Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/329694
TEN FOR TODAY 5. DRINK MORE TEA There are so many different kinds of tea that there's sure to be one good for whatever ails you. Drinking it helps you stay hydrated, and a substance found in tea, l-theanine, has been shown to promote alpha waves in the brain, reduce physical and mental stress, improve focus, and boost mood. Tea also has vastly more disease-fi ghting antioxidants and fl avonoids than any other drink. "Our Tulsi infusion tea comes from a plant also called holy basil," says Chris Olsen, director of marketing and product development for Teatulia, a Denver-based organic tea company. "If you're having one of those off-balance days, it will rebalance you." 6. MEDITATE Meditation may be a diffi cult practice for some, but it's undeniably stress relieving. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Many massage therapists fi nd playing a guided meditation album during a massage helps both client and therapist relax. "When a guided meditation is playing, telling the client how to breathe, what to focus on, the therapist also starts to pay attention to breathing and becomes more grounded," says Ellen Makarewicz-Ely, founder of Mind-Full Massage, based in Flint, Michigan. "And when you're both more grounded, the massage becomes easier. We absorb clients' anxiety, stress, and frustration, so when the client is letting that go, it makes it better for the therapist, too." 7. PUT ON SOME MUSIC Music's soothing charms are well documented. But forget the notion that the most relaxing music has the same number of beats per minute as the heart. "That's bogus, because everybody's heartbeat is different," says John Gelb, president of At Peace Media, which has been creating relaxing soundtracks for massage therapists since 1998. Instead, he says, what seems to be most pleasing to people is music played on real instruments by real people, not synthesized or computer-generated. The most relaxing music also avoids certain noises, particularly bells, he says. "Bells make people feel like they're late for something, or missing an appointment, or there's someone at the door." 8. A WELCOMING SPACE Make sure your massage space has a positive energy to it, advises feng shui expert Lisa Janusz, faculty member at Wind and Water School of Feng Shui. If you can, paint it a color you love, and put something that represents a goal or a dream up on the wall or in a space that's easily visible. "Maybe it's memorabilia from a vacation, or a picture of somewhere you want to go," she says. "It will provide you with good feelings and inspiration." 9. GET RID OF CLUTTER The effect of clutter is huge, Janusz says. "Releasing old items allows for new opportunities to come in. Sometimes, we just keep things out of guilt. But if you've outgrown something, give that object the opportunity to have exciting new energy from someone else." 10. BE INTENTIONAL Start each morning thinking about what you hope to accomplish that day, and at day's end, refl ect on what has happened. That's one way to ensure you really are getting the care you need to fuel yourself and your passions, Janusz says. "It's a chance to ask yourself, what can I incorporate into my life tomorrow?" Rebecca Jones is a tenured Massage & Bodywork freelance writer. She lives and writes in Denver, Colorado. Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net. by real people, not synthesized or relaxing music also avoids certain noises, particularly bells, he says. "Bells make people feel like they're late for something, or missing an appointment, A WELCOMING SPACE Make sure your massage space has a positive energy to it, advises feng shui expert Lisa Janusz, faculty member at Wind and Water School of Feng Shui. If you can, paint it a color you love, and put something that represents a goal or a dream up on the wall or in a space that's easily visible. "Maybe it's memorabilia from a vacation, or a picture of somewhere you want to go," she says. "It will provide you with good feelings and inspiration." and writes in Denver, Colorado. Contact her at killarneyrose@comcast.net. I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 27