For this blog post I am grateful to have two of my good friends who will be reviewing and writing with me regarding our Zen Spa experience. Both of whom are Licensed Massage Therapists and Massage Therapy professionals in the Philippines. Let me present their spa reviews in two different formats.
Rommel D. Martinez, LMT, is a former scriptwriter who came from a Political Science background at San Sebastian College, founded Greenbay Therapeutic and Rejuvenation Services and also partnered with our good friend (Hadjii Crespo) in Transition Body Wellness Center. He developed (and in the process of writing the books/manuals for) his signature and most requested Graeco-Swedish Fusion, Hagobao (Coconut Massage), Greenbay Body Scrub, Greenbay Pediatric Massage (for 8-16 year olds), Greenbay Athletics, Meridian Therapy (a sort of acupuncture without needles) and some more.
As a timely birthday gift from me, Rommel went for a massage experience in Zen Institute Medical Spa in Scout Rallos in Quezon city on Sept. 7, 2011. Let me relate below Rommel's account of his Zen spa experience.
This branch offers Swedish Massage and Shiatsu for their massage services and also offers skin whitening (whole body or localized… underarm, bikini line), body sculpting for clients who have undergone liposuction or sagging skin/cellulite, body scrub (with salt glow, seaweed mask or whitening mask), facial contouring (sagging skin, double chin, BOTOX, biochemical facelift, fillers, lip sculpting, microcellular facelift by RF technology, facial spa with microcellular serum, facial toning and autologous cell rejuvenation). They also have anti-ageing therapy, acne treatment, laser hair removal, glycolic peel, electrocautery, and collagen induction. Their massage costs P1,500.00 (for basic).
I had my appointment at 3pm, but the usual me arrived early and I was there around 2:15. I thought I will have to wait until 3pm for my massage, but after only 15 minutes I was called in to have my massage. Oooh, I don’t have to wait long after all. It is not that hard to set an appointment, basta it is not on the following day unless they still have a free slot by then.
Since the place is inside Fanny Serrano´s salon, the space is not that big or spacious, in fact a bit crampy. Well their name is Zen so the set is quite minimalist (but not Japanese-ish). The reception area is not really roomy, off-white color with chocolate brown highlights. The light blue color of the shelf is, I think, out of place (perhaps to match the light blue panel in the a/c across it). The massage room is likewise small (like the cubicles in massage clinics of the visually impaired), but there is a shower room inside (because I only had the basic service, I did not take the shower). The water closet (toilet bowl) is in the CR at the end of the hall, so you better make your weewee (peee) first before you have your massage (and shower). The massage bed is immaculate white with built-in face hole, the metal frame is covered by the white sheet. The towels are also laundry-fresh and comfortably warm. There is a bath robe for use of those who take a shower first. Because the name includes “Medical”, I thought my vitals (B/P, temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate) will be taken first, but none of it was checked. I was not also asked to sign a client intake form. The receptionists are wearing medical coat which gives out a clinical air. Some of the cubicles have only dark and heavy curtain for door, some have sliding door.
The staff are friendly and accommodating. My therapist, Joanne, is very nice and friendly. I told her before my massage that I have an allergy flare-up, but it is drying up na, so she asked where it was and avoided the area during the session.
I had the Swedish Massage, but the massage felt like it was just a light and deep effleurage with just a bit of petrissage, and a lot of tapotement. I guess they are also joining in the anti-dengue drive because I counted a number of claps like swatting mosquitoes (there is no mosquito ha, hehehe). I wonder whoever started that “palakpak” move which is quite prevalent in many spas. I guess, aside from swatting mosquitoes, its other purpose is to wake you up in case you get too relaxed if you are feeling sleepy na. But if not for that “palakpak” moves, the massage is relaxing. Joanne also did very well in squeezing out those nodules or what people usually call “lamig” out of my trapezius, rhomboids and scapulae.
I guess what they need to improve on, for a start, they can look for a more spacious place, and change the piped-in music to a more oriental sound (or nature sound) instead of new-age, anyway their name is oriental. But their location is good, very near major roads but not that busy and noisy. If they stick to the “Medical” nature in their name, they might just as well take the vitals and have the clients fill up an in-take form. Over-all I can give the spa a grade of 80-85%. I can recommend the spa, but tell the others not to expect too much. If you prefer a Shiatsu massage, it is advisable to tell the receptionist when you book for your appointment, otherwise you might be automatically booked for Swedish. If you are looking for other types of massage (yung legit lang ha), you must scout around for other establishment because, as I said, they only offer Swedish or Shiatsu for their massage.
For the second spa review of Zen spa at Scout Rallos in Quezon city. I am presenting it in an interview format. Our next reviewer is Maria Fe M. Rapio, a DOH Licensed Massage Therapy Private Practitioner, an Occupational Therapist by education, have also a Physical Therapy background and a TESDA Assessor for Massage Therapy and Hilot Wellness Massage for Manila District. Clinical Trainer for MEDSSAN Training Institute, had been a Massage Trainer for several foundation such as Caritas Foundation, PAGA(Philippine American Guardian Association), AAP(American Association of the Philippines) CHILDHOPE.
What services do they offer? and how much are the range of prices?
They offer facial and diamond peel and spa treatment such as body scrubs and massage as well
What time did you arrived? Did you wait long? Was it easy to schedule an appointment with them?
I arrived 11:45 am 15 minutes before my scheduled time...Ii waited not that long because there is a therapist who is about to end a session with one of their clients 11:50am they started my massage ... I called over the phone and they prioritize ahead booking or ahead schedule clients rather than walk in ... I called on the 24th of august i was schedule the following day
How was the ambiance? Is it relaxing?
The ambiance is really relaxing coz the entire scent of aromatherapy fills the air.
What about the cleanliness of the place, linen, etc
The area is well maintained and the linens were arranged well.
How are the staff manners and behavior? Do they seem eager to serve you? Are they busy at the time of your arrival?
All the staff are friendly and they attend to me eagerly... even if they have clients who stay there they still prioritize scheduled clients.
How was the massage session? What type of massage did you have?
The massage was great I had a Swedish with Shiatsu massage ..
The therapst knows all the areas of my stress .. I asked the therapist what type of oil will she be using for me when I find out its a mineral oil I asked her to use the one I brought with me and I gave it to her.
What do you think is the uniqueness of the place?
They have state of the art facial equipment and they have wide range of derma products
What do you like and don't like about the place, the massage session you had, the therapist and/or the session? what do you think needs improvement?
The therapist should have at least 10 minutes rest before engaging to another service to prevent them to have tiring hands ...
Would you recommend this place to your friends and family?
If you are person who values time and schedule to follow I will definitely recommend this place coz they follow schedule and value clients time
If you were to rate the massage experience how would you rate it from a scale of 1-100?
80-85 will have be a as good as what i can sense or maybe they dont allow me to have shower becoz its a gift certificate only hehehehe
Is there anything you need we should know about your visit to this spa? and any tips for spa goers out there who would like to try out their services?
If they want to experience massage in the city setting Zen Institute will be a nice place to stay and a smiling personnel that will assisst them on having their massage.
Guidelines in the writing of this spa/massage clinic review were observed, click on the link below to read about my guidelines:
http://yunesa.blogspot.com/2009/07/consumer-and-spa-enthusiasts-review.html
The most comprehensive resource and information guide on the list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. The First Book on Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Book and Career Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
(this has the most comprehensive list of training centers in the Philippines and abroad with tips from professionals and employment opportunities, legal laws and regulations, list of employment agencies, how to choose a trainer, and information that you need in order to succeed in this industry and before you shell out money for your tuition or training, there are a lot of ways you can grab a copy of this valuable information para hindi ka mag sayang ng time and money enrolling in trainings you do not even need. This book will give you the information to start right in the industry with secrets you should know and being able to find your rainbow in the wonderful world of massage, spa and wellness.
1. You can order it online via http://www.amazon.com/ at 34.95$
2. You can order it via a Kindle device at $7.99
3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at http://www.yunesa.blogspot.com/ at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.
This review was written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/ or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.
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Showing posts with label massage therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label massage therapy. Show all posts
Monday, September 19, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Five Things I Learned in Massage School, I Learned from a Pencil
Five Things I Have Learned in the Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness Industry,
I learned from a Pencil
(Text and Thoughts during the Oath Taking and Induction
of
Newly Licensed Massage Therapists
June 17, 2011)
By Eunice Estipona
The original version (author unknown) of what I will share with you was forwarded to my email last May 24, 2011 by my good friend Rommel Martinez. He is a great massage therapist and was a top-notched student in the previous licensure exams. However I decided to add my own thoughts and experiences to this wonderful story. So today, I am sharing this with you as I shared it (but more articulate and profound than) during the June 17, 2011- Oath Taking and Induction of the Newly Licensed Massage Therapist at the Grand Opera Hotel in Manila, Philippines.
Nearly a decade ago, I was at our oath taking held at the Department of Health in Sta. Cruz, Manila, at the time of this writing, the newly inducted 2011 LMT oath takers have been held at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel- a great leap in boosting the morale of new massage therapists. Thanks to people who paved the way for this to happen and that includes the Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy and his team headed by the Chairperson, Dr. Kenneth Ronquillo and Ms. Josephine H. Hipolito CEMT Secretariat, both are great pillars in the massage industry) with the collaboration of the Philippine Association of Licensed Massage Therapists headed by its President, Mr. Jevren Sibug and Vice-President Mr. Pedro Vasquez II (or Sir Pete as we fondly call him) both of whom are enthusiastic encouragers and inspiring people in the field of massage therapy in the Philippines and the Continuing Massage Therapy Education Council (CMTEC), Massage Therapy Assessors, together with all the Training instructors nationwide, for sharing your knowledge and wisdom to the industry, the amazing lives that you have touched are the inspiration for the next generation to come, all of whom I dearly admire- indeed the massage profession has gone a long way. All your efforts made a difference because you took the time to organize and volunteer. Thank you for being the models of vision, passion and purpose that this industry so desperately needs. Know that you are all represented in these pages.
Last June 17, 2011, during their oath taking and induction, as a guest speaker, I cannot help but reminisce about the past and how the profession has evolved and it helped me find my rainbow in the industry. Indeed massage therapy is a viable career as the year’s current theme states. Kudos to all of you who makes a difference in the world of massage therapy, hats off to all of you and God bless you in your endeavor to be an instrument in the progress of massage therapy profession in the Philippines. Your example is a wonderful lesson to us all. Please accept my sincere thanks.
The first lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, everything you do will always leave a mark. An area to look into is to leave a mark or to leave a legacy, although a good ambition- it’s a short sighted one. You are not placed here on Earth to be remembered or to just leave a mark, you are here to prepare for eternity. In preparing for that, you have to use your career, your work, your license, your profession- but you might be asking, how? You have to make sure that your stepping stone with all the gifts that has been given you is spent not only on yourself but for others. This means everything you do, even simple chores or words as saying “God bless you”, “Thank you”, “I love you”, “Forgive me”- has eternal implications. I believe that one of the foundations of truly leaving a mark in another person’s life is to feel happy for the success of others. Sometimes, people aren’t happy for the success of others because they feel threatened. If you think badly of the success of others, you won’t be successful because you will also be thinking badly of your own success- you will eventually put yourself down too. So it’s very important to bless those whom you admire- so that their blessings will rub off on you. If you see a classmate, a colleague, a neighbor, a seatmate, a fellow massage therapist, a massage instructor or anyone who gets successful, who gets promoted, who gets the position, who gets an award – be happy for that person, bless them, admire them and learn from them. You need to wish blessing on others and train yourself to celebrate the success of others because what goes around comes around. That is why it is very important to say “God bless you” because with the blessing you give unto others, that is also the blessing that will be given to you.
The second lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, you can always correct the mistakes you make. We will always fall short out of others expectations or even our very own expectations. We are not perfect but there is no reason not to strive for correcting our mistakes or giving ourselves a second chance. Your past doesn’t matter, your mistakes doesn’t matter- what matters is what you will be doing after your mistake. After we have fallen. If a pencil makes mistakes, it doesn’t worry, it doesn’t whine, it doesn’t blame- not because the pencil does not care- but because the pencil knows that it can always correct the mistakes it has made. The pencil can always depend on its eraser (or its correction fluid- whatever..). When we make a mistake- erase. Erase. Erase. Erase. How do we erase? by forgiving ourselves, by forgiving others, by starting all over again, by saying “sorry”, by learning from our mistakes and by doing it right the next time around. How many times do we need to forgive? In Matthew 18:21, 22 said we must forgive seventy times seven. Jesus is saying we should forgive other people abundantly more than we could ever forgive. Madaling sabihin pero mahirap gawin so what do we do now? We should train ourselves and practice it daily to get the muscles of forgiveness strong- na madali tayong makapagpatawad. Make it a part of our habit to get less and less angry, less and less resentful everyday. Another angle to look at it is with our mistakes and our weaknesses- these are God’s way for us to work with and look for others who are strong in areas where we are weak. Why do we have weaknesses? In order for us to form teams, help each other and cooperate with each other. Our strengths maybe the weakness of others and our weaknesses maybe the strengths of others this is why we need each other. That is precisely why we have different systems of the body because each of our systems serves different function but every cell, tissue, organ and system works together to make our body alive. Each has its own function even though we make mistakes. So, believe that even if we are imperfect, together with others, you can still achieve what God has placed in your heart. As a pencil, we always have an eraser with us. Erase. Erase. Erase.
