Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

There are loads of good things about the holidays, unfortunately sometimes those good things are a long way away and our holiday fun is overshadowed by the pains of holiday travel. I have half of my holiday travel done already, I just got back from a combined late turkey day/early Christmas with my far away family. Feeling a little worse for the wear upon my return got me thinking about what I did wrong and what I could have done better. So here we go, a Christmas gift to you, learn from my fail.

No Fail Rule #1 Get plenty of rest before you travel.
It's tempting to stay up late the night before you leave, but contrary to what you think, you will not sleep on the plane...so get your 8 hrs in the night before! Make a list of what you need to pack in the days prior to travel, so you won't lay awake wondering what you have forgotten.

No Fail Rule #2 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Just drinking bottled water on the plane isn't quite enough to really keep hydrated. Starting out well hydrated is your first step...but bottled water may not be the best choice. I typically drink tap water (shocking I know!) but when I have ignored my hydration levels for a bit and need a boost I will pick up a gallon of distilled water. The more minerals there are in water, the less hydrating it is, for this reason I choose distilled water, which contains no minerals or impurities. Spring water and filtered water contain many minerals. Don't ignore the water in your food, watermelon, celery, cucumbers, and many other fresh fruits and veggies contain plenty of water to help keep you hydrated. Stay away from salty or fatty foods, and refined sugar. Avoid drinking alcohol on the plane, not only will it dehydrate you , but the altitude makes you feel the effects of the alcohol quicker and your tolerance will be lower than normal.

No Fail Rule #3 Sit up and Get up!
On a plane, train or stuck in a car, there are some simple stretches and seated exercises you can do to arrive feeling good. Move any parts you can and move them frequently. Roll your shoulders up to your ears and back, then change direction. Roll your head in circles and tuck your chin down to your chest, stretch your arms over your head, flex your toes and roll your ankles in circles, reverse directions. If you are traveling by plane or train get up and walk, do laps around the plane if you can. Check out these Airplane Yoga poses: http://www.suite101.com/content/airplane-yoga-ancient-secret-to-modern-travel-a60545
If you are in a car, make the most of your pit stops. If your travel partner will let you eat in the car, pack your food or take your food to go so that your pit stop time can be spent on your feet and moving around instead of sitting in a greasy spoon. Stretch, wiggle, bounce, do a little parking lot yoga, go for a quick walk or run, whatever gets your blood moving and warms up your muscles. Pay attention to your posture, avoid sitting slumped down or with your shoulders rolled forward.

No Fail Rule #4 Let it go...
Stress can often come from within. When we dwell on negatives, worry about things that are out of our control, and hold ourselves to unrealistic standards we create stress for ourselves. Self created stress has very real physical repercussions, our body releases chemicals and hormones that make our bodies work harder and deplete our immune system. Stressing about delays and missed connections doesn't change the outcome, only how miserable you are during the delay. Go with the flow and stay clam. Use the time waiting in airports of train stations to move around, do something that refreshes you, take some deep breaths, meditate if you are inclined or pass time by chatting with fellow travelers. If something goes wrong, let it go, describe it as a delay and don't drag out the details.

No Fail Rule # 6 Reward Yourself!
Schedule a massage, pedicure, facial, Yoga class or visit to the Chiropractor on each end of your travels. Not only will this give you something to look forward to, but it will help you feel renewed and refreshed and bring you back to your old self!

I hope these tips help make your travels a little easier all the year through, and that everyone has a great holiday season, near or far!

Massage can improve your love life!

Single or Married, who doesn't want to be more attractive? Getting regular massage can make you more attractive and more desirable. I'm sure most of you have seen the list of massage benefits, but lest put it in layman's terms and you will see what I mean:

* Improves Posture
Standing up straight is the best way to exude confidence and self assuredness.
* Improves Circulation
This is that healthy glow all those cosmetic companies tell you their product will give you.
* Relieves Stress
No one likes a stress ball!
* Encourages Relaxation
Especially good for those first dates, no more nervous chatter! You will be calm cool and collected!
* Lowers Blood Pressure
Again, keeping that suave attitude!
* Helps Manage Pain
When you are not in pain you smile more and are able to focus your interest on your partner.
* Improves Flexibility and Range of Motion
Do I really need to elaborate on this one?
* Relieves Tension-Related Headaches
No more "not tonight honey..."
* Strengthens The Immune System
Healthy strong and vital!
Feeling and looking more attractive, being your best and living life to the fullest, getting regular massage is progress towards a healthy, happy you.

