Can summer really be almost over? Time has flown by. Amanda, Christina, Ryan, and Becky all hope you're having a blast! Days at the beach, hikes at McLean Game Refuge, amusement parks, music festivals, or time on the boat have all been featured in our summer as well as those of friends and family. Time well spent, indeed. 

We hope that you are also looking after yourselves with sunscreen, bug spray, and an extra pair of flip flops - just in case. And as your fun and festivities begin to give way to back-to-school shopping and thoughts of sweaters (ack!), we also hope you look after your health and consider a massage to take care of that stress or pesky pain from all those sports, and acupressure or energy healing to take care of lingering health issues and spiritual wellness. Never forget that you are your best investment and you deserve the best!

Take care and we hope to see you soon. 

Another year! Despite our petitions to hold time still, it seems the calendar has just kept on moving and brought us a brand new year. This is a time of new beginnings. Resolutions are cropping up everywhere! 

While resolutions are usually perceived as grueling efforts like exercise, diet, or organization, they can also be seen as opportunities for growth. Instead of exercise, strive to spend time in Nature or enjoying simple, cleansing, deep Breath as often as possible. Don't see diet as a nasty four letter word. Approach it as presenting your Body with the amazing gift of healthful choices. Look at organizing the time slots of your day as discovering potential pockets for quiet time to yourself for hobbies, reading, or meditation. It's all in how we choose to see things. 

Our own Becky has been leading Gratitude workshops, assisting people in the practice of acknowledging Gratitude daily as a means to achieve balance and peace. It's the simple things like that that can make this coming year the brightest yet. And Gratitude begins at home. Look at the things in life you have to be thankful for. But, also look for things that could bring you a life of Gratitude. 

And reward yourself! Treats like a new book, a cup of something special at Starbucks, a mani/pedi, or a relaxing massage feed your soul as well as your mood. So, get yourself a library card, a punch card for coffee, a customer loyalty card, or a package of massages. You deserve it! 

Happy New Year!

Wow! When did it get to be December? I can't believe 2013 is almost over. All of us at Anew have been looking back at the last 12 months and how much we've all changed. 

 Stress, both painful and happy, always finds its way into our lives. This time of year, especially, can be one to push us to our limits. It's important to step back and consider all that's happened this year. We've celebrated new beginnings, and mourned losses. We've watched our town grow, and said goodbye to those moving on. There have been births, deaths, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, new businesses. Life is ever changing. 

We each have our own ways of handling all this stress. Exercise, meditation, hobbies. Hopefully, you've found one that works for you. At Anew, we can't help but recognize the amazing ways that self care can impact life. People come in to see us, and walk out relaxed and prepared for the rest of their day and week. They arrive, perhaps in pain, and leave knowing that they're on their way to relief and balance. It's truly an honor to know that we can be a part of your journey. 

So, please accept our heartfelt wishes for a safe, happy, and prosperous 2014. We'd love to see you.

Wow! Where has the Summer gone? Suddenly, everyone is scrambling to take just one more mini-vacation. The days are mercifully milder than back a few weeks ago. (I know, I know, I've just gone and forgotten that New England Summers are never over until they're over. I blame my blindness on my transplant status.)

Things are in that winding down and then beginning to ramp up time of year. Many families are gearing up for back-to-school. It's time to start checking for the best spots for pencils, notebooks, and binders. If you find any, let us know on Facebook to spread the wealth.

In my house, we're doing the middle school thing as well as that mixed bag known as college. Two of mine are heading back and a third is heading off for the first time. As I'm writing this, I hear the opening sequences of a popular on-line role playing game downstairs that spawned hunting groups of two kids and a dad most of the summer, each on their own computer but, thankfully, in the same house. The music is quite bold, reminding players that they are about to embark on a great adventure. That's exactly what the coming months have to offer my family and others like it. (Here, I give a special shout-out to our own Amanda whose daughter is making her debut in the wonderful world of kindergarten!)

