Wellness by LV

I’ve been thinking a lot about “performing” lately.

Not performing in the obvious sense.

I mean the little performance we all do when life is difficult.

You still go to work.
You still answer messages.
You still smile.
You still laugh.
You ask other people how they are.
You show excitement for their good news.
You carry on.

And sometimes, you genuinely want to.

But sometimes… you’re exhausted from pretending you’re okay.

This past week has made me really aware of how much I’ve changed over the last four years.
I’ve spent a lot of time working on myself, particularly understanding my nervous system, my emotional responses and my patterns.

And grief has made me notice something.
I’m much more aware now of what’s actually happening inside me.

I know when I want distraction.
I know when I want to keep busy.
I know when I need movement — and for me, the gym has often been somewhere I can release what I’m carrying.

But I also know that distraction isn’t the same as processing.

At some point, I have to stop.
I have to feel it.
And that’s uncomfortable.

Because there’s a part of me that thinks:
Come on Laura. Get yourself together. Smile. Be normal. Make an effort. Don’t bring the mood down.

But why?

Why do we feel the need to make our difficult emotions more comfortable for everyone else?

The world doesn’t revolve around my grief.

And I know that.

There are people around me navigating death, illness, diagnoses, surgeries, heartbreak and their own incredibly difficult circumstances.

Everyone is carrying something.

So yes, I will still show up.

I will still be present for my clients.
I will still celebrate their happy moments.
I will still laugh when something is funny.
I will still be me.

But I’m learning that I don’t have to manufacture me when I’m struggling.

I don’t have to be extra chatty to prove I’m okay.
I don’t have to smile constantly.
I don’t have to hide every emotion because someone might feel uncomfortable seeing it.

And maybe this emotional growth.

If I could go back and hug the woman in this photograph... I would.

Because this was the photo that convinced me I needed Botox at 40.

When I looked at it, all I could see were lines. Ageing. Everything I thought was "wrong" with my face.
My husband looked at the exact same photograph and simply said, "I think it's beautiful."

Funny how we can look in the same mirror, at the same face, yet see something completely different.

In all honesty, I did try Botox. But it never gave me what I was searching for. My lines were already deep, I have strong facial muscles (my face has always worn every emotion! 😂), and I metabolised it so quickly that the results were short-lived.

I was never going to have a completely smooth forehead... and eventually I realised that wasn't really what I needed.

What I really needed was to stop seeing myself through the eyes of criticism.

So I made a different choice.

Instead of chasing smoothness, I chose to invest in the health of my skin. To nourish it. To protect it. To care for it.

But most importantly... I chose to make peace with the woman looking back at me.

Now when I see this photograph, I don't see wrinkles.

I see glowing skin.
I see laughter.
I see warmth.
I see a smile that radiates happiness.

The lines didn't change...

The way I looked at myself did. ✨️

Choosing love over criticism. Peace over perfection. Acceptance over comparison.

That has been the greatest treatment I have ever given myself.

Because true beauty isn't found in the absence of lines...

It's found in the presence of joy. 💕✨️

"Can you do it the way my last therapist did?"

It's a question I was asked recently by a new post-operative client.

Before we had even started, she explained exactly how she wanted the treatment carried out, describing every step she had received elsewhere.

My answer?

"I completely understand why you're asking... but I'll be performing the treatment using the technique I'm trained, qualified, and experienced in."

And if that wasn't what she was looking for, I genuinely wished her well in finding a therapist whose approach suited her.

That wasn't me being difficult.
That was me protecting my integrity... and more importantly, protecting my client.

The technique she described is something I would never perform on a post-operative body. She also mentioned baby oil being used throughout the treatment, which isn't something I choose to use in my post-op work.

Here's something worth remembering...

Post-operative lymphatic drainage isn't a routine massage. It's a specialised treatment that requires knowledge of anatomy, healing timelines, tissue response, and knowing when not to do something.

Every therapist has their own style, but your treatment should never be based on copying someone else's technique.

It should be based on clinical reasoning, experience, and what your body needs that day.

So if you're looking for a post-op therapist...
Don't just ask, "Can you do what my last therapist did?"

Ask...
✨ Why do you work this way?
✨ What training do you have?
✨ What makes your approach different?

The answers will tell you far more than the treatment itself.
And to my fellow professionals...

Never undervalue your knowledge to meet someone else's expectations.

Your greatest skill isn't copying another therapist.

It's having the confidence to stand behind your own education, experience, and professional judgement.
That's where real care begins.

💕Laura
Wellness by LV

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✨ I’ve made peace with getting older. ✨

I’ve learned that ageing isn’t something to fight.
Lines on my face?

They’re allowed.

Change? It’s natural.

We live in a world that tells us to stay young,
stay slim,
stay smooth,
stay unchanged.

The beauty standard puts so much pressure on us,
but real beauty was never about freezing time.

I truly believe there’s nothing wrong with doing things that make you feel good.

Skincare, treatments, self-care. I love them.
But it should never be about trying to look like someone else.

For me, the goal is simple:
✨ to look in the mirror and recognise myself. ✨
I’m not perfect.

Yes, there are things I’d change.
But I don’t want to erase my expressions, my age, or my story.

Age well.
Care for your skin.
Feel confident.

Just don’t lose you in the process 💕

Wellness by LV x