The third lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, what is important is what is inside of you. No matter what appearance we have. No matter where we graduated. No matter what we have achieved what is important is what is inside of us. What is your purpose for living? What is your unique role in the world? Just like a pencil, the outer doesn’t really matter as long as the pencil writes. Kahit maganda at mamahalin ang pencil kung hindi naman makasulat – wala ring function. Yun naman talaga ang function ng pencil – magsulat, for drawing, for marking, etc. Pencils are not meant for display, to be thrown away or to be a weapon. As a pencil we have to look at what is inside of us- what we have to offer, what we have to give and what we have to contribute. Do not be trapped by other’s expectations and other people’s opinion- drowning your dreams and your inner convictions. Have the courage to follow your heart and your gut. A large percentage of our lives will be spent on work and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you truly believe is great work. The only way to do that is by loving what you do, loving your clients, loving your profession and loving what you are contributing to others. If you haven’t found your one true love (whether this be at work or matters of the heart) then keep looking and never settle anything less than what you really love and have passion for. And when you find it, take care of it, nurture it and cultivate it so it will get better and better as the years go by. Discover what is inside of you by discovering your passion, discovering your core gift, discovering your true purpose, discovering your mission, discovering what you are excellent at, discover your core competency and discovering your hunger. You need to work at that gift and spend your entire time to develop your gift, your talents and your skills. When you try to answer: why do you want to be successful? Why do you want to be wealthy? Why do you want a license? Is it for our own selfish gain? Is it because you mother or aunt told you so? Is it to prove your self? Your reasons, your why, your purpose will always direct you. Because if your “why” is big enough you will always succeed in achieving your goals. The reasons must always come from the heart and not just from the brain. Establish your mission and the driving force in you life. Keep looking inside of you and get to know yourself deeply until you find what moves you and don’t settle for anything less than what you truly love to do. After this, move on into different avenues of career development. Never stop learning. Continue to hone your skills, your strengths and your talents, huwag magsawa sa pag attend ng mga seminars and trainings and do not be tired of learning. Learning is an investment on yourself, do not look at learning as a burden or as “gastos lang yan”- continue to learn and be hungry for things that will make you a better person- inside and outside. One way of learning is to be able to read a lot and if you can afford it- travel and learn from other culture. If you can afford it or your family supports you, start planning to travel. My travels both locally and abroad also gave me the privilege of appreciating and understanding that every tribe and culture worldwide should embrace diversity and converge on a common goal of being a flowing well for others to benefit from. We learn from history and the practice of other cultures. Its been an amazing experience. Because you cannot give what you do not have. Look for people who will inspire you, the insights and the wisdom to advance your career. Focus on what is inside of you: your character and your attitude because what is inside of you will be shared to others.
The fourth lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, in life you will undergo painful sharpenings, which will only make you better. Sometimes, you will feel that life is awful, that there is nobody there for you, that there is no hope and that life gets to hit you in the head with a brick- yeah… BIG TIME- but these bitter pills will ultimately make you better. These are learning curves which will tilt you either to become bitter or better. In every problem- dapat nagiging mas mabuti tayong tao at nagiging mas mature. Never lose faith. We will never know what tests will come your way: you might not be earning enough, you might be in a difficult situation, you might be in the cross roads of your life, you might start with a daily wage of just fifty pesos a day (I was earning only 50 pesos a day), you might receive a harsh remark, an undeserved criticism, friends turned enemies, money concerns or seemingly impossible problems. But in all these please remember that how you react is how God looks closely at you. Everything will soon pass. Everything is for your character development. These are opportunities to either demonstrate love or hate. Every year, every month, every day and every minute is an important moment to bless others. Just like a pencil, in order to be used- we need to be sharpened.
The last but not the least, the fifth lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, to be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be guided by the hand that holds you. Our lives are like an empty canvass and in order to make the best of who you are, we are to submit everything to Him. Remember that life is a trust, being a massage therapist is a trust, being a massage instructor is a trust, being a spa therapist is a trust, having a license is a trust- Everything is a trust. A pencil will not be able to write no matter how expensive or how beautiful your pencil is- if the Hand that holds it will not use it- it will not be able to serve its function. That pencil is us. The hand that holds us is our Creator. Our time on Earth and our energy, our money, our intelligence, our resources, our friends, our colleagues in the industry, our family, relationships, our talents, our abilities, our skills, our instructors, our license and our profession and everything we have now are a gift from God that He has entrusted to our care. We never really own anything during our brief stay on Earth. God is temporarily assigning it on our care while we are here. Two years ago, I have been diagnosed with myoma- a non-life threatening disease (in most cases) and that time, even if it’s not a case of life and death, I have come to realize that I have to focus on things that matters most. Remembering that everyday we are closer to our graves and we’ll be dead soon is the most important tool to help us make the big decisions in life. Because almost everything- success and even failures, sama ng loob, our titles, our diplomas, our certificates, our position, the wealth that we accumulated, the education we reached, the Earthly accomplishments- everything we cherish or enjoy- are all temporary- it will all fade away in the face of death. What is truly important is our relationship with the Creator and relationships with our fellowmen. You will not face death with your awards or diplomas or money – if that is the case then focus on what is really important and nothing is more important than relationships. If relationships are most important then decide now to grow old with each other- grow old with your colleagues, your classmates, your friends and instructors. Grow old with the one you truly love. Just prepare your heart and the Hand that guides you will give you the right opportunities, the resources and the right people that will prepare you for success. So keep preparing, keep sowing- the Hand that holds you will always have a right timing for you to give birth to your great aspirations.
In conclusion, your first job after this oath taking and induction is to take care of everything you have been given. Your time is limited so do not waste it living someone else’s dream for you or waste it with petty things and disagreements. Follow your rainbow, follow your heart and follow the hand that holds your future. Everything else is secondary.
God bless you more and more!
This is a prepared text and thoughts of Eunice Estipona on the recently concluded 2011 oath taking and induction of newly licensed massage therapists in Manila, Philippines. To download a copy on your computer, click on the link below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60833737/Five-Things-I-Have-Learned-in-Massage-School-PDF-File
I learned from a Pencil
(Text and Thoughts during the Oath Taking and Induction
of
Newly Licensed Massage Therapists
June 17, 2011)
By Eunice Estipona
The original version (author unknown) of what I will share with you was forwarded to my email last May 24, 2011 by my good friend Rommel Martinez. He is a great massage therapist and was a top-notched student in the previous licensure exams. However I decided to add my own thoughts and experiences to this wonderful story. So today, I am sharing this with you as I shared it (but more articulate and profound than) during the June 17, 2011- Oath Taking and Induction of the Newly Licensed Massage Therapist at the Grand Opera Hotel in Manila, Philippines.
Nearly a decade ago, I was at our oath taking held at the Department of Health in Sta. Cruz, Manila, at the time of this writing, the newly inducted 2011 LMT oath takers have been held at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel- a great leap in boosting the morale of new massage therapists. Thanks to people who paved the way for this to happen and that includes the Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy and his team headed by the Chairperson, Dr. Kenneth Ronquillo and Ms. Josephine H. Hipolito CEMT Secretariat, both are great pillars in the massage industry) with the collaboration of the Philippine Association of Licensed Massage Therapists headed by its President, Mr. Jevren Sibug and Vice-President Mr. Pedro Vasquez II (or Sir Pete as we fondly call him) both of whom are enthusiastic encouragers and inspiring people in the field of massage therapy in the Philippines and the Continuing Massage Therapy Education Council (CMTEC), Massage Therapy Assessors, together with all the Training instructors nationwide, for sharing your knowledge and wisdom to the industry, the amazing lives that you have touched are the inspiration for the next generation to come, all of whom I dearly admire- indeed the massage profession has gone a long way. All your efforts made a difference because you took the time to organize and volunteer. Thank you for being the models of vision, passion and purpose that this industry so desperately needs. Know that you are all represented in these pages.
Last June 17, 2011, during their oath taking and induction, as a guest speaker, I cannot help but reminisce about the past and how the profession has evolved and it helped me find my rainbow in the industry. Indeed massage therapy is a viable career as the year’s current theme states. Kudos to all of you who makes a difference in the world of massage therapy, hats off to all of you and God bless you in your endeavor to be an instrument in the progress of massage therapy profession in the Philippines. Your example is a wonderful lesson to us all. Please accept my sincere thanks.
The first lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, everything you do will always leave a mark. An area to look into is to leave a mark or to leave a legacy, although a good ambition- it’s a short sighted one. You are not placed here on Earth to be remembered or to just leave a mark, you are here to prepare for eternity. In preparing for that, you have to use your career, your work, your license, your profession- but you might be asking, how? You have to make sure that your stepping stone with all the gifts that has been given you is spent not only on yourself but for others. This means everything you do, even simple chores or words as saying “God bless you”, “Thank you”, “I love you”, “Forgive me”- has eternal implications. I believe that one of the foundations of truly leaving a mark in another person’s life is to feel happy for the success of others. Sometimes, people aren’t happy for the success of others because they feel threatened. If you think badly of the success of others, you won’t be successful because you will also be thinking badly of your own success- you will eventually put yourself down too. So it’s very important to bless those whom you admire- so that their blessings will rub off on you. If you see a classmate, a colleague, a neighbor, a seatmate, a fellow massage therapist, a massage instructor or anyone who gets successful, who gets promoted, who gets the position, who gets an award – be happy for that person, bless them, admire them and learn from them. You need to wish blessing on others and train yourself to celebrate the success of others because what goes around comes around. That is why it is very important to say “God bless you” because with the blessing you give unto others, that is also the blessing that will be given to you.
The second lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, you can always correct the mistakes you make. We will always fall short out of others expectations or even our very own expectations. We are not perfect but there is no reason not to strive for correcting our mistakes or giving ourselves a second chance. Your past doesn’t matter, your mistakes doesn’t matter- what matters is what you will be doing after your mistake. After we have fallen. If a pencil makes mistakes, it doesn’t worry, it doesn’t whine, it doesn’t blame- not because the pencil does not care- but because the pencil knows that it can always correct the mistakes it has made. The pencil can always depend on its eraser (or its correction fluid- whatever..). When we make a mistake- erase. Erase. Erase. Erase. How do we erase? by forgiving ourselves, by forgiving others, by starting all over again, by saying “sorry”, by learning from our mistakes and by doing it right the next time around. How many times do we need to forgive? In Matthew 18:21, 22 said we must forgive seventy times seven. Jesus is saying we should forgive other people abundantly more than we could ever forgive. Madaling sabihin pero mahirap gawin so what do we do now? We should train ourselves and practice it daily to get the muscles of forgiveness strong- na madali tayong makapagpatawad. Make it a part of our habit to get less and less angry, less and less resentful everyday. Another angle to look at it is with our mistakes and our weaknesses- these are God’s way for us to work with and look for others who are strong in areas where we are weak. Why do we have weaknesses? In order for us to form teams, help each other and cooperate with each other. Our strengths maybe the weakness of others and our weaknesses maybe the strengths of others this is why we need each other. That is precisely why we have different systems of the body because each of our systems serves different function but every cell, tissue, organ and system works together to make our body alive. Each has its own function even though we make mistakes. So, believe that even if we are imperfect, together with others, you can still achieve what God has placed in your heart. As a pencil, we always have an eraser with us. Erase. Erase. Erase.
The third lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, what is important is what is inside of you. No matter what appearance we have. No matter where we graduated. No matter what we have achieved what is important is what is inside of us. What is your purpose for living? What is your unique role in the world? Just like a pencil, the outer doesn’t really matter as long as the pencil writes. Kahit maganda at mamahalin ang pencil kung hindi naman makasulat – wala ring function. Yun naman talaga ang function ng pencil – magsulat, for drawing, for marking, etc. Pencils are not meant for display, to be thrown away or to be a weapon. As a pencil we have to look at what is inside of us- what we have to offer, what we have to give and what we have to contribute. Do not be trapped by other’s expectations and other people’s opinion- drowning your dreams and your inner convictions. Have the courage to follow your heart and your gut. A large percentage of our lives will be spent on work and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you truly believe is great work. The only way to do that is by loving what you do, loving your clients, loving your profession and loving what you are contributing to others. If you haven’t found your one true love (whether this be at work or matters of the heart) then keep looking and never settle anything less than what you really love and have passion for. And when you find it, take care of it, nurture it and cultivate it so it will get better and better as the years go by. Discover what is inside of you by discovering your passion, discovering your core gift, discovering your true purpose, discovering your mission, discovering what you are excellent at, discover your core competency and discovering your hunger. You need to work at that gift and spend your entire time to develop your gift, your talents and your skills. When you try to answer: why do you want to be successful? Why do you want to be wealthy? Why do you want a license? Is it for our own selfish gain? Is it because you mother or aunt told you so? Is it to prove your self? Your reasons, your why, your purpose will always direct you. Because if your “why” is big enough you will always succeed in achieving your goals. The reasons must always come from the heart and not just from the brain. Establish your mission and the driving force in you life. Keep looking inside of you and get to know yourself deeply until you find what moves you and don’t settle for anything less than what you truly love to do. After this, move on into different avenues of career development. Never stop learning. Continue to hone your skills, your strengths and your talents, huwag magsawa sa pag attend ng mga seminars and trainings and do not be tired of learning. Learning is an investment on yourself, do not look at learning as a burden or as “gastos lang yan”- continue to learn and be hungry for things that will make you a better person- inside and outside. One way of learning is to be able to read a lot and if you can afford it- travel and learn from other culture. If you can afford it or your family supports you, start planning to travel. My travels both locally and abroad also gave me the privilege of appreciating and understanding that every tribe and culture worldwide should embrace diversity and converge on a common goal of being a flowing well for others to benefit from. We learn from history and the practice of other cultures. Its been an amazing experience. Because you cannot give what you do not have. Look for people who will inspire you, the insights and the wisdom to advance your career. Focus on what is inside of you: your character and your attitude because what is inside of you will be shared to others.
