Spiral Findings

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Talk to Yourself

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Have you ever found yourself talking to yourself?  Why did you start doing this and what were you doing when you started it?

For me, this sometimes happens when I’m trying to walk through everything I need to pack up before I go on a trip…clothes, check, computer, check, shoes, check, passport, check, jacket, check.  I even have a pre-travel checklist to make sure I don’t forget my toothbrush again 🙂

I’ve found other reasons to consider talking to myself, or journaling with myself as Andrea Schroeder talks about on her most recent blog post about self doubt.  Sometimes when you write something down, or talk it out, it brings clarity to the discussion.

Have you ever had the experience of how the act of simply talking about something gave you clarity about the path forward?  What current project or problem are you working on that could use a little talking through or journaling out?

Procrastination Paralysis

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I’ve got a lot on my mind and my metaphorical plate right now, or at least it seems that way.  I’m sure I know that the process of just starting and working through the stuff on my plate one by one would be the best way to get ‘er done…

…but alas, sometimes I end up in the paralysis of procrastination.  I don’t know why this happens for me and although there are many great articles on this topic and why others experience it, I just haven’t found my way through yet.

This article I found recently was particularly inspiring and I wanted to share it with you – the author talks about her journey to believe that her self-worth is inherent and not tied to how many things she gets done.  In fact, it takes you away from what you actually value because you focus on being productive versus engaging with people or things in your life that make you happy.

Spaaaaaahhhhhhh: Soothe versus Zeel

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A week or so ago I got a notice that one of the services I was using to schedule massages was getting acquired.  MassageNow had been acquired by Zeel and instead of booking free spots at local spas akin to a HotelTonight for spa treatments.  However, with the acquisition, the model has changed and now Zeel is offering services more similar to Soothe than what MassageNow used to provide.  It’s an interesting change, and one that I’ll be interested to dig into as I try out the service and compare it to Soothe.

Here’s what I have learned so far:

  • Zeel costs a bit more than Soothe.  In San Francisco, a 60 minute Swedish massage starts at $110 with an added 18% tip, whereas Soothe costs $99 and tip is included for the same service.
    • (Update from 12/2018)
      • Prices have increased since this article was written: 129 + tip for Zeel and 119 + tip for Soothe for a 60 minute massage.
      • Soothe claims they never included tip as part of the service despite earlier messaging to the contrary.  They now support tipping in their mobile app.  Their site/app is a bit confusing about the tipping.  Zeel has always included an automatic 18% tip.
      • A membership service is available with both companies.  This reduces the per massage price by 20%.
  • Zeel operates from 8am to 10:30 versus Soothe’s hours of operation of 8am to 12am midnight, which might be nicer to get you relaxed and ready for a nice sleep.
  • With Soothe, you suggest a start time for the service, whereas with Zeel, you suggest a window of when you would like your spa service, i.e. start as early as 7pm and end by 9pm.  I imagine this gives Zeel more flexibility for scheduling appointments versus Soothe’s model.

If you’d like to try these services, feel free to use the following promo codes and you’ll get some $$ for your service!  I’ve tried Soothe and plan to try Zeel though I’m not sure I’ll be interested in sticking with them if their service is more expensive by at least $10 + tip each time.  $100 is just a more palatable option.

Zeel Promo Code: $20 off your visit

Soothe Promo Code: $20 off your visit

Note: I will also get a benefit if you use these codes.  I hope this gives you an incentive to try something new and please feel free to share your experience in the comments section.

Update:

I tried Zeel this evening and I wanted to give a little update on the experience I had with this service versus Soothe.

  • (+) It was one of the better massages I’ve had, maybe in the top 5 or so regarding quality of massage.  The massage therapist knew what she was doing, responded to my feedback, and really made sure I had a relaxing experience.
  • (-) She indicated that there is an option to request sheets if you don’t have any extra of your own, which I will definitely be doing if I use them again.  I don’t like the idea of paying more and then having to do laundry as well.  It adds to the overall cost of the massage which isn’t factored into the price.  Definitely a negative that can turn into a positive next go around.
  • (+) She brought lavender aromatherapy scent to help clear my sinuses and make the experience more enjoyable.  This was used when face up and my nose was congested.  It really helped and felt super relaxing.
  • (+) She asked if I wanted my eyes covered when face up.  It is a small thing, but definitely makes the experience more spa-y for me, and it was nice that this was an option.
  • (-) She used cream versus oil.  For some this might be better, but I prefer oil massages.
  • (-) She brought her own music, but it was playing on her phone or something which would ding when she got a message.  She noticed that and said she needed to figure out how to turn that off.  It was a bit distracting, but thankfully didn’t happen that much that it affected my experience.
  • (n/a) Apparently there is an option where they give you a table for free, in exchange for a regular service at a discounted rate.  This seems to be a monthly subscription program.  Not for me but might be appealing to people who have space for a table and are having regular treatments.

Anyway, I’m not super wild about the higher price, but I wouldn’t rule them out because the quality of my massage was really good.  If I can request the same massage therapist, and I can take advantage of promotions, I might consider doing this 2x yearly.  If they were cheaper, I’d be likely to use it more frequently.  I’m glad I tried something new – it was a good learning experience and a good experience in general 🙂

Spaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Smiles Transcend Language Barriers

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Recently, I had the good fortune to be able to travel abroad.  I rather enjoyed it as it had been quite some time since I had the opportunity to travel internationally.  On this trip, even though I spent most of my time working, I made the effort to shuffle around and explore the city I’m was in..even if it was just trying some local restaurants or sitting outside people-watching while drinking a nice cup of tea.  Hmmmmmm…that’s rather picturesque.  I wish I was doing that right now!  🙂

In any event, it is important to note that I didn’t know much of the language in the country that I was visiting.  Sure I had picked up a few words, but nothing really that could help me out as I was walking around the town.  What I noticed, however, was that a simple smile and laughter transcended most of the awkwardness or discomfort that I felt by not knowing the language.  In fact, I had even connected with people solely because we had smiled or laughed together, usually over something very minor and that often was experienced without a single word ever spoken.

It’s interesting to note how the simple act of smiling can make a huge difference in how we relate to others – either people we know and interact with on a regular basis or just random people we pass by in life.

Can you try looking someone in the eye and smiling at them?  Is this different than how you normally walk around and interact with others?  How does it change your experience?

Different Kinds of Fatigue

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Have you noticed that there are different kinds of fatigue?

Physical fatigue: the kind you feel after doing an intense workout at the gym or in the garden 🙂 and you fall into your bed at night with the feeling of pure physical exhaustion and in the hopes of a good, fulfilling night of rest.

Mental fatigue: the kind you feel after working your mind to it’s breaking point, thinking hard, cramming for a test, and at the end of the day you veg out because your brain is too tired to function anymore.

Emotional fatigue:  the kind you feel when you’ve been doing work to grow yourself personally.

Physical and mental fatigue are easy to recognize, but emotional fatigue is different somehow.  I’ve noticed it when I’ve worked in my journal and asked questions about what’s really important to me in my life, and what does living simply and intentionally really mean to me.

Can you share a story of when you felt fatigued? What kind of fatigue was it – physical, mental, or emotional…or maybe something else?