Yeah, but do you like It?

“Do you Like It?”

Surprisingly, I do hear this question from clients a lot and usually during a massage. I should hope that one would be able to tell whether I liked it or not because you should be able to “feel” it coming through in my massage, or not. And what if I answered, “No, I hate it”? How would the client feel during the rest of the massage? I can imagine there are therapists who would tell the truth if they didn’t like it. The same way a cashier at the grocery store will tell me how they can’t wait to be done for the day when I ask “How is your day going?”

The real truth for me as a Massage Therapist is that yes, I do like it...for now. I have realized that this is not a profession I will be in until I retire. Many of my instructors had been practicing for at least ten years and this was encouraging. All of them are still practicing today, even more encouraging. But for me, I feel that there is more to come. I was blessed with the gift of massage and I am sharing this gift with as many people as I physically can. However, there are limits as there are only so many hours in a day, and so much energy I can expend on clients.  I am feeling restless and I feel that my gift is approaching its expiration date. I have never considered my profession to be “work” or a “job” and I never want to feel that way about it.

While I am still struggling with my next step into a career that combines my passions and talents, I have been fortunate to have a Plan-B that is easing the transition. It is remarkable to me how many R.M.T.’s are confident they will be in this profession forever at the pace they are going. They won’t even entertain the idea of another career. While many may have a spouse to lean on, for those who know me, spouse or no spouse, I am fiercely independent.  

So, what do you think my next move should be?   

Has anyone ever confronted you and asked if you like what you are doing? How does that make you feel?