The fourth lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, in life you will undergo painful sharpenings, which will only make you better. Sometimes, you will feel that life is awful, that there is nobody there for you, that there is no hope and that life gets to hit you in the head with a brick- yeah… BIG TIME- but these bitter pills will ultimately make you better. These are learning curves which will tilt you either to become bitter or better. In every problem- dapat nagiging mas mabuti tayong tao at nagiging mas mature. Never lose faith. We will never know what tests will come your way: you might not be earning enough, you might be in a difficult situation, you might be in the cross roads of your life, you might start with a daily wage of just fifty pesos a day (I was earning only 50 pesos a day), you might receive a harsh remark, an undeserved criticism, friends turned enemies, money concerns or seemingly impossible problems. But in all these please remember that how you react is how God looks closely at you. Everything will soon pass. Everything is for your character development. These are opportunities to either demonstrate love or hate. Every year, every month, every day and every minute is an important moment to bless others. Just like a pencil, in order to be used- we need to be sharpened.
The last but not the least, the fifth lesson I have learned from a pencil and from the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry is that, to be the best pencil, you must allow yourself to be guided by the hand that holds you. Our lives are like an empty canvass and in order to make the best of who you are, we are to submit everything to Him. Remember that life is a trust, being a massage therapist is a trust, being a massage instructor is a trust, being a spa therapist is a trust, having a license is a trust- Everything is a trust. A pencil will not be able to write no matter how expensive or how beautiful your pencil is- if the Hand that holds it will not use it- it will not be able to serve its function. That pencil is us. The hand that holds us is our Creator. Our time on Earth and our energy, our money, our intelligence, our resources, our friends, our colleagues in the industry, our family, relationships, our talents, our abilities, our skills, our instructors, our license and our profession and everything we have now are a gift from God that He has entrusted to our care. We never really own anything during our brief stay on Earth. God is temporarily assigning it on our care while we are here. Two years ago, I have been diagnosed with myoma- a non-life threatening disease (in most cases) and that time, even if it’s not a case of life and death, I have come to realize that I have to focus on things that matters most. Remembering that everyday we are closer to our graves and we’ll be dead soon is the most important tool to help us make the big decisions in life. Because almost everything- success and even failures, sama ng loob, our titles, our diplomas, our certificates, our position, the wealth that we accumulated, the education we reached, the Earthly accomplishments- everything we cherish or enjoy- are all temporary- it will all fade away in the face of death. What is truly important is our relationship with the Creator and relationships with our fellowmen. You will not face death with your awards or diplomas or money – if that is the case then focus on what is really important and nothing is more important than relationships. If relationships are most important then decide now to grow old with each other- grow old with your colleagues, your classmates, your friends and instructors. Grow old with the one you truly love. Just prepare your heart and the Hand that guides you will give you the right opportunities, the resources and the right people that will prepare you for success. So keep preparing, keep sowing- the Hand that holds you will always have a right timing for you to give birth to your great aspirations.
In conclusion, your first job after this oath taking and induction is to take care of everything you have been given. Your time is limited so do not waste it living someone else’s dream for you or waste it with petty things and disagreements. Follow your rainbow, follow your heart and follow the hand that holds your future. Everything else is secondary.
God bless you more and more!
This is a prepared text and thoughts of Eunice Estipona on the recently concluded 2011 oath taking and induction of newly licensed massage therapists in Manila, Philippines. To download a copy on your computer, click on the link below:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/60833737/Five-Things-I-Have-Learned-in-Massage-School-PDF-File
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Spa and Wellness, Massage Therapy, Business and Entrepreneurship Meetup (Lessons and After-thoughts)
Manila, Philippines Meetup Groups:
Business and Entrepreneurship
Spa and Wellness
Massage Therapy
Lessons from Feb 05, 2011 event
There were so many things that I learned from the last Meetup of Business people and Entrepreneurs (or should I say Inno-preneurs) and professionals that belong to the Spa and Wellness as well as the Massage Therapy industry event held last February 05, 2011. I bet the attendees can enumerate more and I will highlight a few of them here. I will start with the lessons I learned from each speaker or segment of the event.
1. I learned from Hadjii Crespo that it doesn’t take so much time to untie the knots from stress points in our body (like the shoulders and lower back) we only need at least 15-30 minutes of trigger point release to de-stress our muscles. He demonstrated and has even given free samplers of the method to attendees. This is relieving because sometimes even if you want to spend “spa-mpering time” the whole day- you just can’t take the time off. In between our hectic schedule, we should. We really should. That is one thing that practitioners are guilty of. We always tend to take care of others without taking care of ourselves. Remember we cannot give what we don’t have, taking care of ourselves is one way we enrich our lives. Having known Hadjii through my good friend, Rommel Martinez, I have learned that it takes friendships also to do business together. There must be mutual acceptance and cooperation. You cannot do business with someone you dislike. That is one reason why both have stayed friends and became business partners. It has also been more than a year since I have known Hadjii and I am grateful because he was introduced to me. It’s a good thing that Hadjii shared with us the method he developed. It means he trusts the Meetup group with the knowledge that he shared with us. That we will all use it for the benefit of others and the massage community. Thanks Hadjii for sharing! I agree!
2. Engr. Rolando Alagde’s lecture and videos were stimulating to our thoughts. It is touching to know that our fellow “inno-preneur” even took the half day off away from his class (nag absent si sir Rollie sa AIM) because he wants to share his knowledge and wisdom with the crowd. Without anything in return- but our prayers and gratitude. We are so blessed to have a great and giving friend like Sir Rollie. There will come a time when we can get more and more sponsors so we can provide more than “love gifts” to high-caliber lecturers like Rngr. Rollie. In the area of business and entrepreneurship, I learned that we should be having fun as well. If we are not having fun-- sooner or later we will burn out and stop what we are doing. It doesn’t matter if its work, studies, business and whatever we do- we should have fun and get excited every time, otherwise the fruits of our labor will be of no use. Actually with some of what he said, he already sold what the Biz Wiz group is about to do. As with anything, everything should be a balance between sustainability in business economics and having the passion for what you do. Sometimes, I would ask myself of people I hear who can’t wait to retire, “why do you want to retire if you love what you are doing?” Look at one of the video he shared with us below:
In the video above, 66% took the stairs even if its more difficult to do, this is what I mean by “simple fun with a simple choir”, if we were to analyze, of course it doesn’t make sense to take the stairs if you could take the escalator- BUT- if we could make any difficult choir and turn it to a more fun experience- then you have a market.
Reflecting more about it in our everyday lives, the fun theory seems to show that humans are deletion creatures. We delete almost everything that we do not consider important or vital at one specific point. Why? because our brain cannot focus on so many things at one particular time. If we delete the difficulty of walking the stairs and instead replace it by an activity that would complement the difficulty and by making it fun to do then we have deleted the difficult part and replaced it with the fun part. If we tend to gear our attitude toward what brings us feelings of being happy, content, excited and passionate about life, then that is what we will find. It’s easy as walking the stairs!
To take this a little further, when you are having fun with your profession, with your work, with your life- it’s easier to get up it the morning, it’s easier to smile, it’s easier to give, it’s easier to close a sale, it’s easier to make friends, it’s easier to make sales and its easier to close a deal and its easier to make money. On the other hand, it’s hard for people to make you angry, unhappy or upset. So when you see someone who is always upset, angry or easy to get in an angry mood- expect that the person needs some understanding, expect that that person is in a state of either boredom or burn out- so we have to be more understanding, we have to be more forgiving of each other’s states of mind. Life is short we should not sweat the small stuff but enjoy!
3. On Ms. Angel Laparan’s lecture, she told us that it’s even harder today to deploy nurses but the deployment of spa and workers in the massage/spa industry is still on-going. Most of the time, one does not even need to be licensed or certified because it all depends on the employer. Of course, certifications do help a lot especially if the employers choose to work with only those who have had medical related backgrounds- but not all the time. I also shared that in my experience, certifications and licenses help only if you are targeting management and executive positions. She has also told the audience a lot about my experience working as a spa manager and spa director in EU. I think there are a lot of opportunities only if we know where to look and whom to get in touch with. I myself, have to turn down a lot of offers abroad because of inconsistencies and restrictive employment contracts. Although the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry has lots of “gray areas” as a profession, we are slowly gaining our ground towards a more collaborative and professional world. One of the things she also touched on was about how one should prepare for a job overseas interview and how important it is for applicants to be able to express them selves in spoken English. Prospective applicants should not be high-nosed and realize earlier on to accept working with a multi-cultural staff. I believe that there should be unity in diversity. I will give you one secret that employers look for. Most of the time, when I sit down with an employer and they would hire me to interview their applicants, it doesn’t hurt to look at the credentials but…the big but is we give more priority to the attitude and character of a person rather than the accomplishments, the experience and the credentials. I would always choose someone who is likeable, able to learn and be taught rather than someone who thinks they know it all. As a consultant, each and every time that the employers and I are faced with the dilemma of selecting only one from a lot of applicants and those who passed the interviews, we would always choose someone whom we see is likeable and a team-player. In very far flung countries, we would always choose someone who works with the team NOT against the team. I sit down with employers, deliberate who among the candidates are fit for the post and the true consensus is- they do not need credentials if you have a bad attitude. Period.
4. What I learned from the Biz Wiz group: I have already discussed this in my previous blog last year in November. Why do you think I invited them over if I was not impressed? But even before Biz Wiz was ever Biz Wiz – I already knew Jason Estimado who was a part of Meetup since 2007. He attends and even lectures about anti-aging and beauty. Here is the link to this blog post that I have written. http://www.yunesa.com/2010/11/same-old-spa-massage-clinic-and.html
II.
5. General lessons: First, I learned from the brilliant Seth Godin that Autarky is dead. As he pointed out in one of his latest blog posts, “Self sufficiency appears to be a worthy goal, but it's now impossible if you want to actually get anything done. All our productivity, leverage and insight come from being part of a community, not apart from it. The goal, I think, is to figure out how to become more dependent with each other, not less.” And what does it have to do with Meetup? We are all dependent on each other. The sponsors, the attendees- and the organizers are crucial to the event, we wouldn’t have made each event better than the other without the help of the sponsors and the participants. Thanks also to the generosity of James who traveled all the way from Subic to Ortigas, who gave a sample of skin white and beauty products he sells and to Ed Rivera who is into native and local accessories like bags and home furnishings. With every Meetup we also get to know everyone's business so if we need something or a particular service or product, we know whom to get in touch with. Thank you for depending on Meetup and thanks to all those who traveled far just to meet us and for everyone who shared their time and prioritized Meetup. I might not be able to write all your names here in this blog post but - my prayers are all with you. Thank you for the openness, time and friendship.
6. “Familiarity breeds respect” as the brilliant Seth Godin wrote in one of his latest blogs, Over the six year period, I have been friends with hundreds of great and gifted souls. I also think that one of the big reasons why Meetup has been successful and strong when it comes to relationships since its inception more than 6 years ago, is that people at Meetup serve each other. As Bo Sanchez points out, “If you find a great organization that has not found a way to serve each other (sad but true) that organization will experience divisions because everyone will be looking at his or her personal agenda and interests”. It is in our good fortune that we tend to repel those types of people because Meetup was not designed for that. Everything and everyone must serve a good purpose with each own talents, uniqueness and capability to complement each other. Meetup doesn’t look at itself as just an organization but a support system that doesn’t worry about protocol. We hope to fill the need for identity, connection and relationships. It was and will never be about “what’s in it for our personal agenda but what’s in it for us to give to others”. Kaya pag lumabas ka ng Meetup na parang ubas, pag uwi mo hawaan mo ng pagiging ubas ang mga pasas. Kung malaki naman silang tao- maaaring prunes na yun. To my English readers, if you ever walk out of a Meetup looking like grapes then when you get home, you have to induce the excitement of being a grape to others who are already dried like raisins and if they are tall, then they are like prunes which you have to water. (wink) In other words, we all need each other, the success of one is the success of the whole- and the failure of one is the failure of all. We should find a way to enrich that relationship- and never to destroy it. Over time, as Seth writes, “you don't just come to trust valued colleagues like these, they also earn respect. Once you understand someone's sensibilities and goals, it's natural to see the world through their eyes and to embrace their motives and tactics. Once you've seen their work under pressure and in quieter moments, you get a sense for what they believe in. In a world of quick projects and short engagements, this sort of relationship is priceless”. I am blessed because I have found such people at Meetup.
7. Focus- as said earlier, we are deletion creatures, we should focus- focus on what? Focus more on what is good, better or best on a person, expect the best with a person, we should focus what makes us feel beautiful inside and out, focus on larger than life experiences, focus on the better things in life rather than those experience which has brought us pain, hurt or disgust. In Shakespeare’s “the Merchant of Venice”, there was a man named Shylock who was very wise but he was cruel. He said, “would you allow the same serpent to sting you twice?” Of course, we should never allow the same serpent to sting us twice. But we should never become cynical. Hindi komo may gumawa sa atin ng mali, pagdidiskitahan din natin ang lahat ng maaring gumawa din ng mali. You do not sink the ship to kill the rats. Learn to trust people. Actually, in life, very few people will hurt us or cause us pain, most are still basically kind. But people who don’t trust and don’t open themselves to other people’s goodness and kindness put walls between them and the world. They in turn imprison themselves in the process. Hindi komo may isang taong nandaya at nanakit sa atin ay lahat na ng tao ay ganun. Learn to trust again. Live life again, love again, give again- although a bit wiser the second time around. Tandaan lang natin na ang isang tao na sobrang wise ay hindi nag e-enjoy sa buhay. One way to enjoy life is to open our self up to people and focus on the better part of life rather than our previous hurts.
