- L
Blog entry 12/25/18: Son of Alvoda
On January 1, 2008, my father transitioned due to the ensuing regimen of cancer treatment that overloaded his physical body. On September 2, 2008, I launched a "pay what you can afford" medical massage practice to continue my father's legacy of kindness, compassion and giving. This fundraiser is the 1st step towards launching a monetized wellness blog site, Son of Alvoda (my father’s middle name). All proceeds from this fundraiser will be used to subsidize medical massage, pain management, Neuromuscular & physical therapy related expenses for indigent, underemployed, homebound or disabled patients living with a chronic illness, disease, or conditions such as Fibromyalgia, Sickle Cell, Parkinson's disease, etc. for those that are within my existing client base.
My fundraising goal is to raise $5500 to sponsor one month of wellness scholarships to approximately 25 deserving patients and clients. I am so humbled by the transformative experiences I have attracted since making the decision to step out on faith and live the purpose driven life my father always encouraged me to live. I hope that my intent to spread true Agape love honors his legacy and attracts fellow givers who will help me give back to the deserving individuals who cannot afford to exchange services for financial gifts but make up for it with their extreme demonstrations of gratitude.
For 10 years, I've kept my “pay what you can afford” practice separate from my commercial massage business, when in actuality my commercial massage business always fed the other practice. I made the decision to quietly fund it alone because in the very beginnings when I was super excited about sharing my vision, the people around me didn't understand nor support it. One of my clients recently suggested that I allow other givers to assist with fulfilling my vision.
It is my hope that my vision is clear and that you, my friends, and family, would please assist me in reaching that $5500 goal by donating at least $8, $38 or $88 in memory of my father. It doesn’t have to be an amount that has an “8” in it. My father and I shared a powerful relationship with the number 8 which reminds us of our limitless, infinite capacity. With your help, this fundraiser will be a success AGAINST ALL ODDS. -Son of Alvoda.
Why Are You Doing This?
Those that know me well enough, know that I am extremely private and guarded with the general public, but with my clients I am completely transparent because my personal testimony gives them hope which helps them surrender to their natural state of optimal health. The Son of Alvoda platform will be my attempt at publicly sharing my vulnerability in order to create a safe village in which my clients and others can find refuge and heal from past trauma without shame or judgement. Son of Alvoda will focus on overcoming any obstacles that prevent us from expressing our Healthy Self. With that said, I will share that the biggest obstacles for me are fear and self doubt. Our purpose driven life is always whispering to us in the background trying to steer us, but if we don't respond immediately our limiting beliefs take the wheel to keep us safe from the unknown. For example: Instead of posting this fundraiser as I intended on my birthday Dec 4th, the part of me that seeks approval from others reached out to several expert fundraisers to review my chances of success and they all said my fundraiser would FAIL. I received feedback such as...while your personal story and relationship with your father is somewhat compelling, the general public does not see massage as a legitimate medical expense...Most people view massage as a luxury so they aren't going to sponsor your clients because there is no demonstration of an emergency or dire need. One fundraising platform simply said...massage does not fall under necessary medical expenses so we will not be able to promote your fundraiser at this time but check back later as we are constantly updating our categories.
I've been sulking in these NO's for a while now, but then I thought that sharing the NO's would be the perfect way to launch a blog site about overcoming obstacles.
I’ve Been There Too
I achieve great successes partnering with my clients to conquer their conditions because they understand that I've been where they are. I've even had to wean myself from addictive pain medications. During college, there were times my pain was so severe that close friends had to pick me up and carry me to the restroom. I also understand why my clients hide their conditions and their desire to be viewed as "normal" and “able bodied” because I've been there too. People who didn't understand my condition called me lazy. They didn't understand that my legs didn't wake up until an hour after I did, therefore, most winters I'd hibernate until noon and whenever possible decline any morning activities. When I was 12, I collapsed at a track meet and had to be hospitalized. The doctors told my father and me that I had a chronic disease. Based on my bone density scans, the doctors estimated that I would need knee and/or hip replacements by age 18 and that my life expectancy would be age 25. Spoiler alert: The doctors were wrong! So every day my feet touch the floor, I am defying the odds!
And through my practice, I allow myself to be used as an instrument to remind others that they too are limitless human beings with the infinite capacity to achieve the optimal health I now possess by way of nutrition, exercise, massage and self-love.
Stay tuned for my next update in approximately 4 days…..
♦️♦️♦️
Blog entry 12/26/18: Son of Alvoda
Since its inception, my original gifting program Agape Touches Lives has expanded to also service veterans suffering from depression, hospice patients, and caregivers who make financial and career sacrifices to be fully present for loved ones. I never imagined in 2008 that living in my purpose would place me in a position to reintroduce healthy touch to victims turned survivors of domestic violence as well.
So as I approached my 10 year business anniversary this past Sept 2nd, I thought of how spiritually uplifting it would feel to gift 25 of my clients with massages for a month. I have not been able to perform this gesture the last few years due to depleting my life's savings 5 years ago in response to a series of traumatic incidents. I was not wealthy when I started my practice in 2008, but I was debt free and my commercial massage business was immediately successful. My commercial massage segment grew so rapidly that I was turning away celebrities, opportunities to tour with bands, and contracts with pro athletes because my primary intention was supporting patients who could not pay due to financial hardships. During the period 2009-2012, my business was so prosperous that I was able to donate as much as 60% of my time and resources to patients living with chronic illnesses and charities raising funds for pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancers, Muscular dystrophy and HIV/AIDS research. Each May, I consistently donated a portion of my services to teacher's appreciation at local schools and towards actively assisting with educational scholarship fundraisers for deserving students. I also enjoyed popping in on nonprofits and giving out free chair massages to caregivers who go out of their way to serve others. For the first 5 years, I had an abundance mentality and it felt as if everything I was gifting was pouring back into my business tenfold.