But, families of all kinds and sizes, including those consisting of the solitary soul with perhaps a furry or feathered companion, embark on their own adventures. To me, this time of year, more than January, offers that fresh start. We finish up the growing season in the garden and prep it for its Winter nap so it wakes in the Spring ready to go. That can describe us, too (unless you dive right into cold weather activities, giving you a last hooray.) We look forward to what lays ahead and start planning for it.

That bold game music reminds me that we all can make the next season of our lives an adventure. Me? I'll be anxiously waiting for breaks when my table is overflowing again with tales of boring classes, obnoxious roommates, and empty bank accounts. What will your adventure be?

We've just celebrated Midsummer. The Super Moon is in full glory. Our drenching rains are giving way to the hot, sticky days we knew were coming.

Spending time outdoors is the name of the season. Bring on the pool! Grab the water skis! Strap on those hiking shoes! Schedule some me time? Sure, why not? We deserve it.

For all that this is prime vacation time, we seem to be busier than ever. We need vacations to recuperate from our vacations! More and more, at the office, we're seeing clients who are scheduling their massages intentionally just before or immediately after those getaways. They know they'll need the me time to maintain the level of fun they want to pack into the Summer.

Those looooong car rides. The looooong lines - no matter where you're headed. The forgotten sunscreen. We pay for these fun excursions with a lot more than our wallets.

So, why not take care of ourselves? Why not set aside time to reset? Why should our health suffer for our folly? Wellness is not something that takes a back seat to the rest of our lives. It is our lives. We wouldn't skip that trip to the dentist just because it's 90 degrees. (I know - my appointment tomorrow was scheduled ages ago and I'm not about to lose it.)

Fun comes with a price. Sometimes it comes with aching backs and complaining knees. It might come as our elbows reminding us just how long it's been since we've seen the court or greens.

So, enjoy that fun and sun. Grab the flip flops and sunglasses. And come see the gang at Anew. We'd love to hear all about your adventures - and help ease your transition back to the land of normal.

C.

It's that time of year again. The calendar tells us we need to show all the men in our lives how much they mean to us.

We spend (much less than we know we should) time trying to figure out what the heck to get this year. Let's see... there's Dad, Hubbie, Grandpa, maybe Uncle Joe, and, oh my goodness - little Rob is a father now? We debate ties, tools, fancy stuff for the grill. Why is it so hard to just figure out something?

Wait a minute.

Does it need to be such a chore? Isn't this supposed to be a celebration of what they

Today, we had a couple clients come out of their massage session and proclaim that they had never had a massage that felt as customized as that. And it occurred to me that many Massage Therapists have a tendency to fall into a comfortable place and give a kind of 'go-to' massage that has worked well for them in general. It also occurred to me that many people tend to accept whatever is presented to them without question, because 'the therapist knows best.' And the sad truth is that

By Becky La Plante, L.Ac., Granby CT
www.elementaltransformation.com

Feeling grumpy? Worried about your finances, the state of the world, your health? It is time for our society to start taking responsibility for our health in a free natural way!

Research has found that making your self smile, by engaging the facial muscles, while and thinking about something that makes you happy will send a message to your brain that you are actually happy. The process of mimicking the facial expressions of an emotion can fool your self into feeling the actual emotion. This then eventually can improve your mood causing the many health

What a beautiful week it's been! The weather is warming, the flowers are blooming, and green is beginning to peak on the trees. With the warm weather comes the warm weather activities. Biking, boating, running, baseball, hiking, gardening, golfing - the list goes on and on! We tend to look to new ways of keeping ourselves healthy and fit.

Why not add massage to your game plan for healthy living? Massage is a great way to ready your body for new activities as well as recuperate from overdoing it. But it's also ideal for maintaining your body's overall wellness. With regular massage, stress and tension melt away leaving you ready for all the fun and games of the season.

Remember that Spring also brings celebrations! Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduations, and weddings all pop up this time of year. When deciding how to make them special, think of all the smiles and sighs you'll receive when they see you've given them the Gift of Massage!

Now, go outside and breathe some fresh air!

Christina

What type of gift certificates do people enjoy getting the most for Holidays,Birthdays,Anniversary's etc...?

Massage!!!!! 

Why not get them what they want!!! Gift Certificates and Package Deals are now available to purchase online! Please
call for more details.
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