8. Energy- is infectious. Need I say more? We have forgotten a lot of things to give and say before our time was up just because we were all “hyped-up”. Hopefully, it will give a good vibes and ripple of effect to our beloved “Meetup-ers”. Thanks and God bless you more! Until next Business / Entrepreneurship, Spa and Wellness and Massage Therapy Meetup! Hats off to all of you!
Business and Entrepreneurship
Spa and Wellness
Massage Therapy
Lessons from Feb 05, 2011 event
There were so many things that I learned from the last Meetup of Business people and Entrepreneurs (or should I say Inno-preneurs) and professionals that belong to the Spa and Wellness as well as the Massage Therapy industry event held last February 05, 2011. I bet the attendees can enumerate more and I will highlight a few of them here. I will start with the lessons I learned from each speaker or segment of the event.
1. I learned from Hadjii Crespo that it doesn’t take so much time to untie the knots from stress points in our body (like the shoulders and lower back) we only need at least 15-30 minutes of trigger point release to de-stress our muscles. He demonstrated and has even given free samplers of the method to attendees. This is relieving because sometimes even if you want to spend “spa-mpering time” the whole day- you just can’t take the time off. In between our hectic schedule, we should. We really should. That is one thing that practitioners are guilty of. We always tend to take care of others without taking care of ourselves. Remember we cannot give what we don’t have, taking care of ourselves is one way we enrich our lives. Having known Hadjii through my good friend, Rommel Martinez, I have learned that it takes friendships also to do business together. There must be mutual acceptance and cooperation. You cannot do business with someone you dislike. That is one reason why both have stayed friends and became business partners. It has also been more than a year since I have known Hadjii and I am grateful because he was introduced to me. It’s a good thing that Hadjii shared with us the method he developed. It means he trusts the Meetup group with the knowledge that he shared with us. That we will all use it for the benefit of others and the massage community. Thanks Hadjii for sharing! I agree!
2. Engr. Rolando Alagde’s lecture and videos were stimulating to our thoughts. It is touching to know that our fellow “inno-preneur” even took the half day off away from his class (nag absent si sir Rollie sa AIM) because he wants to share his knowledge and wisdom with the crowd. Without anything in return- but our prayers and gratitude. We are so blessed to have a great and giving friend like Sir Rollie. There will come a time when we can get more and more sponsors so we can provide more than “love gifts” to high-caliber lecturers like Rngr. Rollie. In the area of business and entrepreneurship, I learned that we should be having fun as well. If we are not having fun-- sooner or later we will burn out and stop what we are doing. It doesn’t matter if its work, studies, business and whatever we do- we should have fun and get excited every time, otherwise the fruits of our labor will be of no use. Actually with some of what he said, he already sold what the Biz Wiz group is about to do. As with anything, everything should be a balance between sustainability in business economics and having the passion for what you do. Sometimes, I would ask myself of people I hear who can’t wait to retire, “why do you want to retire if you love what you are doing?” Look at one of the video he shared with us below:
In the video above, 66% took the stairs even if its more difficult to do, this is what I mean by “simple fun with a simple choir”, if we were to analyze, of course it doesn’t make sense to take the stairs if you could take the escalator- BUT- if we could make any difficult choir and turn it to a more fun experience- then you have a market.
Reflecting more about it in our everyday lives, the fun theory seems to show that humans are deletion creatures. We delete almost everything that we do not consider important or vital at one specific point. Why? because our brain cannot focus on so many things at one particular time. If we delete the difficulty of walking the stairs and instead replace it by an activity that would complement the difficulty and by making it fun to do then we have deleted the difficult part and replaced it with the fun part. If we tend to gear our attitude toward what brings us feelings of being happy, content, excited and passionate about life, then that is what we will find. It’s easy as walking the stairs!
To take this a little further, when you are having fun with your profession, with your work, with your life- it’s easier to get up it the morning, it’s easier to smile, it’s easier to give, it’s easier to close a sale, it’s easier to make friends, it’s easier to make sales and its easier to close a deal and its easier to make money. On the other hand, it’s hard for people to make you angry, unhappy or upset. So when you see someone who is always upset, angry or easy to get in an angry mood- expect that the person needs some understanding, expect that that person is in a state of either boredom or burn out- so we have to be more understanding, we have to be more forgiving of each other’s states of mind. Life is short we should not sweat the small stuff but enjoy!
3. On Ms. Angel Laparan’s lecture, she told us that it’s even harder today to deploy nurses but the deployment of spa and workers in the massage/spa industry is still on-going. Most of the time, one does not even need to be licensed or certified because it all depends on the employer. Of course, certifications do help a lot especially if the employers choose to work with only those who have had medical related backgrounds- but not all the time. I also shared that in my experience, certifications and licenses help only if you are targeting management and executive positions. She has also told the audience a lot about my experience working as a spa manager and spa director in EU. I think there are a lot of opportunities only if we know where to look and whom to get in touch with. I myself, have to turn down a lot of offers abroad because of inconsistencies and restrictive employment contracts. Although the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry has lots of “gray areas” as a profession, we are slowly gaining our ground towards a more collaborative and professional world. One of the things she also touched on was about how one should prepare for a job overseas interview and how important it is for applicants to be able to express them selves in spoken English. Prospective applicants should not be high-nosed and realize earlier on to accept working with a multi-cultural staff. I believe that there should be unity in diversity. I will give you one secret that employers look for. Most of the time, when I sit down with an employer and they would hire me to interview their applicants, it doesn’t hurt to look at the credentials but…the big but is we give more priority to the attitude and character of a person rather than the accomplishments, the experience and the credentials. I would always choose someone who is likeable, able to learn and be taught rather than someone who thinks they know it all. As a consultant, each and every time that the employers and I are faced with the dilemma of selecting only one from a lot of applicants and those who passed the interviews, we would always choose someone whom we see is likeable and a team-player. In very far flung countries, we would always choose someone who works with the team NOT against the team. I sit down with employers, deliberate who among the candidates are fit for the post and the true consensus is- they do not need credentials if you have a bad attitude. Period.
4. What I learned from the Biz Wiz group: I have already discussed this in my previous blog last year in November. Why do you think I invited them over if I was not impressed? But even before Biz Wiz was ever Biz Wiz – I already knew Jason Estimado who was a part of Meetup since 2007. He attends and even lectures about anti-aging and beauty. Here is the link to this blog post that I have written. http://www.yunesa.com/2010/11/same-old-spa-massage-clinic-and.html
II.
5. General lessons: First, I learned from the brilliant Seth Godin that Autarky is dead. As he pointed out in one of his latest blog posts, “Self sufficiency appears to be a worthy goal, but it's now impossible if you want to actually get anything done. All our productivity, leverage and insight come from being part of a community, not apart from it. The goal, I think, is to figure out how to become more dependent with each other, not less.” And what does it have to do with Meetup? We are all dependent on each other. The sponsors, the attendees- and the organizers are crucial to the event, we wouldn’t have made each event better than the other without the help of the sponsors and the participants. Thanks also to the generosity of James who traveled all the way from Subic to Ortigas, who gave a sample of skin white and beauty products he sells and to Ed Rivera who is into native and local accessories like bags and home furnishings. With every Meetup we also get to know everyone's business so if we need something or a particular service or product, we know whom to get in touch with. Thank you for depending on Meetup and thanks to all those who traveled far just to meet us and for everyone who shared their time and prioritized Meetup. I might not be able to write all your names here in this blog post but - my prayers are all with you. Thank you for the openness, time and friendship.
6. “Familiarity breeds respect” as the brilliant Seth Godin wrote in one of his latest blogs, Over the six year period, I have been friends with hundreds of great and gifted souls. I also think that one of the big reasons why Meetup has been successful and strong when it comes to relationships since its inception more than 6 years ago, is that people at Meetup serve each other. As Bo Sanchez points out, “If you find a great organization that has not found a way to serve each other (sad but true) that organization will experience divisions because everyone will be looking at his or her personal agenda and interests”. It is in our good fortune that we tend to repel those types of people because Meetup was not designed for that. Everything and everyone must serve a good purpose with each own talents, uniqueness and capability to complement each other. Meetup doesn’t look at itself as just an organization but a support system that doesn’t worry about protocol. We hope to fill the need for identity, connection and relationships. It was and will never be about “what’s in it for our personal agenda but what’s in it for us to give to others”. Kaya pag lumabas ka ng Meetup na parang ubas, pag uwi mo hawaan mo ng pagiging ubas ang mga pasas. Kung malaki naman silang tao- maaaring prunes na yun. To my English readers, if you ever walk out of a Meetup looking like grapes then when you get home, you have to induce the excitement of being a grape to others who are already dried like raisins and if they are tall, then they are like prunes which you have to water. (wink) In other words, we all need each other, the success of one is the success of the whole- and the failure of one is the failure of all. We should find a way to enrich that relationship- and never to destroy it. Over time, as Seth writes, “you don't just come to trust valued colleagues like these, they also earn respect. Once you understand someone's sensibilities and goals, it's natural to see the world through their eyes and to embrace their motives and tactics. Once you've seen their work under pressure and in quieter moments, you get a sense for what they believe in. In a world of quick projects and short engagements, this sort of relationship is priceless”. I am blessed because I have found such people at Meetup.
7. Focus- as said earlier, we are deletion creatures, we should focus- focus on what? Focus more on what is good, better or best on a person, expect the best with a person, we should focus what makes us feel beautiful inside and out, focus on larger than life experiences, focus on the better things in life rather than those experience which has brought us pain, hurt or disgust. In Shakespeare’s “the Merchant of Venice”, there was a man named Shylock who was very wise but he was cruel. He said, “would you allow the same serpent to sting you twice?” Of course, we should never allow the same serpent to sting us twice. But we should never become cynical. Hindi komo may gumawa sa atin ng mali, pagdidiskitahan din natin ang lahat ng maaring gumawa din ng mali. You do not sink the ship to kill the rats. Learn to trust people. Actually, in life, very few people will hurt us or cause us pain, most are still basically kind. But people who don’t trust and don’t open themselves to other people’s goodness and kindness put walls between them and the world. They in turn imprison themselves in the process. Hindi komo may isang taong nandaya at nanakit sa atin ay lahat na ng tao ay ganun. Learn to trust again. Live life again, love again, give again- although a bit wiser the second time around. Tandaan lang natin na ang isang tao na sobrang wise ay hindi nag e-enjoy sa buhay. One way to enjoy life is to open our self up to people and focus on the better part of life rather than our previous hurts.
8. Energy- is infectious. Need I say more? We have forgotten a lot of things to give and say before our time was up just because we were all “hyped-up”. Hopefully, it will give a good vibes and ripple of effect to our beloved “Meetup-ers”. Thanks and God bless you more! Until next Business / Entrepreneurship, Spa and Wellness and Massage Therapy Meetup! Hats off to all of you!
Monday, November 8, 2010
The TRUE Giftedness in Business and Career (of Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness)
The TRUE Giftedness in Business and Career (of Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness)
by yunesa@yahoo.com
There are two types of business:
1. The business of giving to get and
2. The business of giving to love.
In the first type of business, the business exists only for attention, the emulation of others or the need of the entrepreneur to be liked or loved and thus to earn money.
In the latter type of business, it gives because it wants to serve people and loves the people they are serving. The entrepreneur is passionate about what he/she does and would like to share it with others. This should be the heart of every business and profession not only the spa, massage therapy or wellness industry. Money is just a way for these businesses to be rewarded financially. Eventhough their value is much more than money. It is always a blessing to do what you love and be paid for it.
There is nothing wrong if we want to be loved, liked and admired. It's one of our most basic need. But we have to realize that giving out of necessity and as a way of getting attention and to be loved, then this is not true generosity. That's toxic. You call that co-dependent type of person and it's lethal to your soul. Pleasing people so that they will love you in return is like buying their love. It's slow suicide.
One very close person that I knew very well always give gifts to her friends and colleagues. Whatever she can afford: food, clothing, shoes... things. People would always tell her "Oh you're so generous" but deep within, I know this person is one of the most miserable person on planet Earth. She is constantly sad within because she does not know who her true friends are. She doesn't know if her friends are really friends and are simply there because she gives them stuff. People abuse her (false) kindness or (seemingly) generosity. She is not receiving the rewards of her generosity because she is not really generous- she is needy. She is needy for attention, for friendship and love. She is giving because she felt the need to be accepted. She's giving out of need and fear not out of love. Gloom and grief fills up the space she created. She gives out of need thus even becomes more needy. How do I know this? Because that person was no other than--- myself.
I was needing true friends and I thought I can be more closer to others if I would give something especially material things. I learned. I gained wisdom. If your love tank is empty like me before, you need to do a few things:
First, allow God to love you. Pray from your heart and ask Him to give you the love that no human being can give you. Accept that God loves you and died for your sins and no matter what He is just a prayer away. Accept Him in your heart. Dedicate to Him your past, your present, your future.
Secondly, know yourself, accept yourself, love yourself and forgive yourself. Your height, color, size, weight, IQ level, etc. Improve yourself but love it anyway. Learn to be generous to yourself, celebrate being alive daily or waking up- celebrate everyday! Remember this, unless you truly love yourself, you will not be capable of loving others.
Therefore, in our life, we have to love first ourselves before we really love others. This is not selfish. This is just right.
