Massage as part of your wedding day preparation

Congratulations! You’re engaged! Getting engaged and planning a wedding is a time to celebrate the love you have for your partner. Even though it’s an incredibly meaningful and exciting time in your life, there’s no doubt it’s also stressful. Between finding a venue, picking a date, finding the perfect dress, coming up with a guest list and so many parties to plan in between, it’s easy to feel more anxious, stressed, overwhelmed and tense.

While we all know that feeling stressed during wedding planning is inevitable, how do we know if it’s stressing you out a little too much?

Here are some signs to look for:

• You’re prioritizing wedding planning tasks over eating, sleeping and doing other things you love.
• Your relationship with your partner feels strained
• You begin second-guessing all your decisions. So much worrying and overthinking!
• For the most important tasks, you find yourself procrastinating
• You’re no longer having fun planning your wedding even though you’re about to marry the love of your life!

If you’re deep into wedding prep, there might be a chance you’re experiencing some of these signs. Do they sound familiar? If so, it might be beneficial to make some time for self-care.

86% of couples say that wedding planning caused them to experience negative physical side effects.  Even though your to-do list seems to be a mile along, stepping away from it for a while might be just what you need. Consider setting certain times aside to work on wedding planning, and then do something you enjoy that will help you relax. Take a break and do something restorative that will allow you to re-center yourself.

Massage is known for reducing stress, anxiety, pain and muscle tension (all of which you’re probably feeling at some point during your wedding planning!). The mental and physical health benefits of massage are undeniable. Just one to two hours of massage has the potential to make everything you do, including those items on your wedding to-do-list, less stressful and less painful. This ultimately leads to a more productive day!

Wedding preparation can be a long and demanding journey. You may find that you want to schedule regular massage sessions throughout the planning process. 

It is a known fact that wedding planning can be stressful for many people. Focus on the positive. You’re going to be married to the love of your life at the end of all this. Wedding planning will be fun and thrilling if you’re also able to learn how to prioritize your own self-care and wellness!

How often should you get a massage?

More than ever before, our lives are filled with chronic stress and body fatigue. From traffic and work stress to leading more sedentary lifestyles filled with excess screen time, we are feeling the effects. Self-care is critical to avoid more serious problems that arise from these body and mind stressors. Self-care rarely happens spontaneously. We must be intentional about taking care of ourselves and if we want to live our best lives, we need to put self-care activities into our regular schedules.

It is wise to put massage therapy into your regular wellness program. Just like exercise and eating a healthy diet, massage therapy will help us stay active and feel more energized.  Aside from forcing us to slow down, if only for an hour, massage helps to calm the nervous system, improves blood circulation, relieves muscle pain and can help with the side effects of conditions such as arthritis, sciatica, and muscle spasms.

But how often should you get a massage? The frequency of your massage therapy depends on a few factors: your physical and emotional needs and your stress levels. Getting a massage regularly will allow you to experience the most health benefits, but that’s not always the right choice for everyone. If you have injuries causing you pain, you would definitely want to consult with your physician to see what they recommend.  Just like exercising once does not build a foundation of fitness, nor does eating one healthy meal nourish our bodies, getting a massage one-time will not fix our aching bodies.  

A massage once a year will be relaxing but it can’t help to alleviate the pain from a year of muscle tension, poor posture, lack of exercise or stretching or daily stress-buildup. Ideally, if you want to keep your muscle tissue relaxed and in good shape, regular visits with a massage therapist is needed.

Talk to your massage therapist. A great massage therapist is a partner in your overall health and self-care plan. Discuss your goals, your fitness routine or one that you are planning on starting, and any injuries you have had in the past. Being open and honest with your massage therapist will allow her to help you determine how often you should be seen

You may want to schedule therapy more often during times of increased stress and pain associated with physical and mental conditions. If you know you have an increase in your daily stressors heading your way or you have an event such as a big move, a new job, or a wedding approaching, scheduling regular massages will help you stay ahead of the tension buildup.

