How often do you get a chance to change direction? Reset your compass, so to speak. The very first blog I wrote was about reinventing yourself, and what a gift to have the opportunity to grow. For some, it sounds too extreme to change who you are, but what if the only thing you need to recharge, is to fine-tune who you already are or what you already do?

I recently decided to veer off course. Not onto a freeway to get out of Dodge. I chose a little detour to add more skills so when I eventually loop back onto my original route, I’m better equipped and more proficient at doing what I already do. An additional tool in the toolbox. It’s all very exciting and I can’t wait to get going.

We are all multifaceted

For decades, I’ve essentially been two people coexisting within the same body: By day, firmly rooted in roles like newspaper editor, director of physician relations and marketing, writer, and author; and during evenings and weekends, deeply invested in healing as a massage therapist, reiki master, and energy worker. Two paths within one journey, and I’ve been lucky enough to find a way to make them come together and blend.

There’s something to be said for a backup plan

With so much variety in what I do, why do I feel the need to veer? It’s hard to have longevity as a massage therapist because the work takes such a toll on hands, thumbs, shoulders, and backs. We work to alleviate pain in others but cause it in ourselves if we don’t pay close attention to how many hours we work each day and our ergonomics. There may come a day when massaging won’t be a healthy option for me, so then what?

Investing in yourself always pays off

I veered to add a new dimension—a certification in sound healing. I love sound baths and prefer those done solely with crystal singing bowls. I just purchased a signature set of nine perfect pitch bowls developed by renowned sound healer Ben Carroll. Each of the bowls is attuned to one of the seven major chakras—root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown—plus the soul star above the crown, and a binaural F bowl. I plan to add a perfect pitch B3 for the earth star, located below the root chakra.

Now that the set is here, I can familiarize myself with the bowls and then begin the coursework for certification. I love to learn so I want to understand the history of sound healing, how it developed in different cultures, theories about how and why it works, what research shows, and the most effective ways to use them for healing. The bowls sound so beautiful that each time I pass by them, I feel like a moth drawn to light. I’ve even started to introduce them to my clients. I wish everyone could have this level of excitement.

What do you want to change?

When the alarm goes off in the morning, do you jump out of bed, excited to start your day, or do you have to drag yourself out from under the covers and convince yourself to get going? It’s good to shake things up. Nobody’s job is a 100 % perfect fit. There are parts we don’t enjoy, but we keep the job so we can do the parts we love. How can you make your job a better fit?  What part gets you excited and how can you build on that?

Until next time,
Jean
AKA The Strategic Chicken - making life’s journey one strategic step at a time