A How-To Guide For Goal Setting And Why You Need Goals As A Massage Therapist

Happy new year to you, Massage Therapists and Holistic Health Practitioners! With a new year usually comes setting new goals for your business and yourself, including your fitness, health, nutrition and personal goals.

I’m doing it and while this year it’s taken more focus than normal because things are up in the air with COVID-19, a new year wouldn’t be complete without talking about goal setting.

Goals, if you aren’t used to setting them will change your life! Write your goals down and watch them become reality. Take a look at how easy it is and how it will bring you a renewed focus for your business.

Setting your goals

Determine what you want to accomplish as the basis for setting your goals. What are those dreams or wishes you have always thought about? Find those things where you say to yourself, ‘If only I could…”

When you figure out what you want, you can...

It would be nice if we could do that one magic thing to ensure we don't get sick.  The immune system is, as it's name suggests, a whole system which makes it hard to definitively conclude that we can do things do improve it.  While we can't completely avoid coming down with a sickness, studies show living a healthy lifestyle goes a long way in keeping the balance and harmony of our immune system.  Let's look at some immune system boosting options for this holiday season.      

Exercise to boost immune system

Physical activity is always beneficial to the body.  It's part of remaining a healthy human being.  Our bodies are made to move and that alone is reason to use them.  When looking at exercise as an immune system booster, getting the positive effects from it may not require as much as you think.  Exercising with a moderate level of exertion 3 times a week can give your immune system the boost it needs to fight off infections...

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year.  With the fun and excitement comes more to do, more places to be and more asked of our time.  Since we only have so much time in the day it's important to prioritize to avoid becoming run-down or getting sick.  Here are ways to prioritize through the holidays to feel healthy and happy.

Identify core values

Identifying what matters to you the most is a helpful start in identifying your core values.  These may be beliefs or values which guide the way you live your life.  What's most important to you?  Family, work, exercise, religion, health?

Which qualities do you admire?  Honesty, reliability, loyalty, integrity, candor, intelligence?  

When do you feel like yourself?  Make a list of your values.  Narrow them down to 3-5 values which are the most important for you.  These will be the values you prioritize your life by.  As you continue through the holidays, revisit your...

Before the pandemic, cold and flu season was a time many massage therapists took extra precautions around the office to stay healthy.  Today it's imperative massage therapists put strict sanitizing practices in place to keep clients and themselves healthy and safe.  Let's cover some ways to make your massage room the healthiest environment possible during COVID-19 and cold and flu season.  

Before the session

Take a look at your waiting area and massage room with new eyes.  Every piece of furniture, décor, and tools should have a purpose and be able to be sanitized frequently.  Remove any piece that collects dust or is hard to clean.  This may mean removing decorations which make the room feel more inviting but now is the time to get rid of them and only have bare essentials. 

Put signs reminding people to sanitize their hands around the massage room and waiting area.  Place hand sanitizer nearby. 

Due to COVID-19 some new...

Times of Change

Needless to say COVID-19 has changed the way we live.  Mask wearing in California among other states is common place.  So much so that a local boutique is advertising summer dresses with matching face masks and my laundry area has masks hanging to dry.  As if these visual reminders aren't enough, social distancing means we can't interact with friends and family like we used to.  Eating has been moved to outdoors and family members who fall in the high risk category refrain from physical contact like hugging.  Parents with newborns are being more careful which means family can't always visit and meet the new addition.  Handshakes and other physical contact is not a risk some chose to take.  All of this can lead to feelings of melancholy or downright depression.  Self care is always an important topic for massage therapists but during this time it's imperative to do what you need to stay mentally fit.     ...

During the COVID-19 pandemic many states have labeled massage therapists non-essential workers.  While I can see how our working at close proximity for extended periods of time could add to the spread of Coronavirus, I've never thought of myself as non-essential.  Ask any regular receiver of massage and they'll have a good reason why they believe it's an essential part of their health and wellness.  The stigma that massage is a luxury has fallen by the wayside over recent years.  Let's look at 20 of the top reasons massage therapy is an essential part of life.   

1. Human touch can’t be replicated

No number of self-massagers, massage chairs or electric massage tools will replace the effects of skin to skin contact.  

2. Manually manipulated muscle tissue is healthier than stagnant tissue.

As little as a few minutes of massage can positively effect the state of muscle tissue.  

3. Lymphatic system can be manually...

These past few months (since mid- March) have been nothing short of weird, crazy, scary, and ultimately life changing.  Who ever imagined a world wide sweep of a virus would lead to stay at home orders.  WHAT?!  Stay home?  Overnight I became a home-school mom with an income that came to a screeching halt.  I do realize others have more serious health related risks associated with a new, incurable virus on the loose and I was merely inconvenienced with the home school part but however this pandemic has touched your life, it's a big deal for you.  It's a big deal for all of us.  Is there a silver lining?  I'm a cup half full person so here's one area where COVID-19 may be a blessing in disguise.   

While there are many massage therapists without income which leads to stress and a host of other problems, I couldn't help but notice the frequency of posts on social media commenting how their body needed a break and this "forced" break...