Self-Care Lessons from a Body Worker
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Casey Navis
I've spent the last decade as a massage therapist, dedicating my professional life to the self-care of others. Considering the average career in this field lasts only three to five years, making it to my 10th anniversary feels like a small victory against the odds and the grind. The irony? While my work centered entirely on helping my patients find balance, my personal self-care game was, for a long time, abysmal.
I learned the hard way. Through a messy divorce, buying an office condo, navigating a pandemic, and all the usual chaos of trying to pay the mortgage, I’m 10 years older and maybe just tired enough to be smart. I want to share a few hard-won observations on how to not just survive, but thrive—at least until you hit your first decade. After that, you're on your own.
1. Offload the Loathed: Outsource Your Stressors
Being a small business owner means you love the freedom but you're constantly stuck with a whole lot of paper work you never signed up for. The moment you can afford to offload the tasks you genuinely hate, do it.
For me, the killer is numbers. Tax time used to be unorganized, anxiety under a pile of receipts. I decided to pay someone else to deal with the numbers. I automated everything: payments hit the bank, the bank feeds the software, and I send the whole summary to a tax professional. This system takes me entirely out of the anxiety loop and frees me up to do the part of my job I love. Find your administrative nemesis and hire someone to handle it. It keeps you alive to do the work that actually matters.
2. The Power of "No": Guard Your Time Fiercely
Over the past few years, I’ve become incredibly proficient at turning patients away. This includes those who just aren't a good fit for my practice, but especially those who showed a distinct lack of respect for my time and boundaries.
Learning to say "No" is perhaps the most powerful act of self-preservation you can employ. You have to guard your hours, because each one counts, but some go by slower than others. By creating these boundaries, I reduced my daily stress dramatically and gave myself the opportunity to focus my energy completely on my existing, valued clients. Saying no to a few people is saying a huge "Yes!" to your own peace of mind.
3. Build Your Bench: The Critical Value of Community
This is arguably the most important lesson. A great massage is wonderful, but the truth is, all the deep tissue and essential oils in the world won't fix a broken brain. You need a crew.
I have a group of ladies I meet with every Wednesday night for Science Night, and this has been absolutely critical to my mental clarity. We all come from different backgrounds and have different jobs, which provides a well-rounded and objective discussion. The most crucial piece of self-care is simply having other people who know what you're talking about when you say, “It’s been one of those days." That shared human experience is the real medicine.
Casey Navis - Resolve Therapeutics
Connect With Casey
Comments