I have spent most of my life in search of a better way to live. I have traveled the country and looked into the eyes of many people to see if they have found the secret. The closest I came to any type of truth was the knowledge that a stressful lifestyle is a surefire way to derail any chance we have of finding a satisfying and gratifying life.
Stress is a natural part of life and a manageable bit of stress can do wonders for motivation and in times of danger, the hormones released during a stressful situation can save our lives. Its perpetual stress that is the problem and our society today has perfected the art of perpetual stress. For some, every aspect of their lives are filled with a constant need to perfect, to continually push onward and upward with little time for relaxation or reflection. Their are career paths were letting your guard down is the quickest way to termination and those types of situations are 100% fueled by stress.
We are not all raving stress lunatics. Some of us manage just fine on a nicely balanced diet of manageable stress and satisfying forward motion, but even a well balanced person has their days.
There have been numerous studies on the adverse affects of too much prolonged stress. Web MD is an easily accessible site that has a plethora of information on the topic. Here are some of the bullet points from the article http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/effects-of-stress-on-your-body
- Forty-three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.
- Seventy-five percent to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.
- Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety.
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress a hazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.
- The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions.
These are simple stats. Of course stress causes headaches, high blood pressure and depression. I believe that to be fairly common knowledge. My focus is on the big picture. How stress detracts us from a simpler life. A life where each problem has an answer and each answer has a feasible action. So that we can continue moving forward at a satisfying pace. Stress can take a simple scenario and turn it into a situation fraught with intangible outcomes and impossible solutions. In that situation nothing moves forward and life just stops.
I love massage because it is one of the best ways I have found to help people relax and unwind. Even if I am working out painful knots that have been in place for years, the client is still able to breath through the pain, comforted by the knowlege that old patterns of muscle stagnation will no longer hold them back.
A session can be as relaxing or as therapeutic as each individual chooses. Each person relates and responds to stress differently and each body has its own pain threshold. My work strives to bring people closer to a balanced state of body and mind because I strongly believe each of us is just a part of a whole and the more of us that are healthy, happy and balanced, the easier it is for all of us to stay that way.