Ever find yourself hemming and hawing over what to give someone for a special occasion? Or finding it hard to create a wishlist for yourself? Here's 15 reasons why giving (or getting) massage as a gift is great. BECAUSE SCHOOL IS STRESSFUL You or someone you know cramming for finals? Shoulders can't take sitting in one more long lecture. Back can't take one more textbook to carry. Ready for a break and counting the days. Give, or ask for, the gift of taking some time out. Calm down, relax. Get mind and body feeling their best for the final stretch. BECAUSE GROWING A BABY IS HARD WORK Growing a baby is hard work. Countless physical and emotional changes in such a short span of time. Instead of gifting one more absolutely adorable onesie... that will be grown out of in exactly five seconds... gift the mom a massage session instead. Be the rockstar of the baby shower, or just a nice surprise at any point during or post-pregnancy.
Better yet, offer to babysit the new bundle of joy so mom can enjoy her massage and much needed solo time. You're the pregnant one? Make sure family and friends know your preferred massage therapist and give them a hint-hint nudge-nudge by slipping a few business cards. So often family and friends WANT to help out, but aren't sure HOW. Make it obvious and easy for them to get you what you need.
BECAUSE LOVE THY NEIGHBOR Got a great neighbor? One who's always looking out for you and the family? Always has a friendly wave and smile. Eager to help out or lend a tool. Tell them thanks with a massage. BECAUSE FROZEN WATER IS HEAVY When that road snow plow drives by and deposits about ten feet of slushy dense snow at the end of your driveway. Yah, a massage might be called for. BECAUSE YOU PUSHED IT TOO FAR You or a gym buddy feeling like you overworked something? Too much weight on the bar? Too long of a run? Too many squats in a challenge? Gift, or ask for, a massage and we'll see if we can bring that pain down, discuss at-home strategies, and possibly recover quicker. BECAUSE DEADLINES Personal or work project deadlines have you or someone you care about stressed to the max? Massage can bring those scrunched up shoulders down away from the ears, relax and renew. BECAUSE ADJUSTMENTS Got a new job? New desk or workstation? New equipment? New hobby? New pillow or bed? Anytime we ask our body to quickly adapt to a new environment or tool or posture, it's likely we'll feel some aches or even pain. Massage may soothe the nervous system's response to the "newness" of the stimulus and ease the transition. BECAUSE POST-SURGERY CARE IS CRITICAL Most surgeries are simply an intervention. The healing, recovery, and prevention of the same or more injury is the hard part. The long timeline. The difficult road to walk. Massage may be one useful therapy or tool among many to address post-surgery discomfort and adjustments. All those casseroles everyone wants to bake after someone's been in the hospital? Skip all those carbs. Give, or ask for, a massage instead.
BECAUSE SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Feel like you've been giving the same gifts over and over? When you need a new spin on the same dozen roses, add a massage session. Help them prioritize their wellness and health. Give them some self-care love they wouldn't schedule otherwise. BECAUSE IN-LAWS ARE IN TOWN Family obligations or dynamics drive you batty? Massage can be the perfect excuse to get away for a while and also reduce your stress. Come back to the situation with charged batteries. Or maybe give the in-laws the massage gift - providing you with alone time and hopefully a better relaxed experience all around. BECAUSE FLARE UPS Bend down to pick up the laundry basket and can't stand back up? Paying the price for tackling of a project too much too fast? If you, or a loved one, have a chronic condition, from time to time there will be "flares ups," "tweaks," and "out of commissions." Straws that break the camels back.
Once through those initial few days, massage therapy may be a wonderful way to get out of the woods quicker and more comfortably. Ease back down to normal state and learn some at-home care strategies that may prevent or reduce the next flare-up. BECAUSE AFTER SOME VACATIONS, YOU NEED A VACATION Not all vacations are sunny beach-side margaritas and palm trees. Sometimes a wrench or two gets thrown in. Delays. Reroutes. Closures. Drama. Emergencies. Sometimes you end up needing a vacation from your vacation. Massage can be your mini-escape.
BECAUSE YARD WORK
Whether it's spring, summer, fall, or winter, there's always something to be done in the yard. Planting, pruning, seeding, mowing, blowing, raking, shoveling. It all takes a toll. And massage therapy can be a therapeutic way to restore tired, sore, stiff, worn-out muscles and joints.
BECAUSE BIRTHDAYS Trying to find something for that one person that's sooo hard to buy for? Or are YOU that person? Instead of trying to find a tangible thing to give, focus on giving an experience instead. Something they may not do otherwise. Something that can give them a feeling, rather than just another thing.
BECAUSE IT'S GOOD TO FEEL GOOD
Did you or someone you know accomplish something important? Run a marathon? Bought a house? Tackled a personal issue? Passed a test? Got through a hard time? Finished a project?
These things can leave us feeling elated but also worn down and worn out. Massage can be a great reward to ourselves or others. It's good to feel good.
