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End of year stress, lack of sunshine, and kindness.

Are you affected by sunshine hours, or perhaps more importantly, a lack of them? You are not alone. Hawkes Bay has had above double the normal monthly rainfall so far last month, at 109mm, compared to typically only 49mm. So that explains why!We are in the traditional busy end of year time, the schooling and community groups we are involved with having their wind-up festive functions. Throw in a work function or two, and of course the planning of Christmas Day - well it's no wonder you're under ...

selflove

YOU!So, what's the point of all this love yourself stuff?Self love is to care about your self so much,that you live in a state of wellness and balance.You nourish yourself, the way you would to a loved one.You offer yourself what you need, and want.You make choices to put yourself first.This has a positive effect on all aspects of your life,your health, physically and emotionally,your connection with others,By treating yourself with love, you also ensure that others will too. You set the standar...

Kindness and wellbeing

If I am not kind to myself first, I cannot expect anyone else to be.  It is our own responsibility to set boundaries so others know what we will and wont accept. We are also setting the boundary so that we know for our own wellbeing - how much to give. It's all about balance. I like to think of my energy as a commodity and create a pie graph in my mind, deciding how much of my energy I will "spend" in each area . This helps me to decide what's really important, and whether I'm sticking to m...

Why all the Water?

Every time you get a Massage or Bowen Therapy treatment, Alice probably goes on a rant about drinking water.  What's all that about? "I drink heaps!"  So most people think... I bet you already know that the body is around 60% water, and that after a Massage or Bowen, the body has to flush out all the toxins, so we won't go there - you KNOW this.   But, did you also know that the tissue which has been tense and "stuck" is actually also dehydrated? So now that it's been release...

Can Anger be OK?

Anger is an uncomfortable emotion, we often try to avoid it. But could it be useful? Could it be helpful to feel into it? Anger is defined as a feeling of deep frustration and dislike, when something we perceive as unfair, painful or bad happens to us.  It is often called a secondary emotion, that means it is often related to another deeper feeling like sadness, fear, rejection, guilt etc I like to think of anger as a manifestation of other emotions, and I feel it physically in my body. as ...

Resilience

Resilience means being able to adapt quickly and cope with the unexpected, to remain in a positive state of wellbeing. It is something that must come from within.  Our nervous system controls the responses in the body to any trauma or stress either perceived or otherwise. We can support our body and mind to be relaxed and calm, which means the nervous system is not stuck on high alert.  Having a regulated nervous system is the key. It takes practice. At times of high stress o...

Breathe...

Our nervous system is responsible for our senses. The sensory receptors are around the body to notice and pick up messages to bring back to the brain. The brain then decides what to do with those messages, and sends the appropriate response back out to the area of the body. So, what happens when we panic, or feel worried? The body responds by being on alert. You might have heard of the fight and flight response? There's also a Freeze state to add to that. And more recently some psychologists inc...

Kindness begins within

We hear a lot about kindness lately.  After the rug was whisked out from under our feet shaking our foundations without warning, our leader urged us to be kind. This intrigued me, in a time when most people focus on rules, or themselves and their family, she asked us to come back to kindness. That threw some people. Huh? Is she for real? Yep, and although I'm not one to get too into politics, I think she's right on this. Kindness matters! Whilst it can be scary when we can't change what's h...

Simplicity...

I'm seeing a lot of people in my clinic showing stress, all in different ways. Some of us show it physically, with aches and pains. Other's natural defence is to go into hyper-busy so they don't need to sit with their emotions. Some freeze, and can't speak or move.  I see you, each of you. Because I have been each of you. Sometimes all at once... (Yes I'm an over-achiever, and it's possible to be parts of these states, all at once!). You see, we are all the same, we are all j...

FINALIST! - Best New Business in Hastings City...

I was nominated in the Hastings City Celebration Business Awards, in two categories - Best Health & Beauty Business 2021, and - Best New Business 2021.  I was nervous but excited to be interviewed (twice), and found the process actually really rewarding once I got my nerves in check with some deep breathing exercises! The judges are both successful business women in the Hawkes Bay, and each gave valuable insights. Including my business setup, strategy, client experience and all th...

International Bowen Therapy Week

Who even is Tom Bowen? Well I'm glad you asked! Tom Bowen was a kind and generous man who began working around the 1950s, using a technique of gentle touch and rolling movements across the skin and soft tissue.  He worked often with physically disabled children, encouraging their bodies to relax, and increasing the movement in their stuck muscles and joints. For which there really was no other help at the time.   His technique became very popular, as word spread fast around suburb...

Soothe my Soul is moving!

Hey team, exciting news!  I am moving Soothe my Soul to a new clinic space in Hastings, Hawkes Bay. Its all happened really quickly, which is often a sign of things meant to be... much like when I bravely took that big scary step of moving out of the spare room at home, and going full time as a Bowen & Massage Therapist just 8 months ago. Yes, only 8 months! I have loved being a part of the Vital HB Wellness Hub and we all agree the building and location are awesome, its felt really homely ...