For a long time, self-care felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford—time-wise, financially, or emotionally. As a single mom and full-time caregiver to two autistic adults, my world has always revolved around making sure everyone else was okay. If I had anything left over, maybe I’d squeeze in a little time for myself. But most of the time, I didn’t.
Recently, though, I realized something had to change. My body was telling me—loudly—that I couldn’t keep ignoring it. My shoulder pain had gotten so bad that I finally booked a massage. That one appointment turned into me signing up for a membership at Elements Massage—because I deserve more than a quick fix. I deserve consistent care.
Ironically, while reading through their website, I came across an article that had been posted just the day before I made my first appointment. It immediately stood out to me: Love Yourself First: Make Massage Part of Self-Care. It put into words something I’ve always believed and often talked about, but struggled to fully live out:
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Taking care of others starts with taking care of myself. This membership is more than massages—it’s a promise to myself that I am worth the time, the money, and the effort. It’s not always easy to believe that as a caregiver, especially as a Black woman. But I’m choosing to believe it anyway.
If you’ve been putting yourself last, I hope this reminds you that loving yourself first isn’t selfish—it’s survival.