Embarking on a journey of self-improvement often involves integrating valuable lessons learned in various aspects of life. And, I’ve learned a lot of lessons in my life!
Some don’t really transfer to massage, but many of them do indeed transfer to the world of massage, getting a massage, and letting massage become a part of your life.
Good Results Take Time
Just as in endeavors like building muscle mass or losing weight, achieving the best results in massage therapy requires patience. This is true no matter what your goals are with massage.
It might have taken years of repetitive motion for your neck and shoulders to get tense and painful enough to follow your friend’s advice and book a massage. So it makes sense that it will take time to achieve the optimum result – which would be a pain-free neck. It might take 3 once a week sessions to get the results you desire, or it may take 4 sessions that are 2 weeks apart. I’ve had to learn to embrace the gradual process of improvement.
Love Yourself
Oftentimes people see massage as a special occasion type of experience. I’ve had clients who feel guilty taking time off, getting a sitter, or giving themselves permission to get a massage. And, to be honest, I am guilty of this as well. You may not be seeking massage because you have low back or neck pain.
Maybe you just want an hour or two to yourself to relax and relieve stress. It’s okay to give yourself permission to love yourself enough to make that massage appointment.
Massage is a great tool to help relieve stress. Want to read more about giving yourself permission? Read this blog post I wrote here: Your Massage Permission Slip
Creating an Effective System to Achieve Your Goal
Okay. This sounds tricky, but it really isn’t. I’m going to use myself as an example so you can see what I am talking about. Currently, I’m constantly battling wrist pain as well as neck pain. So, what do I need to do in order to combat this so that I don’t wind up at an orthopedic surgeon’s office? Or, in a 15-week physical therapy program. What things can I do NOW to prevent this?
- Improve my body mechanics while giving massage (easier said than done, but I’m working on this daily)
- Get a weekly massage for a month, and then ease into a once a month maintenance schedule
- Strength training
- Get back into restorative yoga.
This is the plan I’ve come up with to help my own neck pain as well as some nagging wrist pain. And, I’m going to keep track of it and then let you know the results after a month or so.
My goal is to do all of this for a month no matter what because if I let something slide then my pain may not ease and it will take me much longer to restore my neck and wrists to a healthier state of being.
And there ya go! Those are three life lessons that not only can I apply to your life, but to the world of massage.
Ready to make massage be a part of your life? You can book your appointment here: Book Here
