Have you ever been on a plane and heard the flight attendant advise “In case of a sudden drop in cabin pressure, put your mask on first?” That advice goes beyond smart travel guidance. It is also how we need to think about self-care.

We play many roles for those in our lives. Daughter. Wife. Mother. Girlfriend. Sister. Yet it is easy to forget that your most important job is to ensure your own health and well-being first.
For far too long, women, especially Black women, have put their needs behind others. We’ve bought into the myth that putting ourselves last is admirable and that thinking about our well-being is selfish. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a physician, Doctor Kellee Randle has frequently witnessed women sacrificing their own health and well-being to care for others. The result of that toxic mindset is poor self-care. Self-neglect can be dangerous – missed diagnoses, emotional distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and so many other conditions that not only mean an unhappy life but all too often, an unhealthy one.
 
In this book, Your Mask First, Finding Peace, Light, and Encouragement Through Self-care, she speaks to her readers with her years of experience as a physician, but with the kindness and genuine care of a friend by your side, talking to you, reminding you, and guiding you how to prioritize your self-care. Doctor Kellee has long advocated for her patients, but beyond that, the many individuals within the Doctor Kellee community ascribe to her compassionate, gentle, and essential words of wisdom that she compiled into this book.
 
The book offers a journal-style experience with the ability for you to reflect and explore your
thoughts and tackle your roadblocks. The thought prompts are great ways to give deeper thought to Doctor Kellee’s message with the important and even life-saving concepts she shares. You’ll enjoy the concept of self-exploration as you journal your answers to Doctor Kellee’s thought-provoking questions after each blog.
 
This book will help you:
 
Learn why self-care isn’t just beneficial to help women feel better but is crucial for living a healthier and longer life!
Understand how our emotions, mental health, and stress affect our ability to be our best selves.
Understand how to harness mindfulness and gratitude to manage stress and find peace.
Address your health and nutrition with a simple commitment to preventative care that can add years to your life.
Give yourself the self-esteem boost you need with wisdom that invites you to use courage and compassion to embrace the ability to love yourself.
Learn how to become your best advocate.
Listen to your heart and grow your self-respect so that you can find your voice and exercise your confidence in making the best decisions for yourself.
Understand how putting yourself first isn’t selfish, but instead is the kindest thing you can do for yourself and the ones you love.
 
As a wife, daughter, mother, aunt, niece, girlfriend, sister or whatever your role in someone’s life is, this book will stick with you and influence all the people in your life. Doctor Kellee’s words may be published in this book, but you will find yourself so moved that you will be repeating her advice and educating those around you about their mental health, nutrition, and so many other topics that are vital to thriving in a demanding world.

In Your Mask First: Finding Peace, Light, and Encouragement Through Self-Care, you’ll be reminded of all the ways to do just that…reach for your own oxygen first so that you can be of most service to those you care about and love. After reading this book, you’ll understand why so many have joined the Doctor Kellee Facebook community and the group, Self-Care Saturday Crew. Check it out!