Let’s consider this statement. For quite some time massage has been thought of as a luxury, for those with “disposable” income. What has changed to make this statement less true? Several things have:
1. The Rising Cost of Medical Care
2. Alternative Therapies are More Accessible
3. Everything about Life’s Pace has increased
Let’s look at this a little closer.
Rising cost of Medical Care
There was a time when you had a health concern; your first step would be to make an appointment with the doctor’s office to explore repeated headaches, a cold, or a stiff lower back, etc. As traditional medicine has increased in cost, availability has become scarce, and its focus of care has become more acute oriented i.e. a major illness, surgery or more. Now, because of office visit fees, emergency room costs, and the waiting time before you get in for an appointment, this may not be your first stop. These factors seem to make getting a massage as your first step more affordable and accessible.
Alternative Therapies are More Accessible
When I became interested in massage, there were NO SCHOOLS for massage training in town. In fact the closest schools were in St. Louis and Boulder Colo. Now, there are at least 5 local schools with students finishing every 6 to 12 months. In fact, I bet you know someone who has been to school for massage recently. You might have been one of their “practice” bodies. Six degrees of separation is more like 1 degree of separation now. Our metro has Therapists with up to 40 or more years of massage/bodywork experience to just graduated. As can imagine there’s lots of range to choose from in terms of modalities, experience and cost.
Everything about Life’s Pace has increased
I know this is not a secret, but in case you haven’t figured out, there’s reason you’re stressed and tired. If you are fortunate to have a job, you are doing the work of 2 maybe 3 people. If you don’t have a job, you are sending several days each week searching, applying, and checking back with places you have applied. Either way your life is feeling big, some if not most of the time. Add kiddos, spouse, friends, hobbies + a little time for “just” you . . . . And your life is BIG! Making sure you feel up to and ready to meet what life brings is the most important first step for your personal success, a sense of well-being and a positive outlook. Don’t believe me? Remember the last time you found yourself with a “have to go to bed” illness? How long did it take you to bounce back from it? By bounce back I mean get back to doing all the stuff you do, that litany above. It took a while didn’t it?
As you can see for my discussion above, feeling good enough to live your BIG life requires a little self maintenance and I suggest a massage is a great alternative first step to long waits high cost and having to go to bed for awhile. I’ll ask the question again “Is Massage a Luxury You Can’t Afford”? I think NOT!