The Sweet Smell of Relaxation

Do you remember the smell of your childhood home? Or perhaps a specific lotion that you got on that Hawaiian vacation? Our sense of smell is one of our strongest and most powerful senses. A single whiff can open a floodgate of memories and affect how we feel emotionally and sometimes even physically.

We can tap into this superpower by using our sense of smell to help us relax or to feel more energized when we want to. With so many essential oils available, we can anchor feelings of relaxation, energy or pure nirvana!

What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils have been used since the beginning of time. They are used in everything from relieving congestion to creating a wonderful scent in our homes, but what exactly are they? An essential oil is a highly concentrated plant oil that can be applied, inhaled or mixed in food and other products. Most essential oils come directly from plant material, although most citrus comes from the cold-pressed rind of the fruit.

By using essential oils in our homes, our offices, and our massages, we can anchor feelings with specific scents and then bring back those great feelings when we bring back the scent. If you incorporate aromatherapy into your massage and then place that same or similar scent in your home, you can be transported back into a state of bliss with a single deep inhale.

Other reasons to incorporate essential oils into your massage

When essential oils are added to massage oil, you can gain the benefits through absorption as well as through inhaling the scent. Certain essential oils can help calm you and reduce the stress you may be feeling. A great therapeutic massage alone can help you relax, but when combined with essential oils such as Lavender and chamomile, the feelings of relaxation are increased, and the scent is anchored for later retrieval.   

Rosemary, citrus, and eucalyptus are a few essential oils that can aid in clarity, focus and increased energy. Incorporate them into a massage or place them in a diffuser in your workspace for that feeling of boosted energy all day long.

You can make your home, your office or anywhere else for that matter, a sanctuary of great feelings. Don’t take for granted the power of scent and be sure to look for ways to incorporate those that open the doors to positive feelings and memories.

5 Steps for a DIY Home Spa Retreat

Between work, kids, school and social activities, bills, and traffic, it’s safe to say that many of us could use a relaxing vacation. A spa retreat with our besties or significant other. Of course, a spa weekend can rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit, but it can also be pricey. So, what do you do when you could use a wellness retreat but lack the time and funds? Why not turn your home into your own wellness retreat for the weekend?

Turning your home into your very own spa retreat takes a bit of planning, but it will be so very worth it.

Here are 5 things to transform your home into your own spa retreat: 

Stock your cabinets and refrigerator with healthy sips and noshes. Think fresh and luxurious. Cut up snack sandwiches and have lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Buy your favorite sparkling beverages and don’t forget to break out your best glasses.

1. Make pitchers of infused water for that true spa feeling.
   Slice lemons, limes, strawberries, cucumbers or watermelon and add them to the pitchers of water and ice several hours before.
    
2. Have plenty of fresh-cut flowers around in vases.
   Surround yourself with beauty and wonderful floral scents.
    
3. Dig those slippers or flip-flops out.
   If you are planning this for a few friends, get matching slippers and line them up at the door for a fun arrival.
    
4. Slice cucumbers or buy a few gel eye masks to refresh those tired eyes.
   As you sit for 15 minutes in a sunny spot, you can kick your feet up and feel those under-eye bags start to unpack.
    
4. When this day is over, you will feel like a new person, ready to take on the week ahead. Making time to take care of ourselves makes us better parents, partners, and employees, so you may just have to schedule one of these days every month!

Massage Benefits for Arthritis Sufferers

For many people with arthritis, there are days where the pain is hard to manage. In addition to the physical pain, there is also psychological turmoil and stress that comes along with living with chronic pain. Massage can be an excellent complement to help reduce physical pain and to bring peace and calm to an anxious mind.

According to Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, the effects of massage for arthritis sufferers has been significant. Those who have used massage regularly, they have seen improvements in pain, stiffness, range of motion, hand grip strength and overall function of the joints. 

Massage also lowers the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol, and boosts production of serotonin, which can then improve your mood. It is that “ahhhhh” feeling you have when the massage is over. For those who suffer with arthritis, to have the combination of the mental and physical relief drastically affects the way they feel in mind and body.

