I've been losing sleep.
Not due to stress or tension, but to excitement. Ever had that happen? You know, when sleeping is tough because you can't seem to shut off the brainstorming and creative juices and the passion of what you're about to embark on? Despite the lack of sleep, I feel rejuvenated and more alive than ever. How is that possible, you wonder? I've connected to my passions, that's how!
Through blogging and an online business focusing program I've been doing this month, I've put a lot of time and thought into connecting my passions and interests. In doing so, I've come alive with energy to do the work I was meant to do!
One of my many passions that I haven't written about yet is massage therapy. It is time I bring that to the forefront since it has been a love of mine since middle school. I was lucky to have been raised in a household where my dad would sometimes give backrubs to me and my siblings while watching TV after dinner. They were hard and painful, but felt great when he was done! Thus, my siblings and I started exchanging backrubs in bed at night. We'd trade 5 minutes for 5 minutes since our little hands didn't last that long back then. It didn't take long for me to realize that I was the only one who actually enjoyed giving the backrub as much as I enjoyed receiving it. I continued to give backrubs to other family members and friends at school. My godfather/uncle supported my interest and gave me oils and massage books as gifts for Christmas or birthdays. Soon, I was in high demand at family reunions!
When I got to high school, I continued teaching myself a variety of massage techniques. I fell in love with human anatomy and biology. I started researching massage therapy training programs to attend after graduation. Most of them were 9 months or 12 months long and cost $9,000 - $12,000. I had saved money for college my whole life and was really excited about being able to afford a massage therapy program.
Now, my parents had other ideas. A lot of discussion was had about the viability of massage as a career, and to make a long story short, I ended up in a 4 year college setting. I continued to do massage throughout college and eventually starting running a "business" out of my dorm room during my sophomore year. When I went abroad to Thailand during my junior year, I treated myself to a 3 day Thai massage training and loved it. My interest in massage was not dwindling. Upon my return, I purchased a table on Ebay and had it delivered to my residence hall. I learned proper draping techniques, researched oils/lotions, and was able to offer better quality massages out of my dorm. I also ran for homecoming queen with the slogan "She'll Rub You the Right Way" and offered free massages on the campus mall every day of Homecoming week to promote myself. As fate would have it, I connected with the electrology institute in Eau Claire and was hired on as the massage specialist during my senior year. I had my own room at that building where all of my materials were provided for me. I was given DVD training in swedish, deep tissue, prenatal, sports, and hot stone massages. It was like a dream come true.
Well, life brought about many changes again and I found myself leaving my college town after graduation and moving home. I didn't lose sight of my desire to relax and heal people, and still offered massages out of my home as soon as I'd moved out of my parents' house. It was always on the back burner, but still simmering.
The simmering seems to have come to a boil, finally. As I am creating a business to empower and strengthen women through accessing their inner stillness, I see coaching and massage as perfect compliments to doula services. I believe my clients will find a mommy-to-be package of prenatal massages, birth planning, and coaching to be beyond helpful in getting them the birth experience they want.
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