# The Messy Middle: The Origins of Self Care (And, It's Not What You Might Think)

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-happily-never-after-7344496/the-messy-middle-the-origins-of-self-care-and-it-s-not-what-you-might-think.md
Podcast: [The Happily Never After](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-happily-never-after-7344496)
Published: 2026-01-17T02:32:11+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-messy-middle-the-origins-of-self-care-and-it-s-not-what-you-might-think--69477572
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69477572/riverside_heather_jan_16_2026_001_heather_mcginley_s.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1152

## Resource

The Messy Middle features casually unhinged bonus episodes while The Happily Never After is between seasons. Short and sweet, they get right to the point. Today we're talking about the origins of self care, and why it's rooted in social justice.

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## Transcript

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