It’s always important to get the OK from your doctor or rheumatologist before beginning a massage regiment if you are an arthritis sufferer. In addition, it is important to consult with your massage therapist ahead of time to ensure the correct kind of massage and pressure to help you achieve optimal results. 

THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

“Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die.” Anne Lamott

Forgiveness is a word that gets used a lot in our culture but is often misunderstood. Many times, we equate forgiveness with becoming friends with someone who has hurt us or forgetting every pain that person may have caused in our lives. When we approach forgiveness in these terms, it seems impossible and unfair. But forgiveness is more of a state of mind. Forgiveness is just releasing the desire to punish someone for an offense. It’s the act of letting go of responsibility to take revenge and allowing yourself the power and freedom to move forward in your life. 

Many times, the act of forgiving someone helps transform feelings of stress, sadness, hurt, and even depression into feelings of healing and peace. There are physical benefits to forgiving others. 

Holding on to resentment and seeking revenge never helps the offended. In fact, there are studies that have shown that revenge increases stress and dampers health and immunity. Many times, revenge is our natural response as humans. When someone hurts us, our first instinct is to hurt them back. It just seems easier, but we don’t want to do what’s easy, we want to do what’s best for our health and well-being. There is a higher, healthier calling to live above the getting even. Just as Confucius says, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

Forgiveness is an incredibly empowering gift that you can give to yourself. Forgiveness takes away the power from the one who hurt you. Forgiveness says, “My thoughts and actions and feelings do not have to be determined by what you have done or said to me.” Of course, forgiveness does not mean being a push-over or going back to someone who has hurt you physically, or emotionally. But forgiveness lifts your head up and allows you to take the higher road to a healthier you. 

Who do you need to forgive today? Is there someone in your life that you need to release? Take that step today by making the conscious decision to let go of responsibility over their life. 

How Massage Can Increase Flexibility

Stretching and maintaining our flexibility is a critical part of our overall health. We know it’s important, but many don’t take the time to stretch daily or to include stretching in their exercise program. In addition to regular stretching, therapeutic massage is extremely beneficial to maintain and even increase your flexibility.

Flexibility becomes reduced for many reasons. It can be when we don’t stretch or use our muscles or when muscles are over-used, tight or inflamed. After exercise, lactic acid can build up and decrease your range of motion. When flexibility is reduced, we notice restriction of movement and increased pain.  

Therapeutic massage will help both your muscles as well as your joints. Massage keeps your joints more fluid and makes them less injury prone. There is an extra benefit of helping to break up knots in muscles and tissues that restrict movement. 

Some of the most common types of massage to help increase flexibility include:

• Deep Tissue
• Sports Massage
• Therapeutic Massage

While there are many similarities, each type of massage brings on a slightly different result. Deep tissue massage varies in pressure depending on your personal preference. It focuses on the soft tissues around your body and is great for relieving muscle tightness and inflammation.

Reducing restriction and increasing elasticity are some of the main benefits and focus of sports massage. Your massage therapist will typically focus more effort on the muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints associated with the particular sport you are involved in. It can be more vigorous or intense than a deep tissue massage and it increases the muscle’s temperature.

Therapeutic massage will manipulate muscles and aims to relax and loosen them increasing flexibility and relieving stiffness and pain.

Working regularly with a professional massage therapist, with the goal of increasing your flexibility, is a great way to avoid pain and injury and maintain optimal health and wellness.  

MENTAL HEALTH, LONELINESS AND MASSAGE

It is estimated by the World Health Organization that depression will be the disease with the biggest global burden by 2030. Cigna found that “more than half of the 20,000 survey respondents said they sometimes or always feel no one knows them well.  And 2 in 5 felt like they lack companionship, that their relationships aren’t meaningful, and they are isolated from others.”

In addition to these findings, the survey also reported the younger generation (Generation Z, adults ages 18-22) felt lonelier than the older generation. Meaning this epidemic will only continue to grow unless intentional steps are made to help combat loneliness and address mental health issues.

