The Stinging

Marcus Aurelius “You’re better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve.”

Feedback whether it is constructive or destructive stings. In my teens, I created my first song and recorded it. The response was generally well until one came in that said it's not bad BUT it's not as good as D’Angelo’s (Recording Artist who had a hit called How Does It Feel)………...this stopped my creative pursuit to attempt to finish the rest of the album. It got SCRAPPED because my ego felt like CRAP. Fully acknowledge the EGO bruised and stained, the wisdom comes later I create from a place of care and love of the process. I learned when I was young that I was trying to get the approval of one particular person which did not line up to my soulful purpose of doing GOOD and inherently down the narrow path of not so GOOD. The parallel to this is that as children we look for the approval of our peers or parents but fail to see the caring people that are on our peripherals that have been waiting for our craft to be released. The cycle continues as we look for validation as the person looking up at us is looking for our blessing. There has to be a better way of acknowledging and sharing our energy with those looking for what we are doing. Why do we play for one particular person or group? We need only a few to understand our work and look forward to what we are bringing to the table. Simply, bring your best version of yourself at that moment with consistency. This will yield to a high percentage of many seeing your true gift. You are the Gift.

What caused you to stop your creative work? Are you now ready to pursue it again?

You: Your best investment.

by Ryan Hayes RMT

A new year.  A new variant.  A new challenge.  A new stress.  While the global upheaval persists, many people continue to struggle with isolation from friends and family, scheduling conflicts of homeschooling children, and a topsy-turvy work environment, finding ways to create consistency can be difficult.  There seems to be less and less that we can rely upon for stability.  One thing that needs to remain constant through this turbulent time is our sense of self.

As the responsibilities of the individual continue to mount, we can easily find ourselves sinking beneath the surface of functional physical and mental health.  Now, more than ever is the time to put ourselves first.  How can we be either a supportive spouse, sibling, parent, teacher, or coworker if we are struggling to stay afloat?  What can we offer to others if we refuse to pay attention to our own needs?  

Many of us are quite adept at putting everybody else and their needs before our own.  Further, the responsibilities of the average individual often exceed the energetic output available to effectively manage the altered pandemic lifestyle of today.  However, there are many people out there whose job is to help declutter the brain, relieve tension from the body, and help restore a better balance between the body and the mind.

Today’s society necessitates active reflection over our state of health.  We need to make sure to take some time to put ourselves first.  The time for this does exist.  We do not have to create time.  We have to allocate time.  It is neither impossible nor unreasonable to take an hour or two a month to have our batteries recharged.  It is essential to seek out a healthcare provider to help in the areas we are finding ourselves deficient or need support.

This help can come in the form of a talk therapist, a massage therapist, a personal trainer, an acupuncturist, an osteopath, etc.  There are many different venues and practitioners to help with the multitude of strains that we are put through daily.  Even a car needs an oil change every 5000km.  We are no different.  Unfortunately, we drive our bodies until they run out of gas.  This is not ideal in the long run.

We must resolve to invest in our health.  If our health suffers then all aspects of our existence are diminished.  A mind cannot function optimally if it is distracted by the woes of the body.  Further, the hamster wheel in the head can grind the body to a halt.  To function effectively in the home and society our body must function effectively from the inside out.  A healthy individual can be a productive individual. 

We save for our retirement, we save for our children’s education, we save for a home, we save for a trip.  When these moments arrive how can we enjoy them if our health is less than functional?  Part of saving for the future is investing in our health today.  Make massage therapy a part of your support network.  Your daily productivity, your sleep, and your ability to manage stress will improve.  Your body and mind will thank you.

Lose the Weight not your money from your Extended Benefits.

Being a trainer for over 15 + years has shown me the pattern of individuals going through a season of indulgence to later go through remorse by losing the pounds for the New Year. I myself gain the weight in the past for the holidays comes with a drink in one hand and a fork on the other. Sharing meals with people and connecting is what we do best during these times. The psychology of overeating presented in a journal placed overeating being equivalent to sex and drugs for the release of dopamine into an area of the Midbrain called the Nucleus Accumbens. The reward signal by food, usually in the form of sugar and carbohydrate, is worth repeating. Dopamine, essentially is the greatest reward when it comes to feeling good about ourselves. The imbalance of gaining the weight comes down to excess of food with not enough movement for the body to burn the energy. A study done in McMaster University in Ontario called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) showed that 30 second bike sprints for a total of three minutes led to the same muscle cell adaptations as two hours of long, steady bike riding. Basically, the concept of movement can be minimal to help balance an imbalance system due to over indulgence.

Here is our solution:

Invest in time in blocking off at least 30 minutes per week to start in having a movement practice. In can look like this.

1. 30 minute training session followed by 30 minute massage/flexibility session. Your physiotherapy benefits can cover the training portion as long as it is under the care of Physiotherapist. Usually, something that is due to posture related like using a computer can be assisted by training your back and abs.

2. Drinking water with the same amount of alcoholic or sweet beverage to dilute the content. Of course limiting ourselves to 1-2 glasses would be helpful. Often I ask my client if the food they are about to ingest is something they work for? Our ancestors had to work for food and therefore obesity did not exist.

3. Revisit in a month and potentially add another day for training and journal each week to see what can be revised to improve.

4. What is your ‘WHY’? This is important and was eloquently spoken by Simon Sinek. We will continue to pursuit the wrong thing until we have fully committed to what overwrites our impulse to make wrong decisions. Our intentions must be clear to head in the direction with ‘Why’ as our compass. Here’s the video: Why?

Lose the weight and not your benefits. We work hard to have the life we live and letting your extended health care benefits go down the drain is a waste. Let us help you with what you already have to get you started in this journey in wellness. Here’s a link if you need to contact us: Book a Consultation

Thank you for making the time to read this!

Keep it Balanced,

Garnet Santicruz RMT, CPT, CMRP