An example of which is when we ride airplanes. Di ba kahit sa eroplano may sinasabi ang mga flight attendants na ganito: "In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will appear. Place the mask over your mouth and nose, and breath normally. If you are traveling with small children, secure your own mask first, and then help them with theirs....." Why do we have to secure our oxygen first before helping children with them? Why should grownups get the oxygen before the kids? It is very important for us adults, to make sure that we get the mask on quickly or we might pass out before we could help them and they would not be able to help us.
Let us love ourselves and forgive ourselves first before we can truly love and forgive others.
Third, be with people who will add value to your life NOT just people who are there because they want to sell something to you or they want to pick your brains. Be with people who will give out of something of themselves (example: time, Godly advise, effort, service, companionship, committment, etc.) to you for friendship and love. Dump people (I mean get out of a relationship or avoid them as much as possible) who are complainers- you know, those Debbie downers, the types who sucks the energy off of you but instead replace them with people who inspires you and improves your outlook in life. The circle of friends that you choose should be positive and inspiring people inspite of the rocky roads in life not the gloomy and pessimistic ones.
I repeat: the true wealth in business or any profession or career is being truly generous with your core gifts, skills and talents and sharing it with others. It is giving out of love, which fills our lives with more love. Then money will find a way to come.
To understand where I am coming from look at this video of my past.- Click on this link.
One way of loving yourself is doing what this little girl is doing.
So tell me, which type of business or profession are you about to start? The first or the second?
God bless you, your spa, massage business, your career, your profession, your family, your plans and goals!
by yunesa@yahoo.com
There are two types of business:
1. The business of giving to get and
2. The business of giving to love.
In the first type of business, the business exists only for attention, the emulation of others or the need of the entrepreneur to be liked or loved and thus to earn money.
In the latter type of business, it gives because it wants to serve people and loves the people they are serving. The entrepreneur is passionate about what he/she does and would like to share it with others. This should be the heart of every business and profession not only the spa, massage therapy or wellness industry. Money is just a way for these businesses to be rewarded financially. Eventhough their value is much more than money. It is always a blessing to do what you love and be paid for it.
There is nothing wrong if we want to be loved, liked and admired. It's one of our most basic need. But we have to realize that giving out of necessity and as a way of getting attention and to be loved, then this is not true generosity. That's toxic. You call that co-dependent type of person and it's lethal to your soul. Pleasing people so that they will love you in return is like buying their love. It's slow suicide.
One very close person that I knew very well always give gifts to her friends and colleagues. Whatever she can afford: food, clothing, shoes... things. People would always tell her "Oh you're so generous" but deep within, I know this person is one of the most miserable person on planet Earth. She is constantly sad within because she does not know who her true friends are. She doesn't know if her friends are really friends and are simply there because she gives them stuff. People abuse her (false) kindness or (seemingly) generosity. She is not receiving the rewards of her generosity because she is not really generous- she is needy. She is needy for attention, for friendship and love. She is giving because she felt the need to be accepted. She's giving out of need and fear not out of love. Gloom and grief fills up the space she created. She gives out of need thus even becomes more needy. How do I know this? Because that person was no other than--- myself.
I was needing true friends and I thought I can be more closer to others if I would give something especially material things. I learned. I gained wisdom. If your love tank is empty like me before, you need to do a few things:
First, allow God to love you. Pray from your heart and ask Him to give you the love that no human being can give you. Accept that God loves you and died for your sins and no matter what He is just a prayer away. Accept Him in your heart. Dedicate to Him your past, your present, your future.
Secondly, know yourself, accept yourself, love yourself and forgive yourself. Your height, color, size, weight, IQ level, etc. Improve yourself but love it anyway. Learn to be generous to yourself, celebrate being alive daily or waking up- celebrate everyday! Remember this, unless you truly love yourself, you will not be capable of loving others.
Therefore, in our life, we have to love first ourselves before we really love others. This is not selfish. This is just right.
An example of which is when we ride airplanes. Di ba kahit sa eroplano may sinasabi ang mga flight attendants na ganito: "In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will appear. Place the mask over your mouth and nose, and breath normally. If you are traveling with small children, secure your own mask first, and then help them with theirs....." Why do we have to secure our oxygen first before helping children with them? Why should grownups get the oxygen before the kids? It is very important for us adults, to make sure that we get the mask on quickly or we might pass out before we could help them and they would not be able to help us.
Let us love ourselves and forgive ourselves first before we can truly love and forgive others.
Third, be with people who will add value to your life NOT just people who are there because they want to sell something to you or they want to pick your brains. Be with people who will give out of something of themselves (example: time, Godly advise, effort, service, companionship, committment, etc.) to you for friendship and love. Dump people (I mean get out of a relationship or avoid them as much as possible) who are complainers- you know, those Debbie downers, the types who sucks the energy off of you but instead replace them with people who inspires you and improves your outlook in life. The circle of friends that you choose should be positive and inspiring people inspite of the rocky roads in life not the gloomy and pessimistic ones.
I repeat: the true wealth in business or any profession or career is being truly generous with your core gifts, skills and talents and sharing it with others. It is giving out of love, which fills our lives with more love. Then money will find a way to come.
To understand where I am coming from look at this video of my past.- Click on this link.
One way of loving yourself is doing what this little girl is doing.
So tell me, which type of business or profession are you about to start? The first or the second?
God bless you, your spa, massage business, your career, your profession, your family, your plans and goals!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Why? Your specifics....
The Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Blog by yunesa@yahoo.com
Why? Your specifics.....
When asked, how much do you charge? We, Filipinos are shy to state specifics, it is normal to hear the replies "bahala ka na" (it's up to you) or "kahit magkano" (any would do) one of the reason is because we are have an indirect culture. Eastern culture's language is very indirect as opposed to Western way of saying things. We shy away from money or asking money but when I attended a non-profit organization's fund raising workshop, a couple of days ago, I realized that in some areas, specific answers are needed and it works and at other times, it doesn't. It has it's positives and negatives. It goes on to say that who is asking is also important. But in every area of fund raising even for non-profits, they need specifics.
When asked by a client of your fee/s. State the specifics.
When asked how much. State specifics.
When asked how many. State specifics.
When asked how often. State specifics.
When asked how much money you need. State specifics.
It also goes the same before embarking on any project or endeavor. It is important that we addess the specifics (yeah...and I would stress it again and say, it has to be specific answers NOT vague) on why we are doing such things. A specific answer should give the following detail/s: a number (monetary or time-wise) or range or duration, it should be brief but should outline your specific outcome, result, desire or goal or vision of things. Things that you should answer for yourself BEFORE and not during the project...
Why are you starting a business?
Because I want to earn.- is vague.
Because I want to earn at least 10,000 Pesos a month -is better because it will narrow down your focus to businesses that can at least earn you a minimum of 10,000 Pesos a month.
Why do you want to teach?
Because I love teaching. - is vague.
Because I want to share my skills, talents and abilities in the area of spa, massage therapy and wellness. -is better because you focus on areas for which you want to specialize in. In any profession, there are generalists and there are specialists. There is nothing wrong with being a generalist or a specialist but consider this: their earnings are also different from each other. Specialists are paid more than generalists.
Why do you want to start a spa, massage clinic or wellness center?
Because I think its a good business.- is vague.
How did you know it is really a good business? Have you done any pro-forma financials? until you have, you cannot say it's a good business.
Because I love to get a massage, go to a spa or a wellness center. Although a good specific reason, it's not enough reason to start. In fact, this is one of the fatal reasons to start a spa business. Being a client is very different from being an owner. A client does not have to worry about staff ramblings, about monthly rentals and quotas- an owner assumes those responsibilities.
Why do you want to become a massage therapist? A spa therapist? A spa consultant?
Because I want to work abroad is vague.
Because I want to work abroad after two years, send money home and save for my retirement fund.- is better. But of course there are better reasons---- at least this reason is starting to get more specific.
Why do you want to volunteer?
Because I wanted to. -is vague.
Because I get my "highs" when I can see I am helping people in my own little way.- is better
By answering and writing down our why's, we will now see our flaws. What needs to be improved. We can dig deeper. Increase our thinking capacity. One thing that I have to learn and remind myself everyday. My whys should be specific....what are you whys?
Why? Your specifics.....
When asked, how much do you charge? We, Filipinos are shy to state specifics, it is normal to hear the replies "bahala ka na" (it's up to you) or "kahit magkano" (any would do) one of the reason is because we are have an indirect culture. Eastern culture's language is very indirect as opposed to Western way of saying things. We shy away from money or asking money but when I attended a non-profit organization's fund raising workshop, a couple of days ago, I realized that in some areas, specific answers are needed and it works and at other times, it doesn't. It has it's positives and negatives. It goes on to say that who is asking is also important. But in every area of fund raising even for non-profits, they need specifics.
When asked by a client of your fee/s. State the specifics.
When asked how much. State specifics.
When asked how many. State specifics.
When asked how often. State specifics.
When asked how much money you need. State specifics.
It also goes the same before embarking on any project or endeavor. It is important that we addess the specifics (yeah...and I would stress it again and say, it has to be specific answers NOT vague) on why we are doing such things. A specific answer should give the following detail/s: a number (monetary or time-wise) or range or duration, it should be brief but should outline your specific outcome, result, desire or goal or vision of things. Things that you should answer for yourself BEFORE and not during the project...
Why are you starting a business?
Because I want to earn.- is vague.
Because I want to earn at least 10,000 Pesos a month -is better because it will narrow down your focus to businesses that can at least earn you a minimum of 10,000 Pesos a month.
Why do you want to teach?
Because I love teaching. - is vague.
Because I want to share my skills, talents and abilities in the area of spa, massage therapy and wellness. -is better because you focus on areas for which you want to specialize in. In any profession, there are generalists and there are specialists. There is nothing wrong with being a generalist or a specialist but consider this: their earnings are also different from each other. Specialists are paid more than generalists.
Why do you want to start a spa, massage clinic or wellness center?
Because I think its a good business.- is vague.
How did you know it is really a good business? Have you done any pro-forma financials? until you have, you cannot say it's a good business.
Because I love to get a massage, go to a spa or a wellness center. Although a good specific reason, it's not enough reason to start. In fact, this is one of the fatal reasons to start a spa business. Being a client is very different from being an owner. A client does not have to worry about staff ramblings, about monthly rentals and quotas- an owner assumes those responsibilities.
Why do you want to become a massage therapist? A spa therapist? A spa consultant?
Because I want to work abroad is vague.
Because I want to work abroad after two years, send money home and save for my retirement fund.- is better. But of course there are better reasons---- at least this reason is starting to get more specific.
Why do you want to volunteer?
Because I wanted to. -is vague.
Because I get my "highs" when I can see I am helping people in my own little way.- is better
By answering and writing down our why's, we will now see our flaws. What needs to be improved. We can dig deeper. Increase our thinking capacity. One thing that I have to learn and remind myself everyday. My whys should be specific....what are you whys?
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Business of Innovation
The Business of Innovation in the Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Industry
Memory was something you might lose as you age older age...a sign of old age.
An application was used for employment
A program was a TV show
A cursor is a person using profane words
A keyboard was a piano
A web was a spider's home
A virus was any type of flu or that exhibits flu-like symptoms
A CD was a bank account: a cash deposit
A hard drive was a long trip on the road with traffic along the way
A mouse pad was where a mouse lives
and if you had a 3.5 inch floppy,
you just hoped nobody finds out.
Funny but so much has changed since the advent of the computer/digital age. We see progress, we see innovation in all aspects of our daily life: from the way we send cards to the way we conduct our businesses. From the way we view our careers to the way we live our daily lives. We have softwares to schedule our clients inside the spa, check our inventory or use bar code systems, know who was absent at what day and who among the staff is scheduled for a day off or a vacation (yes and maybe one of these days I can demonstrate some of these applications with the Meetup group that I organize). The netbook, the printer, scanner and lap top replaced the typewriter, the ebooks replaced books, email and e-cards replaced postal letters, envelopes, and the post, the phone book and rolodex replaced the address book. These are just amongst the other things that technology can help us with.
Last Saturday, after visiting the Fitness and Beauty trade show, I attended a Meetup group outside the Meetup group that I organize. It was composed of techie people. I have learned that even if I (and another Japanese lady who was out of place for the time being) was the only one who has a different field amongst all the others, we are still (a bit) in touch with technology. This blog for instance, has its foundation in communicating through technology. I might not understand what JAVA, Cloud, SAP means (amongst all the other technology terms that I have heard) but the nice thing about technology is that we do not have to understand the applications behind --as long as we can use it in our daily lives. Except for the high profile technology inventors, we do not even know who invented which and what. We can only thank God that it has reached our hands and we can use it. There are a lot of things we can use technology for and one of which is educating ourselves. We have to, at the very least adopt to the changing times, hindi yung ayaw na nating matuto mag-text or mag-email man lang. Hindi man lang alamin kung papano mg-FB. Kung ayaw nating matuto ng bago ano ng gagawin natin sa buhay? Life is a continuous learning experience. Kailangan mag invest din sa sarili by improving what we know. Do not go into the spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness industry without doing your homework or performing due diligence including adopting to new and better ways of serving our clients through technology.
Here are some ways you could use technology in your spa, massage therapy, beauty and wellness career or business:
1. Use high technology machines to assist you in fighting cellulites, aging and other degenerative diseases. Attend trade shows in and outside the country even if you are on vacation. Whenever I go out of the country, I try to search for events for the country that I will be visiting and attend any seminar, workshops or trade shows that will be held during the time that I will visit. It adds up to my knowledge and my expertise. You will learn from the products, gadgets and services of others. I am not saying that you have to copy them but adopt what you think might be good and remove things that might not be suitable/ applicable for you. The bottomline here is to know the trends in the industry.
