Tips to a Better Massage - Pure Vichy

Are you getting massages?  How frequent and what kind?  Everyone's talking about self care nowadays.  We are being encouraged to take time to focus on ourselves a little more.  Massages are not to be treated as a luxury.   They should be a part of our routine self care maintenance.  I mean, who is going to take care of you, if it isn't you scheduling it in.  I choose me, so should you!

Disclosure-I was invited to Pure Vichy for a complimentary massage.  All opinions stated are my own based on my own opinion.

Now that you have chosen you, time to schedule a massage.  But wait - there are things that you need to know before scheduling your visit.  

Here are my tips to a better massage:  

1)  Aches of Interest  - Medical history matters.  Did your therapist talk to you before your massage?  It is important that your therapist knows why you are needing or wanting a massage.  You have body aches that are in need of healing and need assistance.  Is it a muscle, is it a nerve, whatever is bothering you; be upfront.  The more they know, the better they can assist the area or areas.

  

2)  Be in the Moment - I have gotten many massages in the past where I felt as I walked in and nothing happened.  I am the type of person that gets on the bed and will try to relax the entire time.  But before I even get to get my massage, I am not shutting down.  I am go, go, go.  So when I get to this peaceful, relaxing place - I am not able to unwind.  This happens a lot.  Find a good time to schedule your massage, when you are less likely to be full speed ahead.  Don't just squeeze it in.   Whether you realize it or not, the therapist can tell if you are relaxed or not.  Get to your appointment early, unwind, relax, turn off the your phone, and you may be able to see better results on the table.

2)  Preventative Maintenance - A massage should never hurt or leave you in discomfort.  Do your research about pressure you want?  Every body is different.  Your tolerance can change over the years.  Listen to your body.  Do not be afraid to let the therapist know if you are not appreciating a certain technique.  You may need follow up visits for continued after care.    

3)  Location - Find a place that can take care of all your needs.   I was recently invited to Pure Vichy.  It is a day spa offering many services including massages.  I had a wonderful experience and learned some valuable information.  I did not feel like I was just another person they were running in and out of the door.  The best thing was that I felt like I was at home.  Every room was very inviting.  

The care I received from all of the staff was from check in to check out, excellent.  My massage therapist was very knowledgeable.  She explained body care, stretches, and after care techniques.  She took the time to listen to what my concerns were, asks relevant questions, and gave me good feedback prior to and during my massage.  

I had a wonderful, relaxing massage.  Extra thanks to the wonderful staff at Pure Vichy.

This hidden gem is located at 2128 Welch St Suite B, Houston, TX 77019  For more information or to schedule your next massage call - Phone: (713) 429-9582 or Email: hello@purevichy.com.

Wellness Wake Up Call

Ever suffer from a really bad headache that does not go away for days.  Now imagine, your face swelling, eyes twitching, and much more symptoms for over a month.  Yeah, that was me.   It hit out of nowhere and nothing helped.  I went to urgent care and then followed up with my doctor.  My doctor then ordered a slew of tests and specialists visits to try and find what was wrong with me. 

Things are never what they seem.  Little did I know that I was functioning but not really functioning.  You know that saying, listen to the body.  Well, I should have paid a little more attention.  My body was trying to tell me that something was wrong.  I did not listen.  I have been living a couple of stressful months.  And the more I suppressed it, the more I strained my body.  And this was the result.  After seeing the ophthalmologists, allergist, neurologist, therapist, and dentist; we finally have an answer.  STRESS

To be honest, nobody knows what is going on in my head.  Behind my smile, my mind is working a million miles.  Women carry a lot on their shoulders.  We worry for our children.  We pray for our loved ones.  We are strong for our partners.  We are there for our parents.  We do it all at work and at home.   I fall in this description and then some. 

I give until there is no more to give.  Nothing left for me.  But who carries me, who will tag in when i'm too tired to give, and too worn out to try? 

I continue to fail at taking care of me because I leave me for last.  I do not learn my lesson of putting me first.  How selfish of me to even think to do that! 

The FOMO is real.  The fear of dropping the ball on all who need me and all who depend on me.  But I am not realizing that is will be missing out if I don't take care of myself.

How many wake up calls does it take us to realize that we are needed?  To be present for the moments in life that matter, not for those that won't matter. 

So take a half day, take a full day, heck the week... enjoy the weekend, make memories, and laugh a lot.  Laugh til it makes you cry.  Cry til it makes you smile.  Let it all out, whatever and however it needs to come out.  And love and be loved.

P.S.  My stress caused me to grind my teeth while I slept which caused TMJ.  My jaw bone was jammed into my check bone causing all of my symptoms.  While trying to find a cure, I meditated, I relaxed, and I unwinded.  Taking it a MOM-ent for me.

Finding Forty

Where are you?  Where have you been?  What have you done?  Are you still there?  Do you see me? 

I see you.  I see what you have done.  I see where you have been.  I...  See... YOU!

It is very easy to get lost.  Lost in your thoughts, in your ambitions, and in life.  Get ready because this is raw, this is me.  

What do you see when you see the above picture?  It is out of focus.  Not the best picture.  It is not Instagram quality.  

I now know what it means to have a midlife crisis.  I hit the big 4-0 this summer.  Life was happening and has been happening.  Nothing different, just another birthday.  Or is it just another birthday?  In last month's unexpected trip, I had plenty of time to reflect, resolve, and renew myself.  

Do you take the time to reflect?  I had stopped or maybe forgotten to.  I am slowly starting to get focus.  Things that were important to me before, are no longer important now.  And that is okay with me.  It did not use to be.  I thought something was wrong but it was not.  It is okay to like what you like and not like what others like.  You know about FOMO?  Fear of missing out.  I have been a victim of that.  I came in my thirties swinging.  Boy, I was riding on a freaking high of life.  Everything was going right for me.  I could not have planned this out, even if I tried.  I was excelling at being a single mom.  I found my prince charming.  One by one, things were happening.  And then, my bubble was burst time after time, after time.  Like I said, life was happening.  

To be honest I thought I could handle it.  I really tried.  The more I tried to be stronger, the harder it got.  I fell deeper and deeper but no one heard me fall.  I did not scream, I did not ask, I did not try...what I did do was continue as is it was all fine.  I suffered in secret.  I closed off myself from my friends and family.  To this day, some do not even know.  Why?  Because I am supposed to be the strong one.  Since I was little I saw my mom handle so much and never, ever show a weakness.  What I did not realize is that this would become a problem.  Depression comes and slap me in the face.  

Even as I write this post, I pause as too not put myself out there.  

What I know is that sharing my struggles with others has helped me.  It is still a struggle.  At one point, how others looked at me was so important.  Now, it is how I see myself that needs to change.  I need to allow myself to lose control, not have everything perfectly planned, and do things on the fly.  

I do not know what or how the Forties will look like for me.  I am returning to the basics and doing things that make me happy.  I am admitting the things I cannot do.  I am letting go of the things I cannot change.  I am inviting what's to come.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how lost you get.  I am reminding myself who I am.  Self, I see you.    

    

 At this point, I am finding forty.  Cheers to living my best!  Whatever that is, whatever that may be!