienced or what I'm experiencing at this moment. I have always been somebody who takes care of myself. I feel like my mother modeled that, and so I've been very good about taking care of myself. But I know so many women—and you may be one of them; if you're listening, I'm talking to you—that put off and feel like it's a luxury to take care of yourself.
Here's the thing: it goes back to what I used to coach as a health coach—that we have to put our own oxygen mask on first. Taking care of ourselves and being nurtured, loved on, and cared for is very important for us so that we can take care of everything else and everyone else in our lives. I feel like as women, as mothers, as grandmothers, and as wives, we are always taking care of everybody and doing for everybody, and sometimes we forget to care for ourselves. And it just feels so good.
Like I said, I've been very good at this. I have had facials on a regular basis pretty much my whole adult life. I have had massages—not as regularly as I'd like to, but in this last year, I've probably had more massages than normal. I really don't feel like it's a luxury for me; it is a necessity. Even when money was tight for me—and there was a time in my life where money was tight—I still did these things. I gave up other things to do these things. I always say this: we always spend money on the things that are really important to us. Getting a massage or getting a facial has always been very, very important to me. It is as good for my mental health as it is for my overall health.
Today, as I was lying there and she was hugging on me and doing all the things, I felt amazing and I felt so cared for. Now, I haven't always felt that way when I've gotten massages or facials, so you really have to find somebody good. If you're in Birmingham, you've got to go over to Myra & Berry. They are just... everyone there is amazing, and I just want you to experience this, so be sure and go and tell them I sent you. But if you're not in Birmingham, then find somebody that comes highly recommended because I don't want you to waste your money on just "average."
When you get the real deal, you'll know. I really hate going somewhere and paying for a massage or facial and thinking, "Ugh, that was not nearly as good as I can get at home." And for me, that's true. A lot of people only do massages and facials when they're out of town, and occasionally you will get a good one, but if you can find somebody at home that you trust and rely on and can go to on an ongoing basis, I think you'd be much happier.
So, I'm just going to talk a little bit about my experience today. Over a year ago, I had a deep-plane facelift. It took a while to get some sensation and feeling back, and I've got almost all of my feeling back now. But one thing that has still been bothering me—in fact, I know I need to call my doctor and go see him, though I'm not sure what they could do about it—is that I still have a lot of tightness in my neck. I feel like I'm wearing a chin strap, which honestly can be good. I'd rather be tight than loose, right? That's what I paid for! But I think I've started carrying a lot of my tension now in my neck and in my jaw.
What this facial did for me today was loosen it all up. Before I went, I could barely turn my head either way. Now, if you're watching on YouTube, you can tell I am turning my head up and down and all around right now. But I was so tight that I just could not. I actually went out of town last week and I did go and have a massage, but it wasn't nearly what I needed. Going to Myra & Berry and getting the buccal massage was exactly what I needed. It helped loosen things up, especially around my jaw and my neck, and got the lymph nodes draining. I think I’ve had some blockage going on because of my surgery, and so that helped so much. Like I said, it felt so good.
This is going to be a short episode, but I just want you to know—maybe this is your message today. You need to go get the massage. You need to go get the facial. Save up, or ask for it for Mother's Day. There are gift cards; it's so worth it. We really need to take care of ourselves.
I even think about my husband. My husband always wants me to rub on him. I really should just get him a gift certificate for a massage at Myra & Berry. They can really focus on things. I'm just going to be "rubbing" him—let's be honest, I'm not a massage therapist, nor do I want to be!
But yeah, I just laid there today and I thought: I want you to experience what I just experienced. If I could pay for everybody that's listening to this to go get a massage or a facial, I would—but I can't do that, obviously. I'm hoping there’s more than just two or three of you listening!
Anyway, go take care of yourself today. Remember, that's the most important thing. You have to take care of you before you take care of anybody else. And if you hear this and you're like, "Oh, my friend needs to hear this," send this message to her. Let her know she's worth it. You know, that's part of Well and Worthy Life: you are worth it. You are worthy to have that well life.
So go get that massage. Go get that facial. And like I said, if you're in Birmingham, go see Myra & Berry. You will not be disappointed. Tell them I sent you.
Thanks, y'all! Have a great day.
