"The RMT & Me"

I spent a sensuous hour with a tall, dark and ruggedly handsome man yesterday. His strong, warm hands on my back made me drool, my toes curl and left me in a dream-like state at the end of it all. Um, no - I am not talking about that. This dream man was a registered massage therapist and boy, did he take me to a special place.

Last week was stressful with all the bad and good things that that implies. It was a great week but it was busy and I had to be 'on' at work for most of it - not much downtime or quiet, something that I need to stay balanced. This coming week will be more of the same. And, very likely, the week after that, too. I love my job - truly. It's rare when you find yourself in a place where personal and professional passions meet. I find myself in that sweet spot now. But nothing comes for free in life. If I were to give myself completely to my work, it would be at a cost - a cost to my physical and mental well-being. And that's not something that I am willing to sacrifice after having fought so hard to finally get to a place of mental wellness.

By Friday night of last week my back was sore and tight and my neck was in real pain. My body was pretty much yelling at me to take notice. So off to the body lab I went for that amazing hour of bliss. It was an important and timely reminder of how vital it is to listen to your body. The physical manifests itself mentally and vice versa. For example, did you know that one of the first physical symptoms of depression is often back pain? When you have an ache, whether in your heart or your back, stop and ask yourself why. Then ask yourself what you might do about it. You have a choice; you always have a choice.

I am lucky in that my employer provides a very generous benefits plan to its employees. Massage therapy, along with chiropractic care, acupuncture and more, are covered. In the eight years or so that I have worked there, I have left money on the table; I have never fully used my benefits plan. Not very smart, when you think about it. I have always thought 'I am too busy to go for that massage...' and so I rarely scheduled one. That changes now - 2016 is a new chapter.

As my journey to overall well-being has shifted its focus from just mental health to all that true well-being encompasses, my priorities have shifted as well. I say no to social invitations if I know that they will leave me depleted mentally. I ensure that I spend time with people who add to my life rather than steal all my energy from me. I putter in my craft room. I write this blog (!). I watch the Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein comedy Portlandia online and laugh out loud. I cook healthy meals once a week to put in the freezer so that I can make healthy, inexpensive choices when I am pressed for time or feeling too tired or lazy to cook. And, full disclosure, I still really struggle getting regular exercise but I am a work in progress and that is OK.

So here's the million dollar question; it's a question that can change your life. What is one thing that you can do today that will make your life better? Think big, think small - just think about it. Then do something today that you will thank yourself for tomorrow. You are so worth it.

KB xo

P.S. Here are some great resources and ideas to check out so that you can cultivate a life of balance and overall well-being:

25 Ways To Change Your Life Stat

101 Frugal Ways to Relax

One of my favourite books on this topic is Wellbeing: The Five Essential Elements by Tom Rath and Jim Harter.