It’s very easy to feel unsure and awkward when you start off as a massage therapist. Your hands don’t quite know how to go where you want them to, your pace is slow, and you’re always asking yourself whether you are doing things correctly. Rest assured, this is perfectly normal. Remember that confidence is not something you start with, but something you build over time.
Stop Trying to Be Perfect
Perfectionism will drain your confidence.
When you are striving for perfection:
your hands are always overthinking every movement,
your work will be without natural flow,
you feel stressed while doing it.
Try thinking more about how you improve rather than perfect.
Confidence Comes from Repetition
The more familiar you are with something, the more confident you are in yourself when dealing with it.
When you work with your hands:
you become more comfortable
you are no longer thinking while working
you take more control
Practice and repetition is the best way to learn new movements, techniques and styles. Keep practicing the same movements over and over again until your hands feel completely relaxed when doing them.
Start with Basic Techniques
You don’t have to do complex techniques and styles when you are a beginner.
The easier practice session you make it,
the more relaxed you will become while working,
the more you will be able to focus on the quality of the session,
the less you will be stressing about it.
Rather than do long sessions with complicated techniques, stick to shorter sessions with techniques you know really well.
Don’t Judge Yourself Too Quickly
Beginners have a tendency to judge their progress far too soon.
Rather than asking “Is it good?”, try instead asking yourself:
Did I improve?
Were my sessions more comfortable than before?
Did I enjoy this more than I would a session the week before?
Don’t try to be perfect; just try to be better.
Try to Stay Relaxed While Practicing
The more relaxed your mind is, the more relaxed your work becomes.
To be able to stay calm as much as possible during work sessions:
be aware of your breath
make sure that your pace is steady
don’t rush to move from one movement to the next one
Be mindful of the fact that if your mind is relaxed, your work will be controlled.
Final Thoughts
If you follow these steps, confidence in massage therapy will come naturally.
Every practice session, whether successful or not, is a step in the right direction. If you are patient and persistent, then in no time you will feel completely confident in your skills. Someday you will wake up and realize: “I am no longer trying to do it well… I am doing it well.”