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<!--Generated by Squarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/) on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:32:35 GMT--><rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Blog</title><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/</link><description></description><lastBuildDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:01:34 +0000</lastBuildDate><copyright></copyright><language>en-US</language><generator>Squarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)</generator><item><title>It's Not Business, It's Personal</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:57:36 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2012/2/16/its-not-business-its-personal.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:15060413</guid><description><![CDATA[As a self employed massage therapist it’s inevitable that some weeks will be extraordinarily busy and others...well...not! After five years of enduring this roller coaster ride of peaks and troughs you’d think I’d be used to the quiet days (or weeks!) safe in the knowledge that another busy period was just round the corner.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-15060413.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Massage: part of your daily grind...</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:16:08 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2012/2/6/massage-part-of-your-daily-grind.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:14901788</guid><description><![CDATA[A lot of my marketing targets those of you who regularly exercise, whether you’re a gym user, marathon runner or circuits enthusiast, but here I really want to emphasise how massage can help those of you who work long hours sitting behind a desk and have at least an hours’ commute to and from work each day.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-14901788.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Indoor Treadmill Vs Outdoor Terrain</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:27:55 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2012/1/21/indoor-treadmill-vs-outdoor-terrain-1.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:14670888</guid><description><![CDATA[In recent years there has been a massive shift taking fitness training out of the gym and into the great outdoors. No matter where you live there seems to be bootcamps, running clubs, boxing, circuits (the list goes on) all accessible in your local park run by the ever enthusiastic personal trainer.

As effective, and motivating as this type of training may be, I’m here to defend the treadmill (and the gym experience as a whole) as I believe, as much as it’s not an environment liked by everyone, it’s still a great space to workout in. It all depends on what you want (and need) from your workout.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-14670888.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>The Light Bulb Moment</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:07:38 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/11/23/the-light-bulb-moment.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:13841129</guid><description><![CDATA[When faced with a problem it is often said that when you clear your head and stop thinking about it the solution often presents itself. But what if you don’t realise there’s a problem in the first place?

Come January it’ll be my five year anniversary of being a self employed massage therapist in SW London. It’s been ridiculously hard work and, as a client pointed out to me a while ago, I don’t seem to have a first, second or third gear when it comes to business. I’m either operating on fifth or sixth gear (which then results in a burnout) or not at all. Goal after business goal is set, making the pressure of ‘success’ a permanent fixture of my life.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-13841129.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>The New Year Starts when? September of course!</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:39:05 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/9/23/the-new-year-starts-when-september-of-course.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:12958612</guid><description><![CDATA[I find it interesting that it doesn’t seem to matter whether we have children or not, or whether we left school five years ago or twenty-five years ago we still seem to adopt ‘term times’ into our lives throughout the year.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-12958612.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>I Feel Your Pain</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:21:14 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/8/17/i-feel-your-pain.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:12542099</guid><description><![CDATA[There are certain things when learning the English language that really stick in one's head: for instance, when to use 'your' instead of 'you're'; whether you're 'right' or want to 'write' and, for me the difference between 'empathise' and 'sympathise'.

I'm lucky enough to be able to say that for the majority of my life I have been injury free (and given how much I've put my body through over the years I can only put it down to pure fluke!) so when clients come to me with back pain, shoulder pain, pulled hamstrings, tight calves (and so on and so forth) for the most part I can only sympathise. Listening to what someone is experiencing in their body is key, in my opinion, to being a good therapist and being able to deliver the appropriate treatment. It is, in fact, an essential part of any treatment I give.

However, recently I have had a sharp wake-up call from my own body. A few weeks ago my body decided it was time that I get on board with empathising rather than sympathising.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-12542099.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Just what can the body do?!</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:30:44 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/6/25/just-what-can-the-body-do.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:11903998</guid><description><![CDATA[As a massage therapist I really should practice what I preach and the fact that I always say to clients 'do as I say, not as I do' really isn't an excuse anymore! How can I expect you to take my advice when it comes to injury prevention and body maintenance when I won't even follow it myself? Well...you'll be pleased to hear that in typical Steph-stylee I learnt the hard way and only had myself to blame (in the words of my extremely wise Mother!) when it all went a bit wrong earlier this year.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-11903998.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>Fancy a little CPD?</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:54:20 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/6/14/fancy-a-little-cpd.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:11789762</guid><description><![CDATA[So, every Tuesday I leave my haven that is Teddington to venture out, further towards London in order to teach baby massage at Cupcakemum. I start off in Parsons Green then Wandsworth and finally end up in Putney for the last two classes of the day. The Wandsworth site is a little hit and miss as it's much smaller, which then results in less membership, which then leaves me without a class to teach every couple of months. This leaves me a whopping 3.5 hours to kill in between venues and teaching classes. What to do with that time? Blog...]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-11789762.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>The Race 'Comedown'</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:43:30 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/3/20/the-race-comedown.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:10851162</guid><description><![CDATA[It doesn't seem to matter how many races I enter and run, I always focus on the excitement leading up to race day, the event itself and finally crossing that finish line: feelings of achievement through sheer exhaustion but an overriding pride in accomplishment. However, if you're new to racing and have sought advice from experienced runners who have done several races (as one naturally does!) then no doubt the information you would have received has revolved round the following topics...]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-10851162.xml</wfw:commentRss></item><item><title>You Are Not Alone...</title><dc:creator>Stephanie Blake</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:13:27 +0000</pubDate><link>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/2011/2/17/you-are-not-alone.html</link><guid isPermaLink="false">764622:8984007:10510220</guid><description><![CDATA[I imagine that starting and running your own business; making the move to self employment is very similar to having a baby for the first time. No matter how much advice you get or preparation you make you never really know what it's like until you're actually doing it.

So after the initial excitement of starting your business has passed, it's not long before the sleepless nights kick in as your business has you waking up several times during the night demanding your attention! In the early hours of the morning, as a sole trader, it can sometimes feel awfully lonely as you try to rock your business brain back to sleep knowing it won't be long before the new working day begins.]]></description><wfw:commentRss>http://www.stephanieblakemassage.co.uk/blog/rss-comments-entry-10510220.xml</wfw:commentRss></item></channel></rss>
