What does it take for you to honor yourself? Lately, I’ve been surrounded by reminders of how important self-care is. Life’s near misses keep me grateful, humble, and mindful.

Among the prompts was experiencing the tragedy at the Boston Marathon. When I shared my excitement about the upcoming race in our March/April issue, of course, I had no idea how that afternoon would end. There have been other reminders, too, of how precious life is, including health scares and layers of change. Life has a way of teaching us lessons. If we’re fortunate, we’re able to embrace these opportunities to listen, learn, and take the action(s) necessary to honor ourselves.

In the past year, I’ve rediscovered my center, with assists from scuba diving trips and quiet time with my horse, Cooper. Thanks to everything from mindful eating to increased movement and bodywork, I’m feeling stronger than ever on so many levels. 

I recognize that this self-care path is a vital journey for me, so I’m particularly proud of our self-care issue. It’s a harmonic convergence of wisdom to empower you—to help you truly serve as a role model for your clients by mirroring a wellness lifestyle. I trust much of the information here will be familiar to you, but framed in approachable, fresh, practical ways to help you implement and sustain your health and your practice.

How do you embrace self-care? What steps up your game? Who in this community supports you? I invite you to share your self-care story and learn from others on ABMP’s social networking site, Massageprofessionals.com.

Like my family, friends, Cooper, and diving are for me, whatever it takes for you to honor yourself and thrive, make that happen—you deserve it.

Leslie A. Young, Editor-in-Chief

leslie@abmp.com

To read this article in our digital issue, click here.