When was the last time you got a massage?

When was the last time you got a massage?

I used to get a massage once in a blue moon - on vacation, when invited by a friend, when I received a gift card.

It always felt like a "fancy luxury" experience, and certainly not a regular part of my life. Don't get me wrong - I definitely enjoyed the experience and found it relaxing and restorative. But it was always a rare occasion.

Fast forward to a few years ago when I decided to try an experiment in self care - I committed to get a massage once a month for a year.

It didn't hurt that I'd had a few massages with the fabulous Liz Tortolani at cityWell brooklyn - so I knew exactly where I wanted to go every month.

Turns out, a regular massage gave me so much more than relaxed muscles. 🤩

First of all, I literally cannot do anything but lie there while Liz works her magic. Enforced rest... and stillness... and quiet.

And then, the massage somehow loosens up more than my muscles - it's as if my energy starts flowing in a different way, and I'm more open to ideas and possibilities.

My brain gets to wander, and rest... and the most interesting associations and ideas start to percolate.

Maybe that all sounds a little too woo-woo for some of you 😜 but I can't deny the benefits for my body, and my brain, and my overall well-being.

It's like that magic "brain resting" time in the shower, times 10. 😁

So I'm sticking with my monthly massage routine and doing my best to truly release into the magic of that time. We'll see what comes out of it...

What activity helps you pause or rest your body so your mind can wander?

P.S. If you live in or near Brooklyn, NY and you haven't yet visited cityWell brooklyn for a massage or hydrotherapy, get on it!

Photo: Me lying on the floor and getting a different kind of massage from my friend's yorkie. ❤️