by Frank Merillat
Well hello to all and here we go again. It’s a new year and all that holds for possibilities. By the time you are reading this I will have celebrated my 75th birthday and my thirtieth year of studying the art of bodywork and association with the Florida School of Massage.
As with many things in this life it is a constantly evolving learning experience and one that I hold with great gratitude. I came to FSM to work on myself and being associated with the school, staff, students and my massage practice has given me a wonderful opportunity to do so.
As this year begins I look ahead to where I want to be paying attention. I note that as I age I am aware that I am not as frisky as I used to be and am now modifying my life and work practice to acknowledge this. I have reduced my teaching the past couple of years to make my time a bit more my own as well as the number of clients I see. This is necessary for me to enjoy the time I am committing to my work life.
I still really enjoy the time spent with students and clients. I love the relationships that come with both class and the treatment room. It is a wonderful experience being able to meet others and assist in their potential growth and well-being. It is also a great reminder that I need to also hold space to do that for myself as well.
This year I have a couple of focus points for myself and they both have to do with self-care. I have decided to begin with only a couple goals as I believe I have a better chance to have success if I keep it simple. My first goal is to exercise a bit more. I do have help in this as Bippity the dog really reminds me on a daily basis that walks are really important. She makes her eyes big and stares as she follows me around the house. To help this happen I have basically limited my massage practice to two clients a day and I do not start until later in the day. This results in a nice start to both our days. It also gives an opportunity for an evening walk as well. You can just feel the wagging of the tail at this.
A second item I have added is the use of a pedometer. I am now counting my steps. It clips on my belt and gives me useful data on the number of steps I take on a daily basis. My goal is 10,000 a day or at least walking one hour a day. Not only is this good for my heart and breathing, it gets me out in nature which helps quiet my mind. I need the little reminders, dog eyes and counting steps to keep me moving.
I am also limiting my work days and hours to make more personal time. It is so easy to just work, work, work and lose time for myself. I am practicing setting boundaries in my life and work so there is time for me. Everything I do requires my time and energy. I am working on better management of my time. It is important to have time to do what I love (play) in order to do what I love (massage and teach). It’s about balance and this is a life long lesson for me.
This also reminds me that this is a renewal year for our massage license. Do you have a plan for meeting your CE hours? Remember all your hours must be complete and reported to CEBroker before you can renew. It is time to be intentional about this.
I am offering three classes this year, two I will be teaching and one that Deane Juhan will be the instructor. April 1-2 is Dancing With the Breath, a two-day class that will focus on the musculature involved in breathing. I will also be offering two individual classes on July 22 and 23. July 22 will focus on working with the neck and head. The class on the 23rd will focus on the shoulder. They can be taken separately or together. Both the breath class and the neck/shoulder classes will have lots of anatomy, specific techniques and hands-on practice.
Deane Juhan will be here April 21-23 offering his Resistance/Release work. This is a great opportunity to study with the author of Job’s Body and one of the great teachers of the Trager Approach. It is a unique opportunity to study with one of the recognized leaders in our profession.
If you want more information, check out the FSM post graduate/workshops page for these classes and other quality learning opportunities being offered through the school. What interests you and what skills do you want to develop or improve?
So what are your goals for this coming year? What do you want to accomplish, learn, explore or make time for? We are creatures of habit and if we want something in our life we need to plan and make time for it to come forth.
So Happy New Year to all, I am wishing you a rewarding year of growth and wellness. I hope to see you along the way!!
