I entered the nail salon and spa with a 3- day-old headache that had taken root behind my left eye.  I really didn’t want to be there but the weekend was waning and my nails needed a refresher before the new workweek began.

As I settled into the chair I determined that I would make the most of the next hour and would try to feel better.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get the most gentle or attentive of pedicurist and nail technician. They both seemed distracted and were  just going through the motions. They were doing their jobs, but weren’t particularly cognizant of the fact they had an actual person attached to the feet and hands they were caring for.

And yet, that did not deter me.  I concentrated on on my senses. I closed my eyes and listened to the peaceful piano pieces that played in the background. I heard the soft murmur of the Vietnamese conversations filling the air. Any English being spoken was drowned out in the buzz of the voices. It was lulling me into a calmness.

The air was cool on my skin.  The smell of lavender permeated the salon. As the pedicurist rubbed my calves with the sugar scrub, lotion, and oil, she began to release the knots in my legs. I imagined that the knots in my neck and shoulders were also loosening. I concentrated on relaxing my face muscles. I hadn’t realized how tight and tense my face was.

By the time the woman doing the pedicure wrapped the hot, steamy towels around my legs I was feeling pretty tranquil. After my pedicure and nail fill were completed, I set the chair massager to knead my neck and shoulders to just below the shoulder blades. I could feel sore spots being worked out. I continued to close my eyes, soaking in the music, and the soft murmurings of the voices.  After another ten minutes or so, I reluctantly ended my session at the spa.

By the time I got home, my headache was gone.  Awwwww.   Sweet deliverance!

There is great value in paying attention to what your body is telling you. Concentrate on your senses and you can find some comfort from stress and pain. Pamper yourself. It is a great respite from the stress that life brings!!

What do you do to de-stress?

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