News: December 2023

Boosting Your Health in 2024 is Easier Than You Think ...

It's the time when we often reflect on the past year, and make plans for the new one. And when it comes to health, I'm here to help.

The following questions can help you explore the status of your health and how to set small, actionable goals for improving your wellness and wellbeing. This is simply an exploration exercise for yourself. There are no good or bad answers. Approach the exercise with curiosity and no judgment. You are simply building awareness of your physical and mental wellness and meditating on how you would like to feel and show up in life. From there, you can set micro goals to help you get on the road to better health in the new year.

• How do you feel about your physical health? (If you answered, "fantastic," please share your tips with the rest of the class.)
• How do you feel about your mental health? (Remember that stressed out, anxious, and exhausted are today's normal. So if you think you're "normal," you might think again.)
• What are 5 actions you can take towards improving your physical health? (If your list includes massage therapy, you get a gold star.)
• What are 5 actions you can take to improve your mental health? (If you listed massage therapy again, you get a swanky display base for your gold star.)
• How many hours a day do you spend doing the actions you listed? (If you answered 5 or more, you are dismissed.)
• How many hours a day do you spend on social media, or watching TV, Netflix, etc. (If you answered 5 or more, please see me after class.)

Now imagine:

• What would it feel like to do at least 1 item from your list today?
• How might this small change affect your outlook, mood, relationships, energy level?

We have a significantly greater chance of achieving our goals when we take baby steps. It may not seem like much in the beginning, but our micro goals quickly build upon one another. Healthier habits lead to healthier minds and bodies, which naturally elicits more joy, equanimity, mindfulness, purpose, gratitude, connection, and compassion. The steps you take today have the power to change the course of your new year and, if you stick with it, your entire life.

Discover Gratitude with Relaxing Self-Massage

When we are faced with overwhelming anxiety, stress, depression, and grief, it might feel difficult, if not impossible, to muster up some gratitude. But It's essential to recognize that we all have so much to be grateful for.

Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can improve mood, sleep, immune function, and resilience, as well as reduce anxiety, depression, pain, and risk of injury. Expressing gratitude also helps to build and strengthen relationships.

Take this time for yourself to practice gratitude for all the blessings in your life, with a relaxing and revitalizing self-massage. Follow along with me as we melt away your anxiety and cultivate a more positive and productive mindset. I am so grateful for all my subscribers and viewers!

Join Me at the Mental Health and Yoga Summit

This month, you have a golden opportunity to transform the health of your body and mind holistically and effectively, through nutrition, yoga, massage, naturopathy, trauma therapy, and more. From December 13th through 18th, the Mental Health and Yoga Summit brings you 15 experts eager to empower you with insights, strategies, and techniques for boosting your wellbeing, whether you are working through challenges, or simply want to learn more about living with ease, vitality, and awareness. I'll be speaking about how trauma gets stored in the body and how to release it with self-massage. Please join me by getting your free ticket here. I look forward to learning with you!

What's new with me ...

I am excited to announce that my YouTube channel now has over 100,000 subscribers!

Last month I announced the publication the audiobook of my suspense novel, Glass Half Broken. If you're interested, please email me at massage@rachel-richards.com for a code you can enter to download the audiobook for free! (Codes are limited, so the sooner you reach out the better.)

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with joy, peace, and love!