People are now turning to find positive outcomes through total mind and body approaches such as massage therapy.  Because of the power of touch, massage therapy has become an additional treatment option for many mental health conditions. However, many consider massage as a way to treat physical pain or something only to indulge in while on vacation. But statistics from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) show that massage is now being considered by the public as a treatment for total mind and body health. The AMTA study showed 88 percent of people view massage as beneficial to overall health and wellness.

TO TIP OR NOT TO TIP

It can sometimes be difficult to relax when you have so much on your mind. You may spend the first few minutes of a massage just trying to clear your mind and let go of the worries of the day. The last thing you need to be worrying about is if you brought money for a gratuity, if you should tip or how much you should leave the massage therapist at the end. We want to help you take the guess-work out of tipping your massage therapist so you can fully relax and let go of all worry.

STANDARD IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Massage therapy performed in a hospitality setting such as a spa, studio or retreat is considered a service and therefore, it is proper etiquette to tip your massage therapist at a hospitality rate of 20%. A portion of your payment for the massage goes to the overhead costs including facilities, equipment, and other business costs. A massage therapist receives a portion of your payment, but your therapist is not being paid directly by you. Of course, gratuities are a personal decision and are considered a “thank you” and are not required.

YOUR SATISFACTION LEVEL

A good massage therapist works hard to ensure you are getting the most out of your experience. Through creating a calm and relaxing environment and spending time with you beforehand to understand your personal needs, your massage therapist aims to give you an unforgettable, customized massage. Your tip should reflect how satisfied you are with your experience. If your therapist went above and beyond, let them know you are highly satisfied with a more generous tip. If it was average or not what you were expecting, tip accordingly. If you weren’t satisfied at all, Elements Massage® offers the Elements Promise™ which guarantees that if you aren’t completely satisfied with your massage, you will receive the next massage free.

CASH or CREDIT?

Most service providers are going to prefer cash since they can take that home with them the same day, whereas a tip on a credit card may be added to the provider's paycheck later. If you pay in cash, most massage therapy locations will provide an envelope for you to place it in and hand it personally to the therapist. If there are no envelopes, it is perfectly acceptable to hand the tip discreetly to the therapist with a warm “thank you.” Sometimes clients may prefer to hand it directly to a therapist after they leave the treatment room as an immediate show of appreciation.

A gratuity is a great way to show value and say thank you to your massage therapist. Other ways you can appreciate your massage therapist are referring them to your friends and giving them a good rating on review sites like Yelp and Google. Your feedback is valuable and when you take the time to share how the massage therapist has helped relieve your pain or help you to relax, it is appreciated. Your words and acknowledgment of their service can have a huge impact on their day.

There is no limit to the way in which gratitude may be expressed. A gratuity is just one of the ways appreciation may be shown for the value your massage therapist adds to your life.

ATTITUDE REALLY IS EVERYTHING: 5 Steps to Take Today to Be More Positive

In our lives there are always going to be circumstances out of our control, but one thing we do have a full say in is our attitude. Charles Swindoll famously said, “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”  Regardless of what we are going through in our day, we can choose to face it with a positive outlook and that in itself will help you have more satisfying and fulfilling days. Having a positive attitude is a simple adjustment, but it can only happen with intentional choices each day.

Here are 5 ways you can truly change your attitude.

1.      Smile

The act of smiling literally makes you feel better. Smiling releases neuropeptides (tiny molecules that allow neurons to communicate) that work to fight off stress. Research also shows that smiling releases the feel-good hormones that relax your body and lower your blood-pressure. Smiling is contagious and relaxes other people when they see you and helps build connection. Try it! Smile at someone today and see if they smile back.

2.      Reframe

When we view something difficult in our life, we have a choice in how we view it. Oftentimes, we go to the most negative scenario, and ultimately, we set ourselves up to fail. When we reframe the circumstance, we are choosing to view the situation in a positive way. Instead of calling it an obstacle, we can call it an opportunity for growth or learning. Instead of calling someone a difficult person, we can call them a person who has something going on that is difficult in their lives. Reframing doesn't change the circumstance, but it does change how we will react to it.

