Hi! Recently I did a blog post called “Why Johnny C., Why?”, a manifesto of sorts, and a deep look into why I do massage therapy. On further review, I’ve come across another idea about my motives. SELFISHNESS. I like how massage makes ME feel! Like the picture here of me and my wife in Glacier National Park, it makes me feel good. And I like to feel good. I like to feel happy and free of the worlds distractions, which is what happens when I’m working on peoples muscles. I’m so focused on how that muscle feels to me, and what can be done to make that muscle release, that I am not thinking about dinner, whales, or politics. For that time, whether it’s a 20 minute chair massage at my office in Kalispell, or a 90 minute outcall session, I’m blessed with being able to shut off my brain for awhile and selfishly focus on nothing but my client.
I love it when a client is vocal during a session, giving biofeedback in the form of “ooh”, “aahh”, “wow, that really feels good!”, etc. This reinforces that my work is pleasant to them, they’re enjoying the experience, and then, so will I. It’s like when you post a picture to facebook and get a hundred likes on it! Makes ya want to post more pics, right? It makes you feel good, and you want MORE.
I love it when I see clients get results, freedom from pain, stress, and worry. This is another big “why” I continue to do massage therapy.
God knows, at this point, I certainly don’t do massage for the money. Despite having one of the higher hourly rates in the area, after I pay taxes, rent, insurance, my overhead, etc, I am not getting rich doing massage therapy.
So, there must be another reason WHY I do massage: again, it just makes me feel good doing it! It’s like an artist or musician that produces a painting or song that they know will never be seen by the public. They do it because it makes them feel good, it’s a God-given talent that will pour forth one way or another, and it’s enjoyable. The skateboarder at the skatepark all by himself who pushes out new tricks with no one there to cheer him on.
Ok, enough of this hocus-pocus, grey area mushy internal musings, let’s get some work done!