I surrender!

That's right, I'm throwing in the towel, I'm waving the white flag, I'm dropping my weapon and coming out with my hands up! Figuratively speaking of coarse. I recently read a quote which lead to all this flag waving I've been doing. Here's the quote:

"This ability to work without strain utilizes an unspoken contract between you and your client which I call surrender. Both of you must let go of, or surrender your will in a compromise built on trust. Surrender is not a defeat or loss of power. As the therapist, you must let go of any agendas about forcing muscles to relax. You can only facilitate an opening and relaxation by letting it happen, not by making it happen. It involves letting go of attempting to control the outcome. Without this, the massage can become a power struggle between you and your client. If your client can sense your compassion and flexibility, they can surrender their resistance to change without a feeling of defeat or surrendering their power."
~Art Riggs, Certified Advanced Rolfer

Suddenly this quote applied to all sorts of aspects of my life. It seemed to me that many of my daily struggles could be handled this way too. Instead of pushing a hot topic with my husband, I found that making suggestions or even just bringing things up conversationally instead of being confrontational helped him be much more open to the idea and compromise was achieved in record time! Same with my day to day dealings with the soon-to-be four year old I live with. I find myself having a new outlook on all kinds of things, career choices, challenging relationships, even vacation plans!
So I challenge you with this, where in your life could a little surrendering do a lot of good?

Top 3

I was working on a whole list of things you should ask your MT, but it really comes down to a handful of things:
1. Are they certified?
2. Are they permitted?
3. Are they insured?
Certification happens from their school and comes after completing both hours in practical learning and academic learning.
Permitting happens at the city, state and national levels. California has just started permitting Massage Therapists and so far they do not require a written exam, but do require a background check and finger printing. The National has a written exam as well as finger printing and background check. City requirements change city-to-city. Clovis, where I work, requires a background check, finger printing and a written test.
Insurance seems obvious, but many practitioners don't carry it. Some think they are covered by the location they are working out of, some may be, but it is always a good thing to clarify before you get started with someone new.
Those are the key points to hit on before you start a working relationship with a MT, other questions you may want to ask:
What type of products do they use? This is important because not everything is hypo-allergenic or Paraben free. This is especially important if you have any allergies or are sensitive to smells.
What modalities do they practice? If you aren't familiar with the modality they practice, google it. You might be disappointed if you were hoping to really dig into some of those tight spots, and your massage therapist practices Raki, like wise, if you just want to relax and you end up with a deep tissue massage, you may be disappointed.
Just remember, it is your massage, keep communicating with your MT to get the massage you want.

Back to School Madness!!!

This is my first time dealing with back to school madness...ok, so maybe sending a preschooler to school for the first time doesn't really compare to getting a teen or tween ready for another hectic school year, but it has made me appreciate all the stuff mom's and dad's do for the school set. I'm not looking forward to battling with my sweet little girl on whatever the latest fashion trend is, or having to help with homework and mission projects (ok, maybe I'm looking forward to building a mission, a little). So I've decided to help you start the year out right with an awesome BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL!! (drum roll please...)

Now through the end of September, ask for the Back to School Special when you book your massage and get an extra 15 min FREE on ANY massage!

Here's to a getting a great start on another school year!
Cheers!
Tracy
www.tidemassage.com

Blanton Wealth Creation, Tell a friend, and Chair massage, Oh My!

So many things buzzing around in my head today, I'm going to try to tie them all in to one post, wish me luck!

