The Crazy Beginning to Something Good
Starting your own business is no joke. Between the paperwork, licensing, multitude of IDs and acronyms, I’m surprised that anyone does it anymore (and believe me, I fully see the irony in that statement as I sit here typing my first blog post for my own currently small business). However, despite the craziness, it is, sometimes, worth it.
El Roi Wellness started with the tragic loss of mine and my husband’s eldest, Judah Tyler Frees, when he was just four days old. I won’t go into all the details, but it was not only crushing for my family and I. It was earth-shattering, reality-breaking and completely changed the whole trajectory of our lives. During the craziest parts of the beginning of my healing process, I found that I needed something to continue on for, and I knew that honoring my son and his short but extremely meaningful life would be at least a part of that something. Having had a chance (divine? serendipitous?) encounter in the NICU with a nurse (or angel, who’s to say), that was apparently also trained in infant massage, I very clearly and intimately understood the power of touch. Sadly, my journey through the traditional healthcare system afterwards was a little devoid of it. But regardless, the impact that this encounter had on me led me to massage therapy as the vehicle in which I could honor Judah.
So here I am, moving forward through the paperwork, the licensing and the multitude of IDs and acronyms, all the while trying to remind myself to keep grounded, take care of myself and not allow things to spin out of control. And tonight I got a massage. Because what is the good of me “preaching and teaching” wellness if I’m not incorporating it into my own life, right? So, here’s your sign, dear friends and clients of El Roi Wellness: wherever you’re at in life right now, be it high tide or low, make sure you’re taking care of yourself. It doesn’t have to be through us, if we’re not your fit (although I’d be lying to not admit that this would be a fantastic opportunity for a shameless plug). But make time and space for you. Go get that massage you’ve been thinking about (it’s truly more than just a “nice when there’s time” sort of thing). Go schedule that mental health therapy appointment that you don’t think you need but you actually do. Sign up for that fitness class, dance class, art class, whatever-is-going-to-fill-your-cup class. We’re truly all on a healing journey of some kind, and you.need.(fill-in-the-blank).
As for us (namely me) here at El Roi Wellness, I think all this small business crazy-making (one of the favorite words of one of my favorite mentors) is the crazy beginning to something good.
Lovingly,
Abri