What is Your Health Care Plan?

​I'm not talking about health coverage or insurance policies.  I'm talking about how YOU take care, or don't take care, of YOU.
Is your health important to you or do other people, events or "things" take first place and you fit YOU in where you can?  Do you have an old injury that keeps talking and you know what needs to be done, but just can't find the time?
The other day I was wandering down the alleys of my mind and considering all the ways we see people when they come in the door...
Emergency Services:
For a good portion of clients, we perform emergency services - they come in when they are hurting and in pain and looking for immediate relief. Stress might have taken over and their body can't function under the load. The pain killers aren't working and it just won't "go away". I think James Cameron was the one that said, "Hope is not a strategy".  It also doesn't work too well on muscle spasms or nerve pain either.
Crisis Management:
If we aren't performing emergency services, many times we are assisting with crisis management.  Someone has a pain or injury and maybe is even seeing a physical therapist until the pain or problem is gone. Then they stop the exercises and we don't see them until the next crisis.  
Maintenance:
We have a good portion of clients that have felt how much the massage helped and are learning about taking consistent care of their body.  These are usually clients with a chronic issues, trying to keep them at bay and avoid having a crisis.
Prevention:
We have a growing population of clients that come in for preventative bodywork.  These folks see their health and wellness as the foundation of their life and know they can't do their best or be their best if they are in pain.  They usually are the ones smiling when they walk in and floating out the door after their session.  

Maintenance and Prevention can sometimes be the same thing.  Many older clients come in, having learned how helpful massage can be in functioning physically and many younger clients are coming in because they feel how much massage helps them manage their active and/or stressful lives.

During this time of year, many of us are considering our health.  How we approach it can be key to our happiness and wellness down the road.  It is my own belief that the better we take care of ourselves, the better we can care for others and be in the world.  

As an admirer of Martin Luther King, I believe he would agree that to be a good peace keeper and caring for our corner of the world, includes ourselves.  Be kind to YOU, take care of YOU, love YOU and you will have more to give.  Anger and violence will be less a part of your life if you fill it with compassion, peace and love for yourself first and it will flow more easily to others.

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