So, I'm rereading my September e-newsletter (which I previewed 20 times before mailing out), and I'm cringing at how strict I sounded about my schedule.  This isn't at all something I want to do, but I need to start setting some limits for myself and start improving the condition of my arms (which are aching as I type this).  But I DON"T mean to seem harsh or cold...I see so many wonderful people and I enjoy giving each one of them a massage truly!  And, there isn't some exclusive club of massage clients...each one is super special and important to me....it's just that I truly see so many people...a large group have followed me from Serenity (heck, some have been clients for the whole 9 years!)...and I've been so fortunate to build a new group of wonderful clients at Indigo.  I want to find a way to make it all work...to keep everyone happy.  This is something I am deeply passionate about ~ giving massage gives me so much...except lately when I am experiencing some real troubles in this area (swollen joints, loss of function when it is at its worst, deep joint pain in thumbs and wrists...enough already!).  This is all self-inflicted...I should have been more diligent with self-care along the 9 years of extreme repetitive wear & tear.  I've tried to be tougher than I apparently am, and I'm feeling humbled by the experience.   So, time to act!  (Nothing like management by crisis...)



 It's time to take a therapeutic approach...adjust my diet, start supplementing for joint health (get off the 800 mg of Ibu twice a day...), see the chiro, get massage...Lay off my really deep tissue work for awhile...and rehab.  When I build back into a schedule I will do my best to learn how to use tools (there was a time I felt like this wasn't a very purist choice for a bodyworker...I guess I looked down upon this idea...now I see how foolish that thought process was!!), and change the way I do things so I can get the same results with better techniques.



I'm planning to head back to Chicago to take more of Chuck Duff's Thai Yoga Massage training.  I plan to take his Hands Free course, so I can give deep tissue massages with my feet!  Hopefully by November I can start offering this at Indigo.  Certainly by the holidays I can increase my workload a bit...



Ok...enough already...still cringing anyway...