First thing:
Blanton Wealth Creation just put out their news letter for this month. Betcha didn't know that. Wanna know why I'm saying that here? Because the wickedly awesome Clay Blanton and his incredibly talented staff have included with their news letter a fantastic deal from yours truly! This deal allows you to purchase 5 one hour massage sessions PLUS a hot stone upgrade for just $200!
"But Tracy, every massage is different, how will I know I'm going to love your massage so much that I want FIVE of them?!?!"
Ahhh! I knew you were going to say that! Money back guarantee! You don't like your first massage, I give you your money back! How's that for a good investment!
So now you are probably feeling kinda sad that you aren't one of Clay's clients, so you can't get in on this deal. Well guess what? It's not too late! Give Clay a call and set up your appointment, FOR FREE, then call me and let me know you did! It's a win-win! You get amazing advice on how to manage your investments and how to plan for your retirement AND you get a great deal on fantastic massages!
All of Clay's info is on his website, over there ------>

Next:
Speaking of telling folks about a good thing, did you know I have a tell a friend reward program? yep, yep, I do! Tell a friend (or ten) about Tide Massage Therapy, and for every friend that schedules a massage, you get 15 minutes FREE! You can use that to turn a 60 min massage into a 75 min massage, or save up 4 of them and get a free massage!

Lastly:
Speaking of free massage, wow...I did it...I tied it all together, YAY me! I gave away 4 free massages today at a great event for the Admin and Business staff at Clovis Unified School District. (For anyone who doesn't know, my mom, who was a Guidance Counselor in Orange County for my whole life, passed away 2 years ago from Pancreatic Cancer. I could not stop thinking about her today.) Even though I didn't have too many takers on chair massage, I got to talk with a number of fantastic women, hopefully some who will become clients. Hearing their stories about helping kids and dealing with the stress of budget cuts, over crowding, and under staffing really inspired me. CUSD is celebrating their 50th year this year and people who have attended CUSD schools or worked in them for the last 50 years were sharing stories from each decade. From the beginning, with just one High School, to today, the stories were funny and thought provoking. While so much has changed, some things stay the same. I had been planning on just raffling off one massage...but there were so many women there who could really use it, I decided to give out four.

Talk to me!

Why is communication so important? Isn't every massage the same?
Nope, not even kinda. Each person is different and what one client prefers, another may only tolerate. That's why I appreciate clients who talk to me. I'm not suggesting you chat your therapists ear off next time you go in for a massage, but if something is uncomfortable, or if there is an area you really like to have worked, speak up. After all this is your massage! No therapist can read your mind, or feel what you are feeling, and even the best therapist will welcome a little help discovering your likes and dislikes!

Why I do what I do.

So many people ask me what drew me to Massage Therapy as a profession. It's not an easy question to answer. I usually say that it is something I considered every time I made a career change, but really it is so much more than that. I think a big component is that I really do like to help people feel good. I like to help them be the best they can be.

When I look back at some of the other jobs I have had, this has been a big part of what I was doing there. Working as an Sales Event Coordinator for a craft store, I was in charge of hiring the teachers and creating an exciting class schedule. Hiring someone to do what they love is a huge joy, and watching people discover that they can do something new is almost addicting!
Working in L.A. in a small casting office, helping place actors in commercials was just as rewarding, and making that call to tell someone about their next job never got old! Yet still, there were parts of these jobs that I wasn't passionate about, things that were a means to an end. With the craft store there were countless other chores, and an endless parade of higher ups to impress. With casting it was the long hours. I always knew that if I wanted to have a family and really be there for my kids, I just couldn't stay in casting.

Massage Therapy is that one thing that kept coming up, like my own subliminal message, always lingering at the back of my mind. Now here I am, mother of a beautiful 3 year old (ahem, 3 and 1/2 she will have you know), and looking to get back to work, but still be there for Katie. Seems like the perfect fit. A job, flexible enough to fit my life, helping people be their best, and I get to be my own boss. Looked good on paper.

It wasn't really until I was out of school and working with clients that I really realized how passionate I am about this. I love doing what I do and nothing is better than finishing working with a client and hearing them say that they feel better! Unlike my other jobs, my only goal in going to work each day is to help someone feel better. Lucky me!