“The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”  Anaïs Nin

One of my coworkers spoiled me with an orchid last fall. I looked at the delicate buds and wondered how many days/hours/minutes I could keep it alive. More than six months later, it’s loaded with blossoms!

Most of us have a lot in common with my slender orchid friend—we’re actually pretty resilient. We just need the right balance of nourishment and light.

Life’s inevitable ups and downs can take their toll, so we need to nurture ourselves in order to continue to thrive. That’s where bodywork comes in. To first-time clients, it’s an epiphany. To others, it’s a quarterly investment in wellness. To loyal clients, bodywork is everything—without their frequent massages, their petals start to fall off.

Those of us who love bodywork can help sow seeds of appreciation. When I give gift certificates for massage, they transform friends who have never experienced healing touch and remind less frequent users about bodywork’s revitalizing prowess.

One thing is clear: once people open up to massage, it helps them flourish. Massage soothes achy bodies, empowers self-image, complements exercise, combats disease, and feeds souls. Whatever massage means to you, partake—as often as possible. You deserve it. Your body deserves it. And you’ll bloom brighter.