A Time for Stress-Reduction in Every Season

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Are the winter holidays a crazy time for you?

Friends might urge overwhelmed people to make the time for a massage. But that could result in an unsatisfying treatment filled with mental to-do lists. There may be times when the push-pull of life’s forces are too strong for you to relax. Massage should be a source of your well-being, not a burden.

I thought about this after a dear friend asked to reschedule our meetup until after December 26. It was my pleasure to ease her burden by waiting until her calendar opens up.

It gets even better. Positive-psychology researcher Shawn Achor points to studies that demonstrate that

“Anticipating future rewards can actually light up the pleasure centers in your brain much as the actual reward will.”

Rather than trying to cram a massage into your busy holiday schedule, make an appointment for when your calendar is clearer. You’ll feel some ease knowing you’ve got time set aside just for you.

Better, you’ll begin enjoying the benefits of your massage as soon as you schedule it. Achor points out that people who merely thought about watching their favorite movie showed brain changes associated with happiness. His work indicates that people who think about things that make them happy actually perform better at work and other tasks.

So forget about adding the stress of thinking you “should” get a massage. Make the appointment now, enjoy anticipating your treatment, and relish every moment of your massage when it arrives.