Happy Women’s History month!

A couple weeks ago I went to a Korean spa with some friends. Have you been to a Korean spa? You start by soaking in a hot tub; then you’re taken to a waterproof table (think massage table minus the privacy sheet) where every inch of your body is vigorously scrubbed by a woman wearing a bathing suit and exfoliation mitts. 

All the tables are in the same room as the hot tubs; you’re just behind a wall, with no doors. Usually there are several tables lined up, and you can hear the person next to you being splashed with water as they get their scrub too.

Did I mention you’re completely naked? Not just for the scrub, but while in the hot tub and walking around the sauna/steam room/hot tub/shower area. Totally. Utterly. Naked.

On one hand it’s nerve-wracking to be on display, but in my experience it ends up being freeing and not-that-big-a-deal very quickly because 1) no one is really looking at you, and 2) in the small glimpses you get, you’ll quickly see that not everybody looks like an airbrushed supermodel. In fact, my stretch-mark-covered belly, saggy boobs, and cellulite were in good company.

Body shame is something I’m very familiar with. There’s part of me that wishes I were brave like @thebirdspapaya or @meganjaynecrabbe on Instagram, but for now I’ll take baby steps at the Korean spa.

What’s the moral to this story?

I don’t know.

Maybe it’s to try something new and scary.

Maybe it’s that even when you’re walking around naked, no one really cares, so don’t be afraid to do the thing you’re afraid of.

Maybe you’re comfortable with your body, but you’ve been scared of doing something else…like quitting your job, leaving the relationship, putting yourself out there. Is there a baby step you could take?

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P.S. Want to take a smaller baby step than getting scrubbed in semi-public? Here is a mental health and happiness resources for March: March 2024 Happiness Calendar

P.P.S. Join the waitlist for the empowering #IAmRemarkable workshop for another rewarding resource!