Things that make you go aaaahhhhh

In the rush of life (and anyone who knows me knows my life is HIGH OCTANE INSANE) it's easy to forget to just chill out for a bit.

When you add workouts 6 days a week to an already full schedule, your body starts to feel it.....

So today I visited my beautiful friend Morgan, who is studying massage.

What followed was an hour of peace, dozing and dare I say, a little drooling from the most relaxing massage I have had.  While I was lying there, trying to not dribble on the floor, I got to thinking......why have I never considered massage an important part of my workout plans?

Humans thrive on touch, we're very friendly that way.  Massage has been a centuries old remedy for all sorts of complaints.....Hippocrates (5th Century) recommended that physicians should learn 'rubbing' techniques. It is prevalent in many cultures, for example Chinese, Indian,even Australian aboriginal cultures.

Massage aids in relieving muscle soreness from a good workout, and assists in recovery. It's as important for you as stretching is!  Massage can manipulate the muscles and flush out the waste and boost blood circulation, feeding those hard working muscles oxygen and essential nutrients.

But back to me....( LOL) I walked in a sore, frazzled rushed mess with wooden arms and legs from the weight workouts....I dropped the car off for a service, been banking, taken my daughter to the shops to organise a new phone, picked a few odds and ends and ran errands and could hear that clock tick ticking away in my head " Hurry up!  You've only got a few minutes before you have to go! You don't have time!"  That  was added to the thousands of worries that wander through my head at any given time.

The room I was shown into was warm and had muted lighting.  Morgan was her cheery self but once I hopped on the table it was just soothing music, warm hands and that delicious sensation of hovering between sleep and awake.

I left Morgan's feeling energised, relaxed and refreshed.  My mind was clear, the rushy feeling I had when I walked in had gone and I felt just content to just be. I had escaped the pressure that was on my mind and my body was fluid, (not made of concrete) and felt just like sinking into your favourite pair of pyjamas.

Now that I've experienced the effectiveness of a massage, not just physically but mentally, it's been slotted into my workout schedule to be a regular fortnightly 'reboot'.

So I have a new dare for you all.....I dare you to have a massage! Relaxation, therapeutic, whatever! Try a hand massage, our poor hands do so much and get very little attention.  It's amazing how good you feel just after a hand massage. Or go the whole hog and get a full body massage!   Treat yourself....you deserve it.  If the cost puts you off, do a swapsies with a friend for a hand and arm massage perhaps...a I'll do yours, if you do mine type of deal.

Would love to know what you think afterwards!