Like so many others I had a thriving career pre COVID ... my job was to pave the the way for making peoples holiday dreams a reality - a travel planner like no other, committed, knowledgeable, personable and always going the extra mile. Within a few weeks my passion for planning clients special holidays came crashing down when we hit our first lockdown. Thrown into reduced working hours what could I do as a back up plan? I considered to follow another passion of mine, one I never pursued because of fear of failure, but I thought what the hell let's do it anyway .... a weekend massage course! I've massaged as a hobby but could I make a little income from it? I gave Relaxation Massage a try and my first few 'clients' loved it.
Could I offer some more? Yes I could, so off I went and did some Deep Tissue Courses. Armed with a little more knowledge I thought that this would be enough to keep me happy; a few hours a week doing travel and then a few clients on the side offering Massage.
My desire for providing my community with self care options grew and my Sauna Studio was launched.
Great, now I've got massage, sauna and travel.
The travel industry received so many blows with mini lockdowns that my then employer could no longer sustain paying a salary, my hours were less and less ..... I needed to pay the bills. So I made a decision to commit full time to Wellness - that was in March 2021, three months in and another lockdown, with everything forced shut overnight it was a huge challenge, with some support from the government at least the bills could be paid but all my hard work to build a business came to a halt.
I took the opportunity during lockdown to enrol in a Diploma of Remedial Massage - something I never thought I would do! Its been 12 months since the course started and the knowledge I have gained and the techniques I now use has really got me excited!
I never thought I would enjoy inflicting pain upon my clients (I promise I always 'make nice' as my teachers say), but when a client gets up off my table and says they have not been able to tie their shoe laces for two weeks, or haven't been able to turn their neck or lift their arms overhead and can now do it all .... it is one of the most satisfying and heartwarming feelings you can get.
My journey through a crisis was inspired by many - my family, my friends and yes some outside factors too - Amber @Heritage Chiropractic, you were a great influence - seeing results, even though I was in pain but managing to do it with a smile! As a massage therapist I describe myself as intuitive. I listen to my clients, speak to them about what's happening in their lives, have a bit of a laugh .... but I also ask about their discomfort, ask what I can do to make it better and suggest ways in which I can get them back to enjoying life.
Starting something new when you are just a small fish in the sea, building trust amongst my clients and creating a loyal following has been challenging, but when I look back and see how far I have come, all I can do is smile.
Bottom line, even though I don't sell travel anymore, I still make people happy! Those that Sauna leave with a smile and a good dose of detox and relaxation, those that come for a massage leave with relief and a smile and relaxation too.
It is awesome to have an impact on someone's wellbeing and health and I hope to continue providing you only the best on your self care journeys.
Thank you to everyone that has supported me along the way and to my future clients - welcome to my Wellness Family.
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