I hate to break it to you, but there is no “done” when it comes to caring for the body. There is no “all better” point at which you can stop taking care of yourself.
Most of us actually do know this. We would just like it to be otherwise.
I should know.
I recently returned from a week of myofascial release intensive therapy at Therapy on the Rocks in Sedona, AZ. It’s the 4th or 5th time in the last 7 years that I’ve done an intensive week of treatment. And by that I mean, 15 ½ ish hours of myofascial therapy in a week, 2-4 sessions a day.
That’s not counting all the other 100s of hours of treatment in between.
It costs me time off work, travel expenses, housing, and the cost of treatment itself. The week is frequently messy and chaotic, and midway through I almost always wonder what in the world I was thinking signing up for this. But I’ve always come out on the other side feeling much much better.
So, why do people continue to need myofascial release?
For those of you who know me, you may wonder why I continue to need help from a myofascial release therapist. We certainly hear the question frequently enough. It usually sounds something like, “If this works, why do you still need help? Why do you need continued treatment?”
The other question I have heard since I have been back is, “So, are you all better now?”
The short answer is, there really is no “done” when it comes to taking care of the body. Really. There isn’t.
And while John Barnes Myofascial Release is one of the best ways I know to care for my body, it does not “fix” things such that they never need help again. I don’t think anything could.
Why can’t things just be “fixed”?
I use my body every day. Which has an effect which accumulates over time.
I’m also human. Which, when it comes to taking care of myself, means I sometimes prioritize myself last.
Myofascial release helps me undo those effects. It helps me better care for and maintain my body for as long as I am going to have it. It reminds me that my relationship with my body is important. And when I’ve ignored its messages for too long, I need additional help in the form of an intensive week of treatment.
I’m coming back this time with a renewed sense of my self and the type of care I need every day. For starters, I have the best relationship with my body when I take time every day to connect with my essence, to stand in the sunshine, to laugh, and time to be still. And of course, good myofascial release self treatment is also a must. In all honesty, I have been a bit like the pot calling the kettle black, preaching consistent and effective self treatment to clients while getting more and more lax about it for myself.
I hope to remember that I am accountable for how I am treating myself. No one else can do that for me.
No one else can do it for you either. However you choose to approach life, know that you are responsible for the care and treatment of your body. You only get one. And it will function in accordance with the care you give it.
How good can things get?
Well, that is really up to you. How you care for it is up to you. How good you get at listening to your body’s messages is up to you. And how well you treat yourself is up to you.
We’re here to help. Kind of like a permanent reminder service when, like me, you get too busy or a bit sloppy in your attention to self.
But there really is no “done”.
To book a free consultation to find out more about how we can help you take care of your body for life, please complete the form below, and we’ll be in touch.