It’s true- had you asked me then what these definitions were, I’d tell you something like, “Indulgence is to experience something that is not needed; an extra in life; a luxury- like massage; Necessity, then, is something that I must have in order to live- like air and food.” Fast forwarding to the present, and now looking back, I’d say that massage falls under a Necessity- “really?” you say, “how so?” First off all, another awesome lesson I was introduced to in massage school was the importance of self-care. If you remember the previous article on touch, it discussed how our stressed induced world is becoming so advanced, we barley have to ask questions to another human being, we can just google it! In my opinion, it is more important NOW than ever before to receive massage, whether it’s to relax, rehab an injury or detox, massage can now be put in the category of health care and removed from the category of luxury- I mean, isn’t it a good sign that some doctors are endorsing massage, some health care providers are covering massage, and there is a massage studio on every corner-massage studios are the Starbucks of the wellness community! So, while some may still consider taking 60 minutes for themselves indulgences, many are coming to believe that which I do- massage is a part of our life-maintenance and it allows me to thrive (and not get jealous of my clients) Just like we must take our car to the shop to get that oil change and tune-up, our bodies also need that tune-up and adjustment. And really, with all the lists of benefits I’ve offered you in previous articles, massage as a necessity really comes down to what your definition of self-care is and how you choose to value yourself. Our bodies are our temples- let’s treat them like one. No more making excuses. Massage is a necessity and why not enjoy this part of our life-maintenance?!

Note: other indulgences of Autumn: eating Jelly Bellys and Dark Chocolate. My argument for this “necessity….” well, I love them!