Adding Masturbation To My Self-Care Routine Transformed The Way I Feel Pleasure
When I close my eyes and tickle my lady parts, I try to envision my last sexual encounter:
As his hands are on my waist, and he thrusts into me with vigor, and then.. Oh, wait, he came right after that. Well, then I try and think of that one guy who did that thing with his tongue and… Whoops, it actually kind of hurt when he did that. Well, there was that dude from five years ago who gave me an orgasm like I've never had before, but he turned out to be a jerk, so...
And just like that, I no longer feel like masturbating and end up turning on some spicy and unrealistic porn to get the job done. My orgasm was achieved only through my viewing of raunchy paid sex between people that I have never and will never meet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking my Pornhub lovers, but damn. When did masturabation get so impersonal?
Was it the fact that our smartphones can easily go incognito and uncover our kinkiest desires in private via the World Wide Web at the click of a button? Or was it the patriarchal ideology that a woman has to rush to orgasm? Somewhere along the line, self-pleasure went very, very wrong and it's time for a change.
My orgasms usually last a total of about three seconds and afterward, I'm left thinking about the man that I envisioned between my legs and the shell of a woman he left between the sheets. It wasn't until recently, when I started implementing masturbation into my self-care routine, that I reclaimed power of my orgasms and found that I am the master of my clitoris.
I began to use the intimate time I have alone as a healing process, where I give myself the right to demand optimum pleasure at no expense of time.
I take these moments to discover and understand the movements and gestures that make me crawl and moan, and own the fact that all of that pleasure came from myself. Not Kyle, who had so much potential but always came up short and rushed me to my finish line. Or Fred, who was one hell of a lover but a f-ckboy at heart.
The intense pleasure and euphoria that I experience is no longer predicated on men who had the opportunity to love me and failed, but by my ability to listen to my body and give her what she's asking for.
By definition, self-care refers to the actions or attitudes that contribute to the maintenance and development of your spiritual and mental health. Orgasms have reportedly improved health conditions like migraines, menstrual cramps, and even cardiovascular disease.
Masturbation can be especially beneficial for women in relationships. Even if you have a healthy sex life, it's been proven that multiple orgasms can improve your satisfaction, tone your pelvic wall, and improve your sex life. It's important that YOU know to please you before you expect anyone else to.
It seems that we have a cure to our stress, anxiety, and frustration at the tip of our fingertips, and what better way to show our gratitude than to use them with vigor?
What better way to practice self-care than to take care of myself?
Maybe I didn't have a real connection with Fred or Kyle. But I know for damn sure that I have a real connection with me. And that connection is one that is valuable and should be nurtured.
Though it's easier and sometimes more time efficient to envision a lover when you give yourself pleasure, keep in mind that it is you who has the key to your every whim and desire. Tonight, or even during the day if you're feeling frisky, I challenge you to explore yourself. Take the time to assess, acknowledge, and address your own needs.
Develop a connection with yourself, and you'll never regret it.
Featured image by Shutterstock
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage