The end of the year can be busy and stressful. As your calendar fills up with tasks to create the magic of the holiday season it can be a little overwhelming. You might stray from your regular routine or might physically respond to the stress by tensing your muscles.
In a perfect world you would be able to manage your seemingly never-ending to-do list and still make time for all your self-care tasks. While navigating the icy and snowy roads you wouldn’t tense your shoulders or jaw, you’d remember to stretch in between wrapping presents or baking cookies. You’d keep up with your fitness routine and say no to that one holiday party that you feel obligated to attend and know it is going to be draining, you’d get enough sleep, and remember to eat.
But unfortunately the world isn’t perfect, it’s impossible for you to be perfect, and that’s okay. Massage can help ease the tension in your muscles, help you sleep at night, and give you a chance to have a moment to yourself to take a break but if your schedule is already precariously full, massage can also be one more thing added to your to-do list.
I would love to see you for your regular massage this month, use up the last of the benefits you worked hard for and paid for, but if you don’t have the time and it’s a little longer between massage appointments than usual, you aren’t going to undo all the progress we’ve made this year.
Pain has a way of convincing you that you’re lazy, that you’re not doing enough, or you’ve done something wrong. If you were doing your stretches, or didn’t move that way you wouldn’t be in pain now. Not only is that unhelpful but also not true. Because pain is just a response to stimulus to protect you, you can do everything “right” and still be in pain, you can do none of the “right” things and be pain free. What you’ve done before the pain began can provide context to why you’re feeling what you’re feeling, it can give me a direction and focus for your massage appointment, and what stretches to give you to incorporate into your day; it is not a cause for blame, shame or judgement.
So here is a gentle reminder to enjoy this holiday season, manage your stress levels as best you can, squeeze in a massage and use up your benefits if you’re able and if I don’t see you before the end of the year I will be just as happy to see you in the New Year.
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