On July 13th, 2014 I got a massage that changed everything. Let me go back for a second. I am a massage therapist and have been for 8 and a half years (yes the half counts), and for the first 6 years of my career I don’t think I was fully sold on what I was doing.

I knew massage was a great thing to do. When it was my turn to get one I thoroughly enjoyed it. People were telling me constantly about how much it was helping them, but for some reason I always had a little trouble talking to people about it. After the session, telling people that they should come back and why was a difficult thing for me to do.

In February 2013 I finally ventured out to start my own massage practice. That year I was working 7 days a week strait through. 3 days at my regular job and 5 days on my own private practice. I went from 18 hours of massage my first month to 86 hours one year later and only built that on word of mouth. Then going out on my own full time in February 2014.

That was easy compared to what happened after I brought 2 therapists on to join my team. I’ve never experienced a stress like being responsible for someone else’s income and livelihood. My therapists needed to be busy and I was trying to do everything possible to get them booked up. Late nights and early mornings were a regular thing for me and because that is all I was focusing on, other areas of my life started to slip.

I stopped getting massages, stopped working out, and stopped taking care of myself because I thought I didn’t have time. I thought every waking moment needed to be spent on emails and posting deals, events, networking, and anything else that was focused just on bringing people to our door and gaining exposure.

What ended up happening was I became more and more unproductive and stressed out even more. I was in pain, had low energy, didn’t spend time with my family and I barely ever wanted to get up off the couch.

Finally, I couldn’t I anymore and I made myself and appointment to get a massage on July 13th, 2014. I call it “The massage that changed everything”. It was an hour and half hot stone massage and I passed out for just about the entire massage. I didn’t even remember getting my back done. I woke up a little upset and told my therapist “you didn’t even do my back” she said “I spent and entire hour just on your back”. I mean I was out! Well I got over being upset and went home to relax.

I woke up the next day and like BOOM BABY I AM BACK! I was energized, recharged and I was motivated again. I got more done in the following 3 days than I had in the previous 2 weeks, and that’s when I had the shift in mindset about massage and what it can do for people.

I used to think massage was something that people did to help them with their pain and their stress. They have a sore shoulder that bothers them and they get a massage, it feels better, they leave. But now I know it is so much more that.

Now I believe it’s more about making myself a priority because when I take care of me first, I can handle all the other things life has to throw at me. That massage made me a better father. It made me a better husband. It made me a better business owner, and better person and friend. You see we are sold constantly to put everyone else before ourselves and as a result of doing that we are miserable. We have low energy, are in pain and stressed out. Then someone asks us to help them babysit or we have to take care of a loved one or worst of all, someone asks you to help them move out of their house. We say yes because that’s the right thing to do, but are we giving the activity, or the person who needs help, our best? Are our kids getting the best version of us? Are our spouses getting the best we have to offer them?

That answer is going to most often be no. We put everyone thing and everyone else first and neglect our own self care. This is backwards. You must put yourself first so that you can show up at your best for everyone else. When you feel your best you can be your best.

Work out. Eat healthy. Drink plenty of water and start doing something that re-energizes and recharges you. For me that thing is massage. It might be golf, It’s exercise in the morning. What ever it is for you, just do it. You, Your family, your friends, and your customers deserve the best version of you everyday!