3.      Gratitude

Bréne Brown in her book Daring Greatly, says, “Gratitude is a spiritual exercise.” She writes, “When you are feeling anxious or fearful, simply call it out and add ‘and I’m grateful for…’.” We can easily go through our day and miss all of the good because we are consumed with fear, frustration or irritations. Keep a gratitude journal and reflect back on the things that happened in the day that made you smile. Start each day looking for the good in your life and soon this becomes your filter. Look at the difficult things in your day and see if you can find ways you can grow from them. 

4.      Kindness

Oftentimes our attitude suffers because the only person we think about is ourselves. When we can look outside of ourselves to others and find ways to bring happiness to them, it helps our own attitude. It always feels good to help someone else out. Make it a goal each day to do one act of kindness for someone. 

5.      Boundaries

We all know there are people in our lives who can find something to complain about in every situation. It’s just their filter on life. The key is to spend as little time as possible around those people. It’s important for your own well-being to set boundaries with those people. It is also important that you keep tabs on your own attitude when you are around negative people. If you find that a certain person keeps bringing you down, even with boundaries, it may be a relationship that you need to walk away from.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Winston Churchill

Make a few simple choices each day to help maintain a more positive outlook and attitude. You’ll see that people will want to be around you more, you’ll enjoy life more, and you’ll feel better physically, mentally and emotionally.

What Massage Can Do to Help Alleviate Tension Headaches

You’ve got three deadlines at work, you’re trying to pack your house for a move and your child just announced he’s not feeling well. Any ONE of those could send you down the path of a tension headache but all three together will definitely pack a punch.

What is a Tension Headache?

According to the Mayo Clinic: “A tension headache is generally a diffuse, mild to moderate pain in your head that's often described as feeling like a tight band around your head. A tension headache (tension-type headache) is the most common type of headache, and yet its causes aren't well-understood.” 

You’ve probably had many of these so far in your life, and in fact are twice as likely to have had them if you’re a woman. While the pain can range from just a nagging pressure to a persistent aching, an important distinction in tension headaches is whether you get them occasionally or all the time. In other words, whether they’re ‘episodic’ or ‘chronic.’ Chronic tension headaches are defined as 15 or more headaches per month, over a period of three months.

Why is that important? Because how you treat them will likely be different. While you might choose to deal with an episodic tension headache with medication, longer term use of painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Advil or Tylenol) have side effects too, including damage to the stomach lining, other gastrointestinal issues and more. A longer-term solution for chronic tension headaches should instead include a good dose of self-care, as well as massage therapy.

What Causes a Tension Headache?

No one really knows for sure, but one thing that is certain is that stress is a trigger. Other triggers can include hunger, low iron levels or even fatigue! So obviously, one way to help alleviate or prevent tension headaches is by eating balanced meals, getting a good night’s sleep and avoiding stress. That said, since our busy lifestyles of work deadlines and personal challenges aren’t likely to get easier, you need to find other ways to de-stress, unwind and relax.

How Can Massage Help with Tension Headaches?

A study outlined in the American Journal of Public Health noted that a structured course of massage therapy sessions, muscle specific—neck and shoulder areas—and focused on corresponding trigger points, resulted in a significant reduction in the frequency and duration of tension headaches for chronic sufferers.

And even better, these benefits were experienced not just in the first week after the four-week treatment period started, but was an ongoing benefit throughout the study and even beyond. The longer-term effects, rather than short term ‘one off’ benefits of medication, demonstrate the value in massage therapy as a treatment for tension headaches.

“The main message here for tension headache sufferers is to put together a series of targeted massage sessions which seek to alleviate the muscle tension and accumulated stress contributing to the cause of the headaches,” says Elements Massage Chief Wellness Officer, Eric Stephenson.  He adds, “committing to multiple sessions over a short period of time can yield cumulative effects which can be felt in decreased frequency, duration and pain levels.”

Since massage has so many additional benefits, beyond the treatment of headaches, including reduction of stress, muscle tightness and myofascial release for restoring full range of motion, massage therapy is a positive choice, with no negative side effects!

The Amazing Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy isn’t a new practice and has evolved over thousands of years, as part of medical practice. References to massage have been found in Chinese medical texts, dating back more than 4,000 years.

