Aria’s Massage Journey (pt. 3 mental energy)
I feel grateful to live in a world where the conversation around Mental Health has grown to be more and more common. An age where going to therapy isn’t considered something to do because “there is something wrong with you.” For me, maintaining and protecting my mental peace has become a priority.
With the start of my wellness journey, my highs felt very high and my lows felt very very very low. My professional development coach recently shared with me that:
“when you begin to spend more time and energy into your work, you need to make sure that you spend just as much time to recover.”
This spoke true to me. When I am on a roll and can work 12-hour days for 2 weeks straight, the burnout that follows lasts about 3-4 days. This is not the type of work/life balance I am trying to achieve. So, I am finding little moments in everyday of my life to recover and restore my mental energy - to ultimately avoid the burnout.
On Mondays, my “work” revolves around hula. The one thing I prioritize for myself is to go to therapy.
On Tuesdays, my “work” consists of back-to-back meetings and development training from 9am-5pm. The one thing I prioritize for myself is taking 5 minute breaks in between each meeting or training session to stand up, walk around, and recenter myself.
On Wednesdays, my “work” is here at Seven Senses Spa. The one thing I prioritize for myself is movement with others. I either teach a hula class (which brings me joy because I love guiding young dancers), go on a walk with my dog, go on a hike with friends, or attend a group workout class. By surrounding myself with others while moving my body fills my fitness cup and my relationship cup.
On Thursdays, my “work” is taking care of my home. Whether its cleaning the house, making sure my household gets all the appointments needed, or grocery shopping. The one thing I prioritize for myself is getting in 3 healthy and hearty meals. When I am “working,” I can go hours without eating, but I’ve seen the consequence of that action and it is not pretty. A simple act of cooking and eating is something I do to take care of me.
On Fridays, my “work” is being present at the shops (whether it be at Seven Senses Spa or my other place of employment). The one thing I prioritize is having a “slow” morning. I wake up with the sun. I make myself a cup of tea and sit outside to embrace the quiet - even if it’s just 5-10minutes before I truly start my day.
On Saturdays and Sundays, my “work” revolves on catching up on any projects that need my attention. Sometimes it is being present at the shops. Other times, it is working from home while I take care of my pets. Sometimes it is having breakfast or lunch meetings. I believe because I am young, I have the energy to really immerse myself in passion projects- that’s why it might seem like I’m always “working.” The one thing I prioritize for myself is to spend time with my family. Whether it is in the afternoon or evening. On weekends you can find me spending a good chance of my time unplugging from the rest of the world to be with them.
Seven Senses Spa is now a part of my monthly wellness routine. Previously, I shared about how my Active Lifestyle has been greatly impacted by the recovery aspect of getting treatments from Seven Senses Spa. However, one of the most fulfilling aspects is how massage therapy has helped me maintain a good sense of positive mental energy. 1-2x/month I will book a session for myself. I have appreciated every experience thus far and today, would like to speak on Kina’s style and how I have felt after a session with her.
My favorite thing about Kina’s mindset about massage is that she believes energy should “flow like a river.” Its a beautiful analogy and though her various modalities, I especially love her integration of Anma and Traditional Seitai (manipulation of body work). Some of the key benefits of Anma include; (1) decree anxiety levels, (2) better sleep, and (3) enhanced immune system function. It is difficult to fully explain through words the emotional and energetic feeling I receive from a session with her. However, I can go into the massage appointment feeling completely overwhelmed and stressed. Then, I come out of it feeling at peace. Even on days where I feel more relaxed, I feel a strong emotional and energetic release- as if there was a blockage in my flow of energy that was able to finally be set free through her work. Maintaining and protecting my mental peace has been a strong aspect of how I believe I can live my best life. By taking action to take care of me, I can bring that energy into the world and witness more beauty.
If there is anything I hope you for, as a reader, to takeaway from this is; no matter where you are in your journey, YOU are the most important person to you. We most likely have people whom rely on us, responsibilities in home and work, etc., but if you are not taking care of you, how can you positively give to the world around you? I cannot recommend massage therapy enough. I am lucky to receive the generous gift of care from the experienced massage therapists here at Seven Senses Spa and I hope you will choose to do so too. Thank you for coming with me on my 3-Part Massage Journey Series. Click the button below to stay connected with me! Until next time . . .
With love,
Aria :)