Let the Women Take Care of You

Between breakup number six and breakup number seven (which were breakups from the same man), I poured everything I had into a relationship that was ultimately destined to fail. I had my reasons—and no regrets—but I look back on that time as one of the most challenging chapters of my life.

My best friend, confidante, and co‐therapist Lisa invited me to stay with her in Atlanta, and it proved to be just the balm my weary soul needed. We indulged in delicious food, spent time with her polyamorous family (whom I’ve come to love as my own), and treated ourselves to a day at a Korean spa.

If you’ve ever been to a Korean spa, you know it’s nothing like a traditional spa or what some call an “Asian massage.” There’s a women’s wet area on one side, a men’s wet area on the other, and a shared common space that includes a restaurant serving authentic Korean dishes.

In the women’s wet area, I was about to receive a body‐shampoo treatment—where a provider exfoliates your skin with an Italian towel—when, as I laid down on the table, Spirit spoke to me, crystal clear: “Let the women take care of you.”

It was not a surprise to me to hear those words.  I was already aware of the data, which confirms there is a significant impact on women who spend time with other women.  The data reveals, among other things:

The Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that women with strong social networks had a 60% lower chance of premature death compared to those who were socially isolated. Research from UCLA also indicates that women with strong female support during stressful times may live longer.  

Isn’t that powerful!?!  “May Live Longer.”  

Sometimes biohacking seems complicated.  Sometimes it just seems obvious, but validating that spending time with other women improves the quality of our lives was a significant discovery for me.