 Some of the benefits of massage therapy

Pain relief and management are at the center of what massage therapists can offer to clients. “Nearly 50 million American adults have significant chronic pain or severe pain, according to a new study prepared by National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)” 

These can include back, shoulder and neck pain, headaches, arthritis and fibromyalgia. While levels of pain are obviously subjective, a person’s individual reality can be improved through therapies like massage.

Pain that comes from other sources can also benefit from massage:

• Post-operative / acute disease or condition related pain — in fact, pain related to the management of cancer, including lymphatic drainage pain that is very prevalent for breast cancer patients, can be relieved with massage therapy.

• Maternal and newborn care — The stress that a mother’s body endures before and during delivery of a baby can be alleviated through massage.

• Rehabilitation from injury — Ask any world class athlete and they’ll tell you that they’ve benefited from massage therapy at some point in their career! Beyond athletes, cardiac and joint replacement patients experience pain that can be helped. Even the pain from repetitive stress injuries that are work related, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can be improved significantly.
• Mental health — Stress and anxiety are just two examples of mental health issues that can be relieved with massage therapy.

There are no limits to the benefits of massage therapy when it comes to pain management and relief. And since pain comes in many forms, so does the help that massage provides.

Start Up Costs for Hands for Hospice Non Profit

As I start my journey to become and Massage Therapist providing services to Hospice Patients. I ask for your support to help with the process of start up costs. Thank you very much for your continued support.

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Five Self-Care Practices to Schedule Into Your Week

Stress. It’s a part of daily living, for most of us. We’re taking care of kids and homes, work and friends but, more often than not, we forget to take care of ourselves.

Self-care is vital, however. Without it, you can become unmotivated at best or burnt out and plain unhealthy, at worst. Taking care of yourself by adding some stress relieving activities into your weekly schedule isn’t selfish or self-indulgent. It’s crucial to your physical and mental health! You can’t be a good parent, child, sibling, friend or worker if you’re tearing your hair out at the root and losing sleep!

While everyone’s idea of relaxing or unwinding is different, here are five ways that you can add self-care to even the busiest schedule:

Read a Book or Meditate

Going to a different time and place, a world that is not your own, is a great way to de-stress. Spend some quality time with a cast of characters that keeps you laughing or turning the page to see what happens next. Whether you read an actual book, or you plug into an audiobook while doing other things, you’ll be surprised how occupying your mind with a story helps to bring your shoulders down from around your ears!

If reading isn’t quite your thing, you might find yoga or meditation to be more your style. The point is to calm your mind and focus your energy. It’s rejuvenating and relaxing in a way that you can’t otherwise imagine!

Get a Massage

“Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself. To the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever.” ~ Mayo Clinic

Have a Laugh with a Friend

Charlie Chaplin said it best: “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” The best way to get in a good giggle that helps melt your tension is by meeting up with a good friend over coffee or a drink and just chatting. Nothing serious, nothing momentous. Just a great time with a good friend.

Take a Walk

Nature has a way of putting all the cares of the world you are carrying on your shoulders into proper perspective. With a jaunt in among the trees, even if it’s a local park and not a forest hike, will help you reconnect with the quiet within you that can bring you some peace.

Unplug From Your Tech

The non-stop 24/7 news cycle and social media have converged to create a world where we feel we need to know everything, every minute of every day. Give yourself permission to tune in to your friends and family by creating some time where you unplug and disconnect from all of that. Suddenly, you’ll notice things you haven’t seen in ages: a bird in flight, a butterfly, the extra three inches your kid grew since last year… It’s all worth it!

Experience the Karmic Effect of Being Nice

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. ~ Dalai Lama

Kindness is one of those attitudes that has a positive effect, not only on those around you, but also on you too! Acts of kindness, gratitude and cooperation activate the ‘feel good’ part of the brain, called the striatum. It’s the reward center, so it will react happily to an excellent meal or a hug from a loved one, leaving you with that that warm and fuzzy feeling that you get when you feel good about something.

