Comments on: Relax

By: Sobe

Sobe — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:11:15 +0000

I want to fly to Chicago just to have Jenn massage me. Oh, and to drink wine with her. Definitely not to eat hot dogs. Maybe to throw marshmallows at ducks.

By: Allie

Allie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 01:08:51 +0000

Oh, I have the same problem. I am a big ball of tense and trying to relax everything that’s clenched just stresses me out more. I’ve started doing Pilates, and that seems to help a little. Plus, I’m so busy trying not to fall over that my mind stops racing for a few minutes.

By: apollocreed

apollocreed — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:54:34 +0000

I don’t have this problem, but reading this post made me think i have this problem.
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i am paranoid.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:31:01 +0000

OMG! Me too! I have to wear a bite plate at night cause I clench my jaw so much and I have to physically will my muscles to just let go. So, I get it.

By: erikka

erikka — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:11:18 +0000

I seem to have the exact opposite problem, what Jenn expressed as “No problem handing over control” to other people. I hand it over TOO MUCH. For some reason I grew up being taught to constantly second guess myself, so I act boldly and make decisions, but quietly inside and alone, I doubt and question every move I make and would rather let someone else do it for me. THEY will get it right where I might screw it up.
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Over the years I’ve gotten better at letting myself make mistakes and realizing they are ok, they are part of my journey. Maybe they are ‘wrong’ and I end up somewhere unexpected, but because they are MY mistakes, they are right for me because I chose them.
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Let’s have a mind meld or something Noelle and maybe we’ll each neutralize the others’ extreme tendencies.
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By: freeandflawed

freeandflawed — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:06:40 +0000

Noelle -
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This is one of the things I struggle with the most whether I’m the massage therapist or on the table. During school, I encountered many people who had trouble “letting go.” If I needed to move their leg, they’d do it for me, if I wanted to rotate their ankle, they’d do it for me. The worst was when it came time to work on their neck. People are very guarded about their heads and want to hold them up and move them for you – which in my opinion completely undoes all of the work I just did.
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Letting go is difficult though. Some people have no problem handing their control over to someone else and others, it’s a process. I think being more mindful about your body is a good start. You know where you hold your tension and how it affects you. Good. When you notice your shoulders rising up to your ears, pull them down. After a while, it might happen instinctively rather than you telling your shoulders to go down.
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You can also try some self-care. Shoulder rolls, neck rolls, wall/floor angels (I can explain those to you if you’re interested.) Lying on your back with your knees propped up and just breathing helps. It brings your awareness back to your body. And using your entire rib cage to breathe is also very relaxing and might release some of the tension in your shoulders.
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Letting go is a gradual process in my experience. When I’m the one on the table, I have to practice tightening all of my muscles in order to let them relax. Sure the massage therapist thinks I’m nuts, but they should understand what I’m trying to do. But if you do have a chance to find a live-in massage therapist, I’m coming over!
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(I think this is the longest comment I’ve ever left and it’s on my blog of all places. Lame haha!)