04/01/2026
I have a pillow problem.
In reality, I have a pain problem, but pillows can be part of the solution, or a big part of why I feel worse.
This pillow party started a few years ago when I just got tired of the terrible neck pain upon waking. So I dove deep into the internet and started pillow shopping. Different shapes, sizes, textures, and densities. Some were a no-go right away. Some worked for a while, until they didn’t. Some I bounced back and forth between. Too big. Too small. Too hard. Too soft.
Just call me Goldilocks.
Trial and error is a common theme in self-care. Sometimes you know right away if something will be helpful or harmful. But most of the time you need to give it time, space, and consideration.
I’ve found that this is the case for massage as well.
My massage work is slow, steady and meticulous. Change and relief comes gradually. One session does not equate to a quick fix. Much like one night with a new pillow does not relieve all your neck pain. There is a process and some patience involved.
There is A LOT of wellness information out there. And not all of it is accurate. And none of it is a magic cure for the problem you have, even though many marketers try to convince you otherwise. There is no single solution for every person’s problem.
BUT…
We are the experts of our own condition. Meaning, we know how we feel in any given moment, and we have a general idea as to what helps and what doesn’t. And we develop that understanding of ourselves through trial and error.
So can there be a solution out there for our individual self-care concerns? Perhaps. But it’s not going to be a pillow. Or a single massage. It’s going to be a variety of factors, products, treatments, practitioners, lifestyle habits, etc, that we curate for ourselves over time.
I’ve had meds over the past several years that actually work for me. A schedule and lifestyle that keeps many of my symptoms at bay. I even found my own local massage therapist that I’ve been seeing regularly. And I *may* have found a pillow that reduces some of my morning neck pain. But I’m always searching and changing.
We all should be Goldilocks.
(DM me for my favorite pillow picks!)