My California Thai Massage

Sometimes you just need a vacation, BADLY.  That’s why this past week my husband and I took a much-needed vacation to California.  We spent 10 days there, during which we not only relaxed but also packed in a TON of activity, which included some time in San Francisco.

In San Francisco we went for a 13-mile bike ride. Yeah, you read that right (ow, my quads!).  The ride took us through the city, up and over the Golden Gate Bridge, up to a vista point, and then down to Sausalito, where a ferry thankfully brought us back to San Francisco.  The bike I rode was technically an electric bike, but I would call it more of a…hybrid.  It did have a bit more of a kick with each pedal, but man, you still had to work HARD.

When I got back to San Francisco and realized just how much my quads were killing me, I decided to treat myself to a good massage/stretching session.  I promptly looked up Thai Massage places on Yelp and got a same-day appointment at a place not too far from our hotel.  

Upon arrival, I was greeted warmly with a cup of tea, which left me with a great first impression.  However, when I was led to my room, the hallway was very dark, the room was undecorated, and I was left waiting for a long time for the massage therapist to come (now I was less happy). 

But then, my therapist arrived.  As soon as she started asking questions, I knew she had actually read my intake form.  This in turn led to a GREAT MASSAGE.  It was a nice mix of ashiatsu, deep-tissue, and stretching techniques, and lasted a full 60 minutes (not the common 50-minute hour).

My takeaways from this experience are that first impressions are important, and the frills of a decorated room don’t really matter as long as your session actually makes you feel better.

Self-care is something I preach to all my clients, and I like to follow my own advice and get regular massages too.  This includes checking out other massage places to not only treat myself but also see what we can do better at Healing Hands.

What’s your favorite thing about Healing Hands?  What do you love, and what can we improve?  Leave us a comment letting us know, and book your next appointment to keep up with your self-care!

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #thaimassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #travel, #healthylifestyle, #personal

Healing Hands Miami, therapeutic massage, Thai massage, corporate wellness, massage, wellness, travel, healthy lifestyle, personal

Traveling Doesn’t Have To Be So Hard

This week I took a (very) short trip to Alpharetta, GA to check in on the Healing Hands team working at the offices of our largest corporate wellness client.  In less than 48 hours I flew to Atlanta, drove to Alpharetta, checked in on our business operations, took each of the 5 team members out for lunch or coffee, traveled back to Atlanta, and flew back home.  It was fun, but it was a lot of action in a short amount of time!

Traveling – especially for business trips – can be taxing.  They are often very short, and between coordinating flights, transportation, and meetings, things can get a little stressful.  Heck, sometimes even traveling for vacation can get overwhelming.  No matter how sweet the final destination might be, getting there can be a pain.

However, on my way home I noticed something I had never seen before at our airport here in Miami: a yoga room!  How awesome is that?  Which got me thinking…they’re on to something here. Yoga and mindfulness are becoming more mainstream, and for good reason.  Just a few minutes a day can have an amazing impact on energy levels and brain function.  A recent study by the CDC found that yoga practice among U.S. workers has more than doubled since 2002.

Clearly airports have caught on to the fact that some of that aforementioned traveling stress can be mitigated by practicing a few minutes of mindfulness at any point in your trip.  From practicing breathing exercises in long security lines to a 15-minute yoga session once you’re past the security gates, there’s plenty of things you can do to ease the hustle and bustle of a day of traveling.

So the next time you’ve got a flight to catch, try practicing some mindfulness strategies.  Or if you’re lucky enough to have a yoga room in your local airport too, and you find yourself with a few minutes to spare, give your body some TLC with a few much-needed stretches before all that cramped time sitting on the plane.  You may find it makes a world of a difference and leaves you refreshed and ready to take on whatever your travels may bring!

#healingshandsmiami, #therapeuticmassage, #corporatewellness, #massage, #wellness, #yoga, #mindfulness, #travel, #airports