2025 Issue #41

What My Washing Machine Taught Me About Self-Care

From: Nikki Leary I nikki@rootfornew.com

Hi Reader,

“Calm down!” my husband yelled to me.
(Which—if you’ve ever been in that situation—you know yelling ‘calm down’ usually has the opposite effect!)

You see, I was upset. Okay, fine… I was yelling. But in my defense, our washing machine was dumping water all over the floor.

The funny thing is, I saw the warning signs weeks before. I told my husband the machine seemed "off".

A few days later, I noticed a little puddle near the washer. Was it from the machine, or did the kids spill something? I brushed it off and kept moving.

I did what most of us do when we kind of know something’s wrong…I ignored it, because it didn’t seem that bad.

Until, of course, the day the washer completely overflowed and flooded the floor.

And as I stood there, mop in hand, it hit me—this is exactly how we treat our bodies.

We notice the small signs—
💧 “I’m more tired lately.”
💧 “My skin’s breaking out again.”
💧 “I’ve been feeling off, but I can’t explain it.”

And instead of listening, we push through. We tell ourselves it’s just stress, or hormones, or being busy—until our body finally forces us to pay attention.

The truth is, your body always whispers before it screams. And real self-care isn’t bubble baths or face masks—it’s tuning in before something breaks down.

Here are a few simple ways to start listening again:

🌿 Pause daily: Take five quiet minutes each day to check in. What feels tense, tired, or heavy? (And if you said, everything hurts all the time, it might be time to consider a mineral test.)

🌿 Move intentionally: Stretch. Walk. Dance. Not because you want to lose weight—but because your body was designed to move, and movement helps it thrive.

🌿 Try Reiki: I’ll be honest—my Reiki sessions are a little different. They’re completely virtual, which means we’ll meet for 15 minutes on Zoom or over the phone. Then, I tune into your body and send a follow-up email with what I discovered—like organs that need support, tissues holding inflammation, or emotions ready to be released. Not sure what I’m talking about? Try it for yourself—use code REIKI50 for 50% off your first session. Click here to schedule your session.

So before your “washing machine” floods the floor, take a moment this week to tune in and ask yourself: What has my body been whispering to me lately?

xo,

​

If you missed a newsletter and want to catch up, click here to see my health blog and read old issues!

​Unsubscribe · Preferences

​