Doing a massage is not as weird as one might think it to be.
What is a massage you can do yourself?
Simply put, using your hands with some carrier oil and essential oil to move in circular motions starting with the bottom of your feet and working your way up.
Why should you be interested in doing a self massage? If you do regularly do a self massage are there certain oils which you can choose over others for feelings of overwhelm and stress? While essential oils are a piece to the less stress puzzle, they are great to have around in your tool box and use in a self massage as part of your self care in order to feel less stress and overwhelm.
Everyone has some level or stress in their lives, taking time off for self care sometimes goes on the back burner for women when we are stressed. Circumstances are very personal when it comes to feelings of overwhelm but some things you may feel may be nervousness, worry, panic or phobias.
There are many things to look within a lifestyle that can be missing puzzle pieces such as certain herbs which calm and support the nervous system, incorporating movement in your everyday and diet, making sure you are eating organically with lots of fruit and veggies. Essential oils are another great tool to have around as they work with your olfactory system, which is the sense of smell, and your limbic system.
Smells have different effects on our memory. If you walk by a certain bakery and smell that pie, it might remind you of a certain occasion or person. With cinnamon for example, most people always tend to think of the holiday season while lemon might trigger memories of childhood by the lemonade stand.
So which oils calm and ground?
When looking at an oil to choose for a self massage, there are two categories people usually reference and those are: grounding or citrus. When I talk to an overwhelmed mother about self care time with a self massage I tend to choose more grounding oils mainly because grounding oils tend to help a person feel more grounded and less anxious. Think of any tree oils such as:
– Black Spruce
– Frankincense
– Vetiver
– Fir Needle
Sometimes more uplifting oils in the citrus family might be good options when a client of mine has a bit of sadness that goes along with the overwhelm. Citrus oils are great at lifting the mood, they blend well with most other oils and have a very positive effect on a persons nervous state.
– Lemon: uplifting and brings clarity.
– Ylang Ylang: has a very strong aroma, using too much of this oil will have an overstimulated effect.
– Sweet Orange: blends well with lavender in a massage oil to help bring calm to the mix.
What is a self massage and why should you do it?
Your hands are your own healing tools to use. Performing a massage promotes good sleep, stimulates your lymph, improves your joint mobility, improves immunity and brings you self esteem which will have you feeling more confident.
Self massage with a warmed up carrier oil mixed with an essential oil of your choice is preferred since it opens up your pores and the oil will go deep into the tissues. If you are new to self massage then you can use only your hands to begin with and eventually move to using an oil mix of your choice. Try to give yourself a daily massage or start with something that works for your schedule for maybe 3 times a week. Start with one minute, before getting dressed for the day, and then gradually move to 5 minutes.
Too long?
Some of my clients say to me that they simply cannot do this since it is way too long. I completely get it since a full body massage might take 20 min and what busy woman has time for that right? In this case a good option might be to only do your feet before you get dressed 3 times a week and a longer full body massage once a week. The full body massage can be a great self care event. You can incorporate tea and music to really feel like you are nourishing yourself in a special place away from any people in the house. This is where working with a coach might be helpful since your own individual situation and lifestyle is unique.
If you also do not want to use oil in the beginning, dry brushing is a good alternative since it is non greasy, quick and will get your circulation going. Dry brushing is also a great way to start if you are dealing with touch aversion and have difficulty with giving yourself a massage.
Change does not have to be extravagant but a small shift over time will help to build in that habit so ask yourself: what is doable for me right now? What do I actually want to commit to?
If you need help with optimizing daily habits like this one, to make small changes over time which will ultimately result in a healthier lifestyle, contact me here to set up a complementary clarity call to get you unstuck.
As always let me know which oil mix you like to use, I would love to know.
Much love
Krystina