Kindness should be viewed as an indispensable part of the healing process. After all, it’s been in the Hippocratic Oath (that doctors take) for over a century: “I will remember that... warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug.” 

In fact, kindness has been shown to lead to:

• Less pain and faster healing
• Less anxiety
• Lower blood pressure

So how can you experience that ‘feel good’ feeling and share it with others?

Participate in National Do Something Nice Day

Yes, there’s a day for this! Today is  ‘Do Something Nice Day’, so take the opportunity and go out and do something nice for someone else. You can do anything from pre-paying the bill for the car behind you in the line at the drive-thru to buying a gift card for a fabulous, relaxing massage for someone going through a stressful time. Even giving a friend a call you haven’t spoken to in a while counts!

Of course, you’re not restricted to being nice just one day of the year, so here are some other reasons and ways you can drop a coin in the ‘nice’ pond and spread the ripples all around!

Pay it forward!

Paying it forward is a way to ensure that kindness spreads! If someone has done something nice for you or said something that makes you feel like a million dollars, pay it forward and do the same for someone else! It’s an easy way to share the wealth that is kindness!

Smiles are catching!

You know how you will wince if you see someone getting a needle, or you might frown if you see someone being publicly humiliated? The same ‘mirror’ reaction is true of smiling. In fact, a big, wide, happy smile is infectious! You’ll feel positive and so will anyone who comes across you! That’s how you create the ripple effect of kindness!

Get your giggle on

Laughter is similar to smiling, in that it’s catching! You might find yourself laughing along with a friend, even if you don’t know what they’re laughing about! And laughter is a known stress reliever, so why not have a giggle with some friends?

Cheer someone up!

The act of helping someone else turn a frown upside down will have positive effects for both of you! Not only do you feel good because you’ve helped someone else but you’re likely to react to their positive response, which will double the good mood effect! Empathy is a powerful emotion, so exercise it a little!

Think twice before you snap at someone

Kindness isn’t always about an overt act. Sometimes it’s about not doing something. No matter how hard your day has been or how stressed you are, keeping the idea of showing kindness first in mind will help you to control the urge to snap at someone.

Finding a way to spread a little kindness isn’t hard; all you have to do is commit yourself to doing it and you’ll see the opportunities present themselves left, right and center! Be the start of a kindness ripple effect: it will come back to you again and again!

The Essence of Calm

Does this sound familiar? You’re checking your shopping list, for the fifth time. You’ve discovered you’re missing several important items for tonight’s party. As the days tick by on your calendar, the stress of getting it all done before your in-laws arrive is starting to mount.

It’s time for some wellness and self-care, and infusing some calm into your life, don’t you think? 

Using a unique application of aromatherapy to a massage therapy session, through pulse points, inhalation therapy and more. Helping to bring specific benefits, depending on the essential oils you choose, to your therapy. The benefits of this combination extend well beyond your therapy session, as the restorative effects of bringing your mind to the present, which will help your body respond to whatever ails it.

During this time adding a little aromatherapy to your self-care can help you hit the reset button. This essence includes a subtle combination of lavender, nutmeg and black pepper working together to relax your mind and body. It is designed to help relieve you of tension pain and headaches through the powerful combined effect of scent and massage.

The science behind the value of scent in healing isn’t new, aromatherapy has a long history, with the extraction of aromatic essential oils from plants going back to the ancient Egyptians. “In 1910, a French scientist named Gattefosse discovered the healing power of lavender oil. This encouraged him to research other aromatic essences. He found that with the use of lemon, thyme, clove and other antiseptic oils, wounds healed more quickly and without infection. He called his medicine aromatherapie.”

Some other benefits?

• Scent is a powerful stimulus for the brain, and can trigger powerful emotions including calm, relaxation, energy, and overall mood.
• Stress and anxiety can be reduced significantly through scent.
• If you have trouble sleeping, the calming effects of scents such as lavender can help.
• Skin inflammations can be aided with essential oils, such as tea tree.
• Peppermint oil has long been known to help with digestive issues.
   

Taking a time to renew your mind and body, with a little well-deserved self-care is essential to avoiding feeling overwhelmed.