Treat Yourself (For the Sake of Others)

It may seem counterintuitive, but sometimes the best way to take care of other people is to first take care of ourselves.  Doing our best to meet our own needs is actually the most efficient way to go about it. Think about it, you know just what you need, just when you need it, without even needing to ask yourself.  It’s almost like you can read your own mind!

And when we are walking around as a person who has all or most of their needs met, we are then that much more available to help others who may be having trouble getting their needs met.  Maybe we can help them to better understand their own needs, or help them with something that they are just not capable of doing on their own. We are likely to have more patience towards others, more energy to help, and more time to do so.

A great way to help meet our own needs and to put ourselves in a great mood is to schedule ourselves a massage session at Mantis.  By doing so, you are giving yourself some me time, improving blood circulation, improving your quality of sleep, relieving tension, improving posture, reducing stress, and boosting your mood.  

This boost in mood will stay with you long after the end of the massage session, and here’s the secret: It looks good on you.  Other people will enjoy being around you, even more than they did before. Your good mood is contagious, rubbing off on all the people that you come in contact with for the rest of your day, your week, maybe even your month!

So go get yourself a massage!  If for no other reason, than do it for the sake of others.  

Summer is the Best Time to get a Massage

Summer is the best time to get a massage for several reasons.

ONE:

Your muscles are already warmed up!  It’s true, the weather does actually have a physical effect on the body.  This is also why I hate being cold. When you’re body feels cold (not actual cold, like hypothermia, just uncomfortable the air is colder than my body cold) your body automatically tenses up as a way of conserving heat.  Your veins actually contract slightly, (called vasoconstriction) so that your body disperses less heat. SO, if your body is already warm and mobile (from vasodilation), then your muscles will already be in an enhanced state of relaxation.  That means that your massage session will be that much more productive. (This is also the reason that we use table warmers and hot towels!!)

TWO:

Summer is often synonymous with travel.  Think cross-country road trips, flights to foreign countries, or just hopping home to visit your parents for the summer if you’re in school.  As advanced as humans have become at globe-trotting, we still have not really figured out how to make it exactly ergonomic. Travel often finds you in cramped spaces, sleeping in odd configurations, not sleeping enough, and just generally keeps your body out of whack.  Massage is a great way to get you back into whack, relaxing your muscles, improving your sleep, and returning your body back to balance.

THREE:

Summer is often synonymous with travel.  What’s that you say? I’ve said that already?  Well, here’s the thing. Here at Mantis, we have a some really great, oft-sought-after therapists.  Sometimes it can be challenging to get a prime spot on their schedules. But summer means that some of our other clients might be going out of town just as you are coming back into town, opening up a spot for you on our schedules.  Now that’s what I call a symbiotic relationship.

Living in the Present Moment

Sometimes we spend our entire present thinking about the future. Or the past.  Or both. Unfortunately this sometimes means that we are totally missing out on what is happening for us right now.  

As humans living in 2018, life can be kinda stressful.  It may seem like we’ll never get ahead unless we are constantly thinking two steps ahead of where we are now.  But what if we have something to learn in the here and now that is absolutely essential to our future success?

For me, this applies to massage because I often find my body pining for a massage for several days or weeks before I am able to get myself in for a session.  Yes, Massage Therapists need Massage Therapy too!! So I end up spending days or weeks thinking about my future massage session. Then, once the time for the session finally arrives I spend the whole session thinking about how great I’m going to feel afterwards.  Then time absolutely FLIES by and suddenly the massage is over and I’m now stuck in the past thinking, “Wow wasn’t that really great and I should now probably schedule another massage."

Regular massage can be SOOO beneficial for your body, especially if you have any chronic pain or alignment issues.  Massage will be that much MORE beneficial if you can really take the time to focus in on what’s happening in the present moment, whether that is before, during, or after the session.  Being fully present in the moment during your massage session will help improve your breathing, help your body relax more fully, and help your body to better integrate the body work from your massage session.  Which just means that all the benefits of massage will last that much longer.

So take a moment to stop, take a deep breath, and just look around.  Or close your eyes if safe to do so and feel the air, smell the smells, and listen to the sounds.  You might just notice something you would have otherwise missed.

Hygge (And How To Not Electrocute Yourself In The Bathtub)

I do a lot of computer work in the bathtub. (Full battery, no charger connection.) As a matter of fact that's where I am right now. Why do I spend so much time in the bath?  If you are a regular clients of ours you know it's because of Epsom Salts. But also:

Hygge

While I should have been tidying our books and updating staff bios, I was actually perusing our Facebook feed (what do you guys do at work??) and came across a New Yorker story about Hygge. The danish idea of a feeling of coziness is exactly what got me into this bath and like the writer of the story who orders 3 new blankets online because hers is too bumpy, can't find the right scent of candle, and leaves the heat on in her apartment with the window open, I'm struggling with how to execute it.

I think I first came across the idea from a documentary that also mentioned the feeling of flow increasing your overall happiness . I'd link to it but I don't have time to go back and watch the whole thing to make sure I'm citing it correctly so y'all just have to trust me. (As a side note, Happy is a really inspiring film.) My takeaway:

Flow + Hygge = Happiness

Well I've got the flow part down. That's my job! In massage school there's a little evaluation sheet after each clinic shift and Flow is one of the main criteria you'll be judged on. Of course, flow as an intention toward happiness is a little more involved but I really do feel I experience it on a daily basis. Basically, if you can move through your day easily, understanding the expectations and demands and it's within your capabilities to meet them, that's flow. I feel great about the work I do! I do feel like I can meet the expectations and demands of each of my clients and I always leave my sessions feeling refreshed, solid, and like we did GOOD work in there. 

That leaves Hygge.

I understand it to mean feeling cozy and comforted always. So I submerge myself in warm water while I do all my computer work. #AmIDoingItRight? I have no idea.

What I know is that we have very cozy rooms, table warmers at the ready, soft heavy blankets, and excellent Flow ratings on all of our evaluations in massage school. So while I may have to bring my computer in to the Apple store for water damage tomorrow, you can come experience Flow+Hygge in any of our massage rooms, anytime. We've got your perfect equation for happiness.