Do You Enjoy What You Do For A Living?

One of my favorite questions to ask my clients is, "Do you enjoy what you do for a living?" It seems casual, perhaps, but it regularly gives me necessary understanding of a person’s deeper structural issues.

I'm very lucky to LOVE what I do professionally. It's a challenge and a delight both mentally and physically, and no matter what concerns a client brings to the table, there's the thrill of creativity and strategy as we address the situation. However, it's all too easy to perform a task without actually enjoying it, and I know how often we find ourselves, for love or money, doing just that.

What happens to your body when you have a job you don’t enjoy, or when you frequently perform tasks that you resent? The intrinsic desire to do something you enjoy versus something you must do causes a “war” within the body, which results in stress, which leads to tension. This tension, day-in and day-out, takes a toll on your body and creates unnecessary holding patterns. Tightened and shortened muscles and connective tissue can cause one to be in pain constantly.

This is where the love of my job comes into play: Although you may not be able to make yourself love your job, you can do something to deal with the resulting stress and tension, and prevent accumulations of the day-in and day-out full-body constriction. In both my Rolfing sessions and my massage therapy, my client and I collaborate and brainstorm ways to improve their structure, increase embodiment, and reduce fatigue. In short: Just because your job is a pain doesn’t mean you have to be in pain!