The Awakening Of A Massage Therapist

I have always been the type of person who cares a lot about others, and I can't stand to see others hurting. As a mother, I had always used massage to calm and soothe my daughters and to help them sleep well. I believe it truly had a positive effect on how they grew and thrived. They were always very active in the outdoors as well as sports, and they always knew it would be Mom's hands that would help them feel better when they were injured or had overdone it. I hadn't had any formal massage training at the time, but I just instinctively knew my touch would soothe, calm, and take away pain.

If a family member or friend had slept wrong and had a "kink" in their neck, I was always the one who would put my hands on them and ease that pain. To me, it's so rewarding to have someone tell me, "Thank you. I feel so much better!" or "It doesn't hurt anymore!" That always brings a smile to my face. But even then, it didn't really cross my mind that I could make a career out of helping others be happier and free of pain.

I had always been drawn to the salon and beauty industry also. When my kids got a little older, I decided to take classes to become a manicurist. This was very rewarding to me also. I just enjoy doing things that make people feel better, and making a woman's nails look pretty can really make her feel better in general. What I didn't realize was that I was also having a positive impact with the power of touch, and that my presence also had a calming and soothing effect on my nail clients. Of course, women talk, so I never had a problem staying busy. My schedule was overflowing with clients who had been recommended me.

I always enjoyed the feedback that I got from clients. I had many nail clients tell me that I made them feel so much better. I had people fall asleep in my chair while having their nails done. I always took my time with giving a nice hand massage or foot massage with a manicure or pedicure. Now, I did great nails and made them look pretty, but many confessed that that was just the icing on the cake. They were coming to me for the great hand and foot massages! Being good at what I do has always been important to me, so I truly felt blessed with all of the material and immaterial rewards this career provided. Having a client call you hours after their appointment just to thank you for making them feel good is a great reward to me.

With my success as a manicurist, I still always thought I needed to take this all a step farther. If I could have that much impact on their well-being with a hand or foot massage, I could have a greater effect by becoming a massage therapist. Living in a somewhat rural area with no massage schools available, it was really just a wish for about 5 years. I looked around trying to find online classes, but they would still require me to go out of state for any hands-on instruction.

After going through a divorce, I was trying to get my bearings and decide what direction I wanted to go with my future. Of course, massage therapy was still on my mind. After finding a massage therapy school in another state that offered a 7 month course, I decided to dive in. It was more wonderful than I even imagined, and I grew so much as a person while learning to refine my skills and learn the human anatomy in depth. Even more unexpected rewards! I never expected to have the personal journey of growth that I experienced by going to school for massage therapy. The program I chose had a lot to do with that I think.

I continue to receive wonderful feedback from clients. I have been told I'm doing the work I was intended to do. The best thing of all is that it doesn't even feel like work. The fact that I can do what I love and make a career of it is what most people always dream of, but most never complete the dream. I feel very fortunate to have been able to do work that I love all of my life. I would encourage anybody to follow their dreams and do what they love. If you want it badly enough you can always find a way. Even though I loved my first career choice, I would have always regretted it if I hadn't taken that step and gone to massage therapy school to further my dreams. It didn't come without sacrifice, but all of the sacrifice was worth it in the grand scheme of things. Follow your dreams!