2. Use Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) and Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) to speed up transactions in your spa, massage clinic or wellness center. EFTPOS means that prospective clients can pay for goods and services using credit and debit cards.
3. Use a website that will serve as your point of contact and sale. You can offer gift certificates online, special promotions and email subscribers using your website. Use it as an e-commerce website. E-commerce is the ability of businesses to trade with the world via websites. This means that there is a larger market and your spa, massage clinic or wellness center is now open 24 hours a day.
4. Lessen the use of paper, communication is improved through the use of the intranet and Internet. The intranet is an internal system of computer communication while the internet can be used to communicate with clients, suppliers amongst others in the outside world (through websites and email). Spa staff can work away from the office using mobile technology such as phones, laptops and modems. But a word of warning, do not use naman technology just to play games online or chat with others while you have no client. Use technology wisely.
5. Instead of advertising, use the Internet for recruitment purposes. You can post job vacancies online or using the Meetup message board and positions can be advertised and targeted to the right audience, often costing less than print alternatives. And it can be done for free at www.meetup.com/philippinespaandwellness
and many more....
However, the use of technology should be a balance between our needs and practicality. Use it to be more effeicient, better and be able to focus on things that machines and computers cannot do. If the benefits outweighs the cost, then consider in investing in technology. We can just hope that technology can complement and ease our lives rather than burden it.
The more high-tech we become, the more high-touch we need -yunesa
Sunday, August 8, 2010
An Investment You Should Not Miss
The Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness Blog
by Eunice
Last Tuesday, my father and I visited an older cousin's husband in a hospital. The last time I saw him was way back when I was in high school, some twenty years ago. Manong Gener, as I fondly call him, was in his mid-thirties and was driving their new Toyota Corrolla. It was a very long drive I suppose, because he started puffing his cigarettes when they arrived. From Las Pinas to the Fairview area of Novaliches. From South area to North- just imagine a drive of two and a half hours--- if the traffic is good. He also used to drink beer and liquor a lot, he along with most of the many relatives that I knew are more than social drinkers. Believe me, socialization is part and parcel of every occasion since birthdays, weddings, infant baptisms and baby showers, debut, anniversaries and of course who can forget Christmas time....they are all common occasions. Even a funeral is an event for bonding of long lost relatives and again a time to eat, drink beer and drink to their heart's content. Something that until now, I don't quite understand why they do people drink a lot of beer even if it tastes bitter? On side note, I remember experimenting and drinking beer with my sister when we were in Elementary, long ago and we both laughingly sipped a tiny bit which made my world swirl. But alas, I forgot about that experience and just a couple of years back when I was in the Balkans, I remember when my good friend and a great German chef, Falk announced his engagement to another good friend of mine, Andrijana. Upon announcement, they arranged for a toss of champagne, I was thinking to myself that champagne isn't beer- so I sipped less than 1 ml from that champagne glass. But the effect was too much. I have to excuse myself for the whole day and our hotel's GM that time, Hubert Eikel, asked me to rest in our employee lounge. I was too dizzy to work. Everything was swirling. Good thing they understood my situation although they were all laughing at me. But from that time on, I knew that I wasn't cut to drink even a sip. So whenever we hang out around, I order orange juice or chai (tea) especially during winter.
In Philippine setting and Filipinos gatherings, most often than not any form of gathering (except in a very few instances like ours) consists of a lot of food and beer. Cases and cases of beer....(if you know what I mean). Coming from a family also where tuba is common - Mr. Tuba is also present most of the time. That Tuesday, I felt worried and hurt in my heart as I see my 58 year old relative in a sick bed and in pain due to kidney problem (he has been on dialysis every week for the past month). We prayed for his speedy recovery and meanwhile, I realized that in order for a person to reach a long and satisfying healthful life- we also have to plan and act upon healthy regimen. This consists of doing things that are commonly overlooked but medically proven to be healthy: no smoking or puffing of cigarettes, do not allow yourself to be drunk or drink alcohol more than you can take, eat a balanced diet, exercise, do not carry any emotional baggage like: do not harbor hatred, be forgiving of yourself and others, etc. There are no guarantees but if we neglect to take care of these things when we are young our chances of suffering from diseases, ailments and emotional problems in the future will be higher than those that did take care of their body, soul and mind. Prayer also helps a lot because when others cannot listen, God can. He is not limited by distance or even time. Another topic which we can discuss next time.
Which comes to mind a 50+ year old doctor that we have met just yesterday, he looks like he is in his 28-35 years old and Cecile and I can't believe our eyes. He really looks 20- 25 years younger than his age. His secret? Hehe....next time folks.....
In the meantime, give yourself a break, invest in yourself before investing in your business or any entrepreneurial endeavor, do something healthy for yourself this week. Start ten things you need to do and if you are having a difficult time, start with listing one or two things that you would do for yourself and your health. Start them this week. Let me know how you felt about it and how it went. I would like to connect with people who are in this for the long haul and support you. It maybe the urging desire to jog, to go to a gym, to give up that cola addiction, to stop eating red meat, to go to a spa, to seek help and advice from health professionals- anything that adds value for your health. Do it now. Before it's too late. It's an investment you have to make for you and your family and your future.
Your daily health rituals yesterday and today will determine your future's quality of life- yunesa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This blog article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinespaandwellness
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/
or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com
TERMS OF REPRINT
You can freely distribute a copy of this article provided, that you follow the terms of reprint. Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS OF REPRINT when you use this article. Thank you.
Helpful Link: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act – Overview http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm
Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcible under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Acthttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:*** Digital Reprint Rights **** If you publish this article in a website/forum/ blog, etc. You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links).* Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author's links without redirects having been inserted into the copy.* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.* Email Distribution of this article must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.* You are allowed to format the layout of the article for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests within the article.* You may not use sentences from this article as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the "WHOLE" article.*** Author Notification ***We ask that you notify the author of publication of her work. Eunice can be reached at: yunesa@yahoo.com
If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: yunesa@yahoo.com
The content of this article is solely the property and opinion of its author, Eunice
----
Follow this blog for more updates
by Eunice
Last Tuesday, my father and I visited an older cousin's husband in a hospital. The last time I saw him was way back when I was in high school, some twenty years ago. Manong Gener, as I fondly call him, was in his mid-thirties and was driving their new Toyota Corrolla. It was a very long drive I suppose, because he started puffing his cigarettes when they arrived. From Las Pinas to the Fairview area of Novaliches. From South area to North- just imagine a drive of two and a half hours--- if the traffic is good. He also used to drink beer and liquor a lot, he along with most of the many relatives that I knew are more than social drinkers. Believe me, socialization is part and parcel of every occasion since birthdays, weddings, infant baptisms and baby showers, debut, anniversaries and of course who can forget Christmas time....they are all common occasions. Even a funeral is an event for bonding of long lost relatives and again a time to eat, drink beer and drink to their heart's content. Something that until now, I don't quite understand why they do people drink a lot of beer even if it tastes bitter? On side note, I remember experimenting and drinking beer with my sister when we were in Elementary, long ago and we both laughingly sipped a tiny bit which made my world swirl. But alas, I forgot about that experience and just a couple of years back when I was in the Balkans, I remember when my good friend and a great German chef, Falk announced his engagement to another good friend of mine, Andrijana. Upon announcement, they arranged for a toss of champagne, I was thinking to myself that champagne isn't beer- so I sipped less than 1 ml from that champagne glass. But the effect was too much. I have to excuse myself for the whole day and our hotel's GM that time, Hubert Eikel, asked me to rest in our employee lounge. I was too dizzy to work. Everything was swirling. Good thing they understood my situation although they were all laughing at me. But from that time on, I knew that I wasn't cut to drink even a sip. So whenever we hang out around, I order orange juice or chai (tea) especially during winter.
In Philippine setting and Filipinos gatherings, most often than not any form of gathering (except in a very few instances like ours) consists of a lot of food and beer. Cases and cases of beer....(if you know what I mean). Coming from a family also where tuba is common - Mr. Tuba is also present most of the time. That Tuesday, I felt worried and hurt in my heart as I see my 58 year old relative in a sick bed and in pain due to kidney problem (he has been on dialysis every week for the past month). We prayed for his speedy recovery and meanwhile, I realized that in order for a person to reach a long and satisfying healthful life- we also have to plan and act upon healthy regimen. This consists of doing things that are commonly overlooked but medically proven to be healthy: no smoking or puffing of cigarettes, do not allow yourself to be drunk or drink alcohol more than you can take, eat a balanced diet, exercise, do not carry any emotional baggage like: do not harbor hatred, be forgiving of yourself and others, etc. There are no guarantees but if we neglect to take care of these things when we are young our chances of suffering from diseases, ailments and emotional problems in the future will be higher than those that did take care of their body, soul and mind. Prayer also helps a lot because when others cannot listen, God can. He is not limited by distance or even time. Another topic which we can discuss next time.
Which comes to mind a 50+ year old doctor that we have met just yesterday, he looks like he is in his 28-35 years old and Cecile and I can't believe our eyes. He really looks 20- 25 years younger than his age. His secret? Hehe....next time folks.....
In the meantime, give yourself a break, invest in yourself before investing in your business or any entrepreneurial endeavor, do something healthy for yourself this week. Start ten things you need to do and if you are having a difficult time, start with listing one or two things that you would do for yourself and your health. Start them this week. Let me know how you felt about it and how it went. I would like to connect with people who are in this for the long haul and support you. It maybe the urging desire to jog, to go to a gym, to give up that cola addiction, to stop eating red meat, to go to a spa, to seek help and advice from health professionals- anything that adds value for your health. Do it now. Before it's too late. It's an investment you have to make for you and your family and your future.
Your daily health rituals yesterday and today will determine your future's quality of life- yunesa
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This blog article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinespaandwellness
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/
or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com
TERMS OF REPRINT
You can freely distribute a copy of this article provided, that you follow the terms of reprint. Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS OF REPRINT when you use this article. Thank you.
Helpful Link: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act – Overview http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm
Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcible under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Acthttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:*** Digital Reprint Rights **** If you publish this article in a website/forum/ blog, etc. You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links).* Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author's links without redirects having been inserted into the copy.* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.* Email Distribution of this article must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.* You are allowed to format the layout of the article for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests within the article.* You may not use sentences from this article as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the "WHOLE" article.*** Author Notification ***We ask that you notify the author of publication of her work. Eunice can be reached at: yunesa@yahoo.com
If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: yunesa@yahoo.com
The content of this article is solely the property and opinion of its author, Eunice
----
Follow this blog for more updates
Friday, July 30, 2010
Sex Scandal and the Profession/Business of Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness
Sex Scandal and the Profession/Business of Spa, Massage Therapy and Wellness
Recently I read an article regarding Al Gore who happens to be implicated in an in-room Portland hotel massage scandal where the former Vice-President of the United States and apparently assaulted the massage therapist. This is not a new story in the business of spas, massage clinics and wellness centers- there are still people who are asking for extras-other than a hot cup of herbal tea. Sadly, it comes with the territory. The challenge here is raising awareness for the public and raising standards for the professionals in the industry.
But then again, raising the standards is not the complete solution but just a part of how we emphaisize on protocol. The real solution is in the hearts of every client/patron and the professional (even business owners). Whatever law or regulation is passed by governing bodies but if both parties will not conduct themselves properly in private and will go beyond what is professional then, the law is not effective. Self-regulation and conscience call is still the best regulation of all. It goes beyond regulation and strict implementation. We should all be part of the solution.
Just click on the link and you will be directed to a blog I have written on 50++ ways of Preventing/Avoiding Sexual Advances
Email me
Recently I read an article regarding Al Gore who happens to be implicated in an in-room Portland hotel massage scandal where the former Vice-President of the United States and apparently assaulted the massage therapist. This is not a new story in the business of spas, massage clinics and wellness centers- there are still people who are asking for extras-other than a hot cup of herbal tea. Sadly, it comes with the territory. The challenge here is raising awareness for the public and raising standards for the professionals in the industry.
But then again, raising the standards is not the complete solution but just a part of how we emphaisize on protocol. The real solution is in the hearts of every client/patron and the professional (even business owners). Whatever law or regulation is passed by governing bodies but if both parties will not conduct themselves properly in private and will go beyond what is professional then, the law is not effective. Self-regulation and conscience call is still the best regulation of all. It goes beyond regulation and strict implementation. We should all be part of the solution.
Just click on the link and you will be directed to a blog I have written on 50++ ways of Preventing/Avoiding Sexual Advances
Email me
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Are You In-Love with the Right Business, Profession, Field or Industry?
Ways to Know If Your Are In Love with the Right Business, Profession, Field or Industry
Can you easily spot if your friend is in love with someone? It won't come as a surprise but I will be using the Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness industry as examples to know if you are in the right business, profession, field or industry. It takes more than capital, numbers and financials. To give soul to your profession or business, it has to have other elements in place.
I once heard from our Pastor, Ed Lapiz, that it's so important to be able to know your right place and grow where you are planted. A water lily won't grow in the desert. A fish won't live on land. An orchid won't grow on rivers. Every planet, creature, every plant, every human has a right place on Earth. We all have our place on Earth. To some, finding their place is as easy as counting 1, 2 and 3 while for others, it's a bit of a challenge. Maybe because they have a lot of excellent talents or skills which clouds their thinking or it might be the other way around, they don't have enough interests, talents and skills, or they earn so much from their talents and skills that they wouldn't care if it robs them of their happiness. They can't leave their work even if they don't like what they do because of financial needs. It's not uncommon to hear our fellow Filipinos to complain that they really would want to become a doctor instead of a nurse. Only if doctors in our country are paid more than the salaries of nurses abroad. It's not uncommon for teachers to be working as domestic helpers even if they love teaching, they are forced to abandon their passion for teaching because working abroad as a domestic helper earns more. Not that something is wrong with these noble occupations because these are commendable traits of self-sacrifice and care- but the long range effect of this creates division in our lives and our emotions.
