Gratitude, Grief, and Giving: ‘Tis the Season
You've probably been bombarded by a hundred and one extra emails over the past few days with even more to come.
Between Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday my inbox is FULL.
I have chosen not to send out a ton of individual emails for these various events and instead am keeping my commitment to you (and myself) of showing up every Sunday with education and inspiration through breast cancer and beyond.
This week I want to acknowledge a few things that have been coming up for me and that you may relate to as we enter the holiday season.
In Gratitude and Thanksgiving
I have so much to be grateful for and much of that is thanks to YOU!
Here are some of the things that I want to personally thank you for this year:
Allowing me to shift my schedule for in-person and online clients so that I can better align the way I flow through my days and weeks
Supporting my love of travel and sending me off with enthusiasm (even when I leave you weeks at at time)
Writing generous and loving Google reviews of our work together so that others see the trust we've established before they even meet me
Buying the products that I carry in my shop and offering your feedback so I can make sure that everything I offer is of the highest quality and relevance to you
Being interested and engaged as I continue to merge into the online space with self-care workshops and consultations
Sharing my name with people you know so that I can continue to serve the breast cancer community both locally and at large
Responding to my emails with supportive comments, answers to my questions, and for allowing me to continue to show up for you
All of these things remind me daily of the relationships we are building and that I am not just your massage therapist but a trusted guide in your wellness journey and for this, I am truly grateful!
I hope that no matter what is happening in your life right now that you able to find many things to be grateful for be they big or small.
And I also recognize that gratitude doesn't erase our other feelings and experiences.
I am forever thankful for you.
On Gratitude and Grief
Holidays can be hard.
People we love may no longer be at the table
Anniversaries of diagnoses, treatments, and loss may land in and cloud what may otherwise be a happy time
Active or ongoing treatments may affect our energy or ability to gather and enjoy the food and activities in the way we expect
Those living with metastatic disease may feel the weight of their diagnosis in contrast to the hope and joy that the coming new year offers
But here's the thing…
Gratitude and grief can and do co-exist.
Nothing happens in a vacuum and our emotions are complex.
It is perfectly reasonable, and in many cases appropriate, to experience a variety of feelings this time of year.
Allow yourself to feel the feels.
Give yourself the grace to grieve if that's what you need even while you are counting your blessings.
The more you embrace the nuances of your whole human experience the more likely you are to experience a life well lived.
And as you give yourself this gift, consider what you may also give to others.
Sometimes feeling conflicted or incomplete shows how completely human we really are.
For Gratitude and Giving
I have always loved the spirit of this season.
How we focus on the gifts we have received as we also look ahead to the gifts we may give.
Today I'm giving you another way to give that will directly support someone impacted by breast cancer (and maybe even someone you know!).
PAY IT FORWARD - Amy Hartl, LMT
The hands-on work I do is so valuable and I recognize that it is not always accessible to everyone who may want or need it.
Near the end of last year I stopped accepting tips or gratuities for my own personal use and created my Pay it Forward program.
This program allows me to offer discounted sessions up to 50% off for oncology massage and manual lymphatic drainage and still ensures that I am fully compensated for my work.
This year so far, my generous clients have contributed nearly $900 so that I can provide my services at reduced rates!
Of that half has already supported multiple clients with more scheduled discounted sessions on the books.
Whether it's one time or with ongoing treatments, this fund helps create equity in my practice and honors my time and energy as a business.
While I'm lucky to have a small cushion currently I hope to be more vocal about this program in the new year and will be looking to expand the amount of people I can reach who might need this type of financial support.
From $5 to $50, every dollar you send will go directly towards the care of a woman in Western New York living with a breast cancer experience through oncology massage and/or manual lymphatic drainage.
If you would like to contribute to this fund - whether you are a client of mine or not - CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW or send the amount of your choice via Venmo to @Amy-Hartl-LMT (under business profiles).
No matter what you give, or to whom, may you receive 10-fold the gratitude for your generosity.
Until next week my friend, may your days be filled with warmth, love, and of course, gratitude.
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