At Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals, and in the pages of Massage & Bodywork this year, we’re talking a lot about blended careers—how thousands of MTs mix and match massage with other professions in an effort to make a living, manifest their full talents, and maintain balanced lifestyles.

Take a look back and recall all the skills and interests you brought into this profession that can help make you a success. Do you know them? Or are you keeping some hidden gems buried within yourself?

Reaching back to high school (a far or near reach depending on who you are!), many of us started manifesting our careers. I often thank goodness for my early days spent in ranch, restaurant, and retail work, learning how to connect with diverse individuals, the discipline of hard work, the how-tos of customer service, and the importance of attention to detail (thanks, Mom). 

I’ve compared notes with many of you out there. I know impressive MTs who brought eclectic backgrounds into this profession—a cheerleader who bubbles with positivity and people skills, a chef who balances creativity and discipline, a dancer with impressive dedication to movement and posture, a truck driver possessing tenacity and an ability to draw male clients, and engineers who bring their attention to detail and critical thinking skills to their practices. Although those experiences may seem far removed from massage, the skills gained contribute to their success.

For those of you who are new to the field, you may not realize just how special you are and how your unique qualities can boost your practice. Write down your top 10 strengths and then relate them to your idea of a successful practice. If you’ve been practicing for awhile, go through your high school or college annual and recall your 10 favorite interests. What did you formerly do that you miss today? How could that long-ago interest breathe new life into your heartfelt massage career? 

In this issue, we focus on individuals who bring very unique circumstances and knowledge to their experience of bodywork. They are blind bodyworkers and clients who see themselves, and others, quite clearly, making good use of their attributes that others may see as challenges. We have much to learn from them: how to put our attributes to work for our clients and ourselves.

Leslie A. Young, Editor in Chief

leslie@abmp.com