Here are some ways to know if your heart is "really" into the Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness industry, whether this be in a profession or business in this field or industry.
1. Your body tells you so.
Aha, one of the ways to read a person is through his/her actions. Siyempre, you have to look at how your body responds to your environment, to your colleagues, to your work and how you perform your responsibilities.
You know that you are "in-love" with your career or your profession if: you are excited to work every single day, you check up on your clients regularly with enthusiasm, your body clock does not miss any spa appointment with a client, you are excited to smell the peppermint from the spa reception, you volunteer for an overtime instead of making excuses why you are always late, you love reading and learning about spas, massage therapies, beauty and wellness, etc. When you lighten up, get excited, beam ear to ear when doing these things then they are tell-tale signs that you found your right path.
You know that you are "in-love" with your spa, massage or wellness business if: you are eagerly anticipating opening doors for business, you spoke with a reliable spa consultant and finished your business plan before you started the business, you love the staff as much as you love your business, you get excited to meet clients and ask their opinions, you don't only love to get a massage, a pedicure or a body scrub but you love to intricately know what's behind the products that were used, you share what you envision about this place to your staff, etc.
If you feel the other way around, you might as well start finding another job or business. Do not get entangled for so long in a golden hand cuff. Golden hand cuffs are basically occupations that keeps you just that....occupied but feeling wanting.
Your body and how it expresses itself in talents and skills you have are signs and symptoms if you are in the right track. We are given enough talents and skills that shows in our body language and in our everyday life, use that for a purpose. You are unique, do not run after someone's dreams and rainbow.
2. You know what sets you apart from others.
You are not just another person who jumps into the wellness bandwagon. You know that you are "in-love" with your career or your profession/business if: you know that you can come in with a different perspective, an out of the box idea or you have better way of doing things. You do not cut corners, you love to contribute without stepping on someone's foot, you have unique qualities and abilities that would set you apart from the others.
What is so unique about you? Perhaps, you did not just put up or start another spa, massage clinic or wellness center- for you, you started a philosophy of sharing to others the gift of health and wellness. You are not an average massage trainer, you did not just taught people techniques through massage and spa trainings but you shared yourself and your experiences, you taught your students how to be professional, how to care through their work, you taught them to open their minds and hearts to learning and to be accepting of others. You do not see yourself as an ordinary massage or spa therapist or spa manager, you are a force for good and a warrior for those who uses this industry for sexual slavery and promiscuous activities.
In essence, you have to have uniqueness in you. It might be new massage techniques that you have been wanting to share for so long, it might be the depth of your experience, it might be the insights that you bring to increase spa sales, etc. Think....what sets you apart from others in this field?
3. Time flies when you enjoy what you are doing.
As what Joseph Campbell says, "follow your bliss". Do things that most excites you and make you the happiest. Not everything in a certain job or business is bliss (even roses have thorns) but generally, if you can do things all day and all night and although you feel tired, you still look forward to doing it tomorrow...then, you have found your bliss. You are in love.
You do not care if you are past your bedtime because you are still researching for the origin of the word "spa", you did not noitice that it's already time for you to go home because there is another client waiting in line, you are not watching the clock for 5 o'clock, you are excited to do some over-time work because you feel at home inside the spa or you love learning more about the intricasies of spa, massage therapies, etc. Learning for you never ends.
If you are in the right business or profession: you just can't get enough of it.
4. You are productive.
Being productive can be seen in so many different ways. Being productive might mean: you are generating enough financial gain from what you love to do, it might mean generating a high amount of value for others and yourself, etc. But the time and energy that you put into your business or profession and the income does not always go hand in hand. I have seen a lot of my staff abroad earning more than a manager's wages in the Philippines but they seem to be discontented and therefore produce an average amount of productivity both in how they feel and what is being given to the company. Any unspoken or unacted upon our life's mission will be a poison to your productivity. See to it that at the very least, you are generating enough income for you to live, be happy and be able to give to others.
Love is blind. Yes it's true even in our business and career. Do not get blinded by love. Life is not all about career and business. Everything has to be a balance.
Love can be be cultivated. If you found these three wanting increase the depth of your love or find another love.
Last but not the least, what we have are all God's gift for us, it's important to cultivate it and return God's favor by using everything within our power to give glory to Him.
========================================================================
The most comprehensive resource and information guide on the list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. The First Book on Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Book and Career Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
(this has the most comprehensive list of training centers in the Philippines and abroad with tips from professionals and employment opportunities, legal laws and regulations, list of employment agencies, how to choose a trainer, and information that you need in order to succeed in this industry and before you shell out money for your tuition or training, there are a lot of ways you can grab a copy of this valuable information para hindi ka mag sayang ng time and money enrolling in trainings you do not even need. This book will give you the information to start right in the industry with secrets you should know and being able to find your rainbow in the wonderful world of massage, spa and wellness.
1. You can order it online via www.Amazon.com at 34.95$
2. You can order it via a Kindle device at $7.99
3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at www.yunesa.blogspot.com at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.
Also, CD's included in the kit for spa management, practice and operations available:
The Spa and Wellness Business- Understanding the Basics (PowerPoint format)
Seven Deadly Mistakes to Avoid as a Spa Owner and Practitioner in the Spa Wellness Business (PowerPoint format)
Spa, Massage and Facial Therapies 101 (The Basics) (PowerPoint format)
Business Worksheets for Spa and Massage Business in the Philippines (Excel and Word format/program includes all the financial worksheets you need in computing for your operational cost, etc.)
This article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from www.Amazon.com or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.
TERMS OF REPRINT
You can freely distribute a copy of this article provided, that you follow the terms of reprint. Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS OF REPRINT when you use this article. Thank you.
Helpful Link:
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act – Overview http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm
Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcible under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:
*** Digital Reprint Rights ***
* If you publish this article in a website/forum/ blog, etc. You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links).
* Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author's links without redirects having been inserted into the copy.
* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.
* Email Distribution of this article must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.
* You are allowed to format the layout of the article for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests within the article.
* You may not use sentences from this article as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the "WHOLE" article.
*** Author Notification ***
we ask that you notify the author of publication of her work. Eunice can be reached at: yunesa@yahoo.com
*** Print Publication Reprint Rights ***
If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: mailto:yunesa@yahoo.com
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
The content of this article is solely the property and opinion of its author, Eunice
Can you easily spot if your friend is in love with someone? It won't come as a surprise but I will be using the Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness industry as examples to know if you are in the right business, profession, field or industry. It takes more than capital, numbers and financials. To give soul to your profession or business, it has to have other elements in place.
I once heard from our Pastor, Ed Lapiz, that it's so important to be able to know your right place and grow where you are planted. A water lily won't grow in the desert. A fish won't live on land. An orchid won't grow on rivers. Every planet, creature, every plant, every human has a right place on Earth. We all have our place on Earth. To some, finding their place is as easy as counting 1, 2 and 3 while for others, it's a bit of a challenge. Maybe because they have a lot of excellent talents or skills which clouds their thinking or it might be the other way around, they don't have enough interests, talents and skills, or they earn so much from their talents and skills that they wouldn't care if it robs them of their happiness. They can't leave their work even if they don't like what they do because of financial needs. It's not uncommon to hear our fellow Filipinos to complain that they really would want to become a doctor instead of a nurse. Only if doctors in our country are paid more than the salaries of nurses abroad. It's not uncommon for teachers to be working as domestic helpers even if they love teaching, they are forced to abandon their passion for teaching because working abroad as a domestic helper earns more. Not that something is wrong with these noble occupations because these are commendable traits of self-sacrifice and care- but the long range effect of this creates division in our lives and our emotions.
Here are some ways to know if your heart is "really" into the Spa, Massage Therapy, Beauty and Wellness industry, whether this be in a profession or business in this field or industry.
1. Your body tells you so.
Aha, one of the ways to read a person is through his/her actions. Siyempre, you have to look at how your body responds to your environment, to your colleagues, to your work and how you perform your responsibilities.
You know that you are "in-love" with your career or your profession if: you are excited to work every single day, you check up on your clients regularly with enthusiasm, your body clock does not miss any spa appointment with a client, you are excited to smell the peppermint from the spa reception, you volunteer for an overtime instead of making excuses why you are always late, you love reading and learning about spas, massage therapies, beauty and wellness, etc. When you lighten up, get excited, beam ear to ear when doing these things then they are tell-tale signs that you found your right path.
You know that you are "in-love" with your spa, massage or wellness business if: you are eagerly anticipating opening doors for business, you spoke with a reliable spa consultant and finished your business plan before you started the business, you love the staff as much as you love your business, you get excited to meet clients and ask their opinions, you don't only love to get a massage, a pedicure or a body scrub but you love to intricately know what's behind the products that were used, you share what you envision about this place to your staff, etc.
If you feel the other way around, you might as well start finding another job or business. Do not get entangled for so long in a golden hand cuff. Golden hand cuffs are basically occupations that keeps you just that....occupied but feeling wanting.
Your body and how it expresses itself in talents and skills you have are signs and symptoms if you are in the right track. We are given enough talents and skills that shows in our body language and in our everyday life, use that for a purpose. You are unique, do not run after someone's dreams and rainbow.
2. You know what sets you apart from others.
You are not just another person who jumps into the wellness bandwagon. You know that you are "in-love" with your career or your profession/business if: you know that you can come in with a different perspective, an out of the box idea or you have better way of doing things. You do not cut corners, you love to contribute without stepping on someone's foot, you have unique qualities and abilities that would set you apart from the others.
What is so unique about you? Perhaps, you did not just put up or start another spa, massage clinic or wellness center- for you, you started a philosophy of sharing to others the gift of health and wellness. You are not an average massage trainer, you did not just taught people techniques through massage and spa trainings but you shared yourself and your experiences, you taught your students how to be professional, how to care through their work, you taught them to open their minds and hearts to learning and to be accepting of others. You do not see yourself as an ordinary massage or spa therapist or spa manager, you are a force for good and a warrior for those who uses this industry for sexual slavery and promiscuous activities.
In essence, you have to have uniqueness in you. It might be new massage techniques that you have been wanting to share for so long, it might be the depth of your experience, it might be the insights that you bring to increase spa sales, etc. Think....what sets you apart from others in this field?
3. Time flies when you enjoy what you are doing.
As what Joseph Campbell says, "follow your bliss". Do things that most excites you and make you the happiest. Not everything in a certain job or business is bliss (even roses have thorns) but generally, if you can do things all day and all night and although you feel tired, you still look forward to doing it tomorrow...then, you have found your bliss. You are in love.
You do not care if you are past your bedtime because you are still researching for the origin of the word "spa", you did not noitice that it's already time for you to go home because there is another client waiting in line, you are not watching the clock for 5 o'clock, you are excited to do some over-time work because you feel at home inside the spa or you love learning more about the intricasies of spa, massage therapies, etc. Learning for you never ends.
If you are in the right business or profession: you just can't get enough of it.
4. You are productive.
Being productive can be seen in so many different ways. Being productive might mean: you are generating enough financial gain from what you love to do, it might mean generating a high amount of value for others and yourself, etc. But the time and energy that you put into your business or profession and the income does not always go hand in hand. I have seen a lot of my staff abroad earning more than a manager's wages in the Philippines but they seem to be discontented and therefore produce an average amount of productivity both in how they feel and what is being given to the company. Any unspoken or unacted upon our life's mission will be a poison to your productivity. See to it that at the very least, you are generating enough income for you to live, be happy and be able to give to others.
Love is blind. Yes it's true even in our business and career. Do not get blinded by love. Life is not all about career and business. Everything has to be a balance.
Love can be be cultivated. If you found these three wanting increase the depth of your love or find another love.
Last but not the least, what we have are all God's gift for us, it's important to cultivate it and return God's favor by using everything within our power to give glory to Him.
========================================================================
The most comprehensive resource and information guide on the list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. The First Book on Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Book and Career Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
(this has the most comprehensive list of training centers in the Philippines and abroad with tips from professionals and employment opportunities, legal laws and regulations, list of employment agencies, how to choose a trainer, and information that you need in order to succeed in this industry and before you shell out money for your tuition or training, there are a lot of ways you can grab a copy of this valuable information para hindi ka mag sayang ng time and money enrolling in trainings you do not even need. This book will give you the information to start right in the industry with secrets you should know and being able to find your rainbow in the wonderful world of massage, spa and wellness.
1. You can order it online via www.Amazon.com at 34.95$
2. You can order it via a Kindle device at $7.99
3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at www.yunesa.blogspot.com at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.
Also, CD's included in the kit for spa management, practice and operations available:
The Spa and Wellness Business- Understanding the Basics (PowerPoint format)
Seven Deadly Mistakes to Avoid as a Spa Owner and Practitioner in the Spa Wellness Business (PowerPoint format)
Spa, Massage and Facial Therapies 101 (The Basics) (PowerPoint format)
Business Worksheets for Spa and Massage Business in the Philippines (Excel and Word format/program includes all the financial worksheets you need in computing for your operational cost, etc.)
This article is written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from www.Amazon.com or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.
TERMS OF REPRINT
You can freely distribute a copy of this article provided, that you follow the terms of reprint. Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS OF REPRINT when you use this article. Thank you.
Helpful Link:
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act – Overview http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm
Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcible under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:
*** Digital Reprint Rights ***
* If you publish this article in a website/forum/ blog, etc. You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links).
* Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author's links without redirects having been inserted into the copy.
* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the Article or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.
* Email Distribution of this article must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.
* You are allowed to format the layout of the article for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests within the article.
* You may not use sentences from this article as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the "WHOLE" article.
*** Author Notification ***
we ask that you notify the author of publication of her work. Eunice can be reached at: yunesa@yahoo.com
*** Print Publication Reprint Rights ***
If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: mailto:yunesa@yahoo.com
============ ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
The content of this article is solely the property and opinion of its author, Eunice
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Island Spa @ Rustan's Makati (A Spa, Massage Therapy Review from a Spa Connoisseur)
Island Spa @ Rustan's Makati (A Spa and Massage Therapy Review from a Spa Connoisseur)
by Eunice
yunesa@yahoo.com
November 05, 2010- What is different about my visit today at Island spa?
1. Towels- Obviosuly, hindi sila nag titipid ng towels. I love the warm towels applied on my back during the session and afterwards: application of warm towels on my arms, legs and foot.
2. The ginger tea they offered. Refreshing and delicious.
3. The therapist kept on asking to be excused everytime someone is at the reception area because they lack staff.
4. I have taken photos of the nice room we were in.
Here you go my latest thoughts on Island spa.
May 06, 2010- I was at Greenbelt 4 Makati and was aching for another spa-ing or "me" time. Although I only have three hours to spare, I opted to shop for another spa that I can blog about and hopefully, it would be worth blogging about (hehehe). I have been in and out of many spas, facial and beauty centers but one of my weakness is having to sit down and write my thoughts while I am enjoying my session. You have to agree with me that its diffucult to write your thoughts and enjoy the session at the same time. Mahirap kaya yun. But for this day, I chose to give myself a break, just relax and take it easy on my writing. It is worthy to note that prior to this consumer review I have already visited different spas but do not intend to write about it (yet) because I am giving them the chance to improve their services as they did not pass (in my personal opinion) professional standards of what a real or authentic spa is like. So instead of blurting out my disgust (or yelp about it), I will choose to be quiet and hunt for spas, massage clinics and wellness centers that are worthy of blogging about. Hopefully in the near future when I return to these spas, massage clinics and wellness center establishments they would have improved and perhaps that would be the time when I could blog about it.
Since the old spa (near a gym) where I frequent to whenever I am in Greenbelt is now closed and have transferred to another location, I promtly asked from the concierge for the nearest spa and they said it is located at the 5th level of Rustan's Department store, the Island Spa. Okay, so off I went to this upper level of Rustan's to venture into my spa cravings. As geographically challenged as I am, the location is quite difficult to find if you are coming from the Greenbelt area. Its also right near Belo Medical Group's center- maybe next time I will visit Belo instead.
Location and Ambiance
The location is quite difficult to find (no wonder I can only see a few people coming upstairs) . The ambiance is Thai-themed but amidst the Thai ambiance, their services do not include a Thai massage. It's called a spa but in reality, it's not a spa but a massage clinic or center as they do not offer any spa services only massage therapies. They also call their establishment Island spa but do not include different types of island-ish massage therapies. So much for branding huh?
I like the peppermint-ish scent of the candle when I entered and the serene atmosphere, realizing that we are on the fifth level and only a very few people are seen on this side of the mall. The ambiance is more relaxing than that of spas located in SM malls. The ambiance of the whole small floor where these medical spas and beauty centers are located emanates an aura of elegance and exclusivity. Good for those who would like to take a nap during their session. The big minus is that Island Spa do not have any toilets or wash rooms inside their massage center so when I asked where the toilet is at, they said you have to go outside of Island spa and walk a couple of feet away just right beside the alley around the Belo Medical group- so I asked the staff "are there times where clients would ask to be excused for a bladder break wearing the spa robe?" and they said "yes ma'am- the guards outside know that you came from here- so no problem you can go to the bathroom" but for me (personally speaking) it's kinda awkward because you have to pass by the clinic of Belo and a coffee shop where people are taking "tea time". Oh well, luckily for me, during that time I do not have to take a bladder break until after my session was over.
Another disadvantage is that the rooms are separated only by open partitions so if there are a lot of clients simultaneously taking their session and one client happens to be a blabber- naku lagot- everyone will be able to eavesdrop from their conversation. But good thing I went right after lunch time (around 1 pm) so there isn't one client except me- so I have the privilege of having the spa all by myself.
I like that the flooring in between the rooms are made of stones and makes it appeal like you are not inside a mall but in a resort spa somewhere in Thailand.
I also like the back ground sound and music, soothing and similar to old Chinese themes.
Hygiene, Cleanliness and Sanitation
The sheets seem to be clean as the massage recliners are all covered in white and does not seem to have any funny smell. Generaly hygiene and cleanliness passed my standards. The toilets outside the Island spa is clean and neat- as we expect from upscale mall spas around the city.
The Menu of Services
When I looked at their services they have the following in their menu and the prices are very reasonable:
1. Chinese Therapeutic Foot Massage starting at 30 minutes duration for only 375 Pesos to 2 hours for 1,115 pesos (approximately U$D22). I wonder how many techniques there are for a 30 minutes and a two hour session (?). Maybe next time when I am within the vicinity, I will be able to try this one out.
2. Foot and Back Massage for 1 hour and 15 minutes = 800 pesos (approximately U$D16.00). Come to think of it, I should have chosen this as my back and shoulders were stiff that time (as it always was)...hehehe...
3. Full Body Massage which is composed of Swedish and Shiatsu techniques. They have one hou, 1.5 hours and two hours valued at 690 pesos (approximately U$D14), 970 pesos (approximately U$D20) and 1,190 pesos (approximately U$D24) consecutively.
4. Aromatherapy massage priced at 1,145 pesos (approximately U$D 23) for 1.5 hours.
5. Hot Stone Massage priced at 1,200 pesos (approximately U$D24) for 1.5 hours.
6. Foot and body combination at 1.150 pesos (approximately U$D23) for 2 hours- this one was what the staff recommended so I took it. because I am that greedy about massage as I am greedy about taking the knots out of my shoulders and back.
7. Express Back Massage at 375 pesos (approximately U$D8) for 30 minutes- this is the cheapest/least expensive massage they offer.
They also offer coupon booklets for five thousand and ten thousand pesos (approximately U$D100 to U$D 200) which contains 10 and 20 pieces of marked down prices coupons for massage. So if you already are their loyal client and you live near the area, I suggest you go for this value coupons. All in all, their menu is limited to massage therapy, do not expect any spa services even if they claim to be a spa, they do not have any hydrotherapy services or even remotely spa-ish services. Technically, this is not considered a spa but a massage center or massage clinic.
They accept credit cards for payment which is a good thing.
Staff and Decorum
The front desk and staff were nice and helpful. She also asked me if I would have my tea in my room or in the reception vis a vis lounge area. Someone also assisted me when I got lost trying to find the comfort room outside....hehehe....I told you, I am geographically challenged.
The massage therapist assigned to me was also accommodating. But she should go beyond the basic motions of the massage and actually work with your individual body to help not only relax but work towards healing you. They should be receptive to your personal preferences and needs. For someone like me, whose back is filled with really intense knots and carries a ton of stress around, this sort of attention and care is absolutely imperative.
Massage session and techniques
Since I choose Foot and Body Massage combination here is what I experienced:
The staff ushered me to a small room with a recliner for massage and then asked me to change and put on the robe and shorts, she then prepared the foot soak while I was changing then started with an herbal foot soak. Literally it has leaves on the foot soak and I like the feeling because of the hot tub of water with soothing herbs. It was similar to an herbal foot rub I experienced in Thailand except that in Thailand they do not put plastic or cellophane on their foot spa machines. Here the foot spa machine was covered with cellophane/plastic for ease and convenience of cleaning it up afterwards. While soaking my feet for five minutes or so, she also placed a warm massage pillow on my shoulders, making me start the session with ease and comfort. The warm pillow smelled like guava leaves though and I like the smell. The usual massage techniques that were used was nothing exemplary. It took around 30 to 45 minutes all in all. If you are well-versed with massage techniques, this is just an ordinary foot and leg massage nothing more to it.
Then came the time for the body massage proper. She asked me to stand up first while she moved the recliner downwards and put on the face rest. Then I was set to go for my body massage. She started with my legs upwards to other parts of the body. The feeling that it's systematic but not personalized. For me (as a massage therapist myself and a spa consultant), I am very particular about massage therapists who listen to the body's muscle movements while they knead. Its not only the spa or massage ritual that counts. They have to listen to the body not just execute techniques. Overall, the massage was just okay nothing exemplary. It's a combination of Swedish and Shiatsu massage with a bit of stretching.
What I like about the session though is the application of hot pack on my back while massaging on the supine position what I do not like is that I have to rise up and about again for her to be able to change the recliner suited for a supine position.
Overall rating = 80%
They have two branches: Main branch is located at Island Foot and Body Wellness 2/F Jupiter place 136-138 Jupiter st. Bel-Air Makaticity
Tel. Nos. 899-1234 or 7518296
For this visit and blog, I was at Island Spa
5th level, Rustan's Makati
Tel. No. 7108588
Sorry, they do not have any website or email address.
Guidelines in the writing of this spa/massage clinic review were observed, click on the link below to read about my guidelines:
http://yunesa.blogspot.com/2009/07/consumer-and-spa-enthusiasts-review.html
The most comprehensive resource and information guide on the list of training centers, magazines, publications, books and literatures both local and international are all available in the book, “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Guide and Career Book”. The First Book on Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource Book and Career Guide
http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
(this has the most comprehensive list of training centers in the Philippines and abroad with tips from professionals and employment opportunities, legal laws and regulations, list of employment agencies, how to choose a trainer, and information that you need in order to succeed in this industry and before you shell out money for your tuition or training, there are a lot of ways you can grab a copy of this valuable information para hindi ka mag sayang ng time and money enrolling in trainings you do not even need. This book will give you the information to start right in the industry with secrets you should know and being able to find your rainbow in the wonderful world of massage, spa and wellness.
1. You can order it online via http://www.amazon.com/ at 34.95$
2. You can order it via a Kindle device at $7.99
3. You can order an e-book copy through my blog at http://www.yunesa.blogspot.com/ at $19.95
4. You can also get a copy from National Bookstores nationwide at P799Pesos
5. For locals only, you can order it from me at local discounted rates with free delivery at 900Pesos (via LBC or FEDEX Air 21. Anywhere in the Philippines. Please allow 1-5 working days
If you are looking for a career opportunity, not just a job in the spa, massage therapy and wellness industry, this book is a must read.
This review was written by: Eunice Estipona a spa consultant, mentor, advisor, speaker and lecturer. One of her advocacies is to make healing and information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness accessible and affordable to everyone. If you are serious about turning your business or practice around, making the right decisions, getting an unbiased opinion and knowing where to get help, for lectures and other concerns she can be contacted at yunesa@yahoo.com or +639184745685. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.meetup.com/philippinemassagetherapy
These along with hundreds of resources found locally and abroad are contained in “The Spa, Massage and Wellness Resource and Career Book”, the first book of resource information to know more about the Spa, Massage and Wellness Industry in the Philippines and other countries including the United States, Australia and other Asian countries. You can view, read, download and print for FREE the book’s summary at this link http://www.scribd.com/doc/6425282/About-the-Book-Spa-Massage-and-Wellness-Resource-Guide-and-Career-Book
If you are a spa, massage therapy and wellness information seeker the resources contained in the book for you. This book is a collection of data and valuable information regarding the spa and massage industry in a global perspective with a focus on the Philippines. Her advocacy in writing the book is to make “unbiased” information regarding the field of spa, massage and wellness resources and career, accessible and affordable for everyone. If you are considering a career in the massage, spa and wellness industry, this book will prepare you and give you a glimpse of what it is like, the preparation you need to take: emotionally, intellectually and financially. In this book, you will learn more details in the spa and massage field and the possible paths you can take. You will also learn about local and international training programs offered and numerous employment possibilities. Giving you much needed information at your fingertips. You can order it from http://www.amazon.com/ or for local Philippine residents, you can email and get in touch with Eunice at yunesa@yahoo.com.
TERMS OF REPRINT
You can freely distribute a copy of this review provided, that you follow the terms of reprint. Be certain to read our TERMS OF REPRINT and honor our TERMS OF REPRINT when you use this review. Thank you.
Helpful Link: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act – Overview http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm
Our TERMS OF REPRINT are fully enforcible under the terms of: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2281.ENR:
*** Digital Reprint Rights **** If you publish this article in a website/forum/ blog, etc. You Must Set All URL's or Mailto Addresses in the body of the article AND in the Author's Resource Box as Hyperlinks (clickable links).* Links must remain in the form that we published them. Clean links should point to the Author's links without redirects having been inserted into the copy.* You are not allowed to Change or Delete any Words or Links in the review or Resource Box. Paragraph breaks must be retained with articles. You can change where the paragraph breaks fall, but you cannot eliminate all paragraph breaks as some have chosen to do.* Email Distribution of this review must be done through Opt-in Email Only. No Unsolicited Commercial Email.* You are allowed to format the layout of the review for proper display of the article in your website or in your ezine, so long as you can maintain the author's interests within the article.* You may not use sentences from this review as an input for any software that steals sentences from others in order to build an article with software. The copyright on this article applies to the "WHOLE" article.*** Author Notification ***We ask that you notify the author of publication of her work. Eunice can be reached at: yunesa@yahoo.com *** Print Publication Reprint Rights ***If you desire to publish this review in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: yunesa@yahoo.com
The content of this review is solely the property and opinion of its author, Eunice
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