This financial freedom allowed me to not only subsidize massage fees, but once or twice a year (typically birthdays and holidays) I would wait for my clients to present payment and then tell them that their fees were covered in full. But after depleting my life's savings, I was left with the emotionally difficult task of telling patients whom I knew could barely afford to pay anything at all that their rates were increasing from $5 to $25 and from $25 to $45. I had to tell clients who could only afford to pay me in fruits and veggies from their home gardens that they not only had to pay $25 but that they were also on standby for openings. The patients I once treated like VIP and gave 1st priority scheduling were now relegated to standby passengers in a dream that originally centered around them. I left corporate America (and later declined non-profit status) because I did not want to become a business that needed to prioritize securing profits over assisting people, but here I was prioritizing profits over people because I was drowning in credit card debt.
My friends and family already know that I'm going to gift the massages whether anyone else contributes or not and whether I have to work 7 days per week to cover the costs or not. My friends and family know that I will do it just to see the look of gratitude after waving all fees for a Fibromyalgia/Lupus patient who scrapes up $45 because muscle relaxers and pain killers don't work anymore but massage does. I will do it for the client who prior to massage lived at a constant pain threshold of 7 to 10 for 15 years but massages interrupts the pain cycle reducing it to 2 for approximately 3-4 weeks but she holds out another 2 weeks because she can't afford to come every 3 weeks even with the subsidy. I will do it for the patients who depend on massage to minimize the overload from chemo and radiation therapy. These therapies kill healthy and cancer cells wiping out the entire immune system while massage facilitates the body’s natural ability to HealThy Self. For most of my clients, massage is not a luxury. It is a crucial element in conquering their condition and reclaiming optimal health.
Stay tuned for my next blog on New Year's Day...
♦️♦️♦️
On January 1, 2008, my father transitioned due to the ensuing regimen of cancer treatment that overloaded his physical body. On September 2, 2008, I launched a "pay what you can afford" medical massage practice to continue my father's legacy of kindness, compassion and giving. This fundraiser is the 1st step towards launching a monetized wellness blog site, Son of Alvoda (my father’s middle name). All proceeds from this fundraiser will be used to subsidize medical massage, pain management, Neuromuscular & physical therapy related expenses for indigent, underemployed, homebound or disabled patients living with a chronic illness, disease, or conditions such as Fibromyalgia, Sickle Cell, Parkinson's disease, etc. for those that are within my existing client base.
My fundraising goal is to raise $5500 to sponsor one month of wellness scholarships to approximately 25 deserving patients and clients. I am so humbled by the transformative experiences I have attracted since making the decision to step out on faith and live the purpose driven life my father always encouraged me to live. I hope that my intent to spread true Agape love honors his legacy and attracts fellow givers who will help me give back to the deserving individuals who cannot afford to exchange services for financial gifts but make up for it with their extreme demonstrations of gratitude.
For 10 years, I've kept my “pay what you can afford” practice separate from my commercial massage business, when in actuality my commercial massage business always fed the other practice. I made the decision to quietly fund it alone because in the very beginnings when I was super excited about sharing my vision, the people around me didn't understand nor support it. One of my clients recently suggested that I allow other givers to assist with fulfilling my vision.
It is my hope that my vision is clear and that you, my friends, and family, would please assist me in reaching that $5500 goal by donating at least $8, $38 or $88 in memory of my father. It doesn’t have to be an amount that has an “8” in it. My father and I shared a powerful relationship with the number 8 which reminds us of our limitless, infinite capacity. With your help, this fundraiser will be a success AGAINST ALL ODDS. -Son of Alvoda.
Why Are You Doing This?
Those that know me well enough, know that I am extremely private and guarded with the general public, but with my clients I am completely transparent because my personal testimony gives them hope which helps them surrender to their natural state of optimal health. The Son of Alvoda platform will be my attempt at publicly sharing my vulnerability in order to create a safe village in which my clients and others can find refuge and heal from past trauma without shame or judgement. Son of Alvoda will focus on overcoming any obstacles that prevent us from expressing our Healthy Self. With that said, I will share that the biggest obstacles for me are fear and self doubt. Our purpose driven life is always whispering to us in the background trying to steer us, but if we don't respond immediately our limiting beliefs take the wheel to keep us safe from the unknown. For example: Instead of posting this fundraiser as I intended on my birthday Dec 4th, the part of me that seeks approval from others reached out to several expert fundraisers to review my chances of success and they all said my fundraiser would FAIL. I received feedback such as...while your personal story and relationship with your father is somewhat compelling, the general public does not see massage as a legitimate medical expense...Most people view massage as a luxury so they aren't going to sponsor your clients because there is no demonstration of an emergency or dire need. One fundraising platform simply said...massage does not fall under necessary medical expenses so we will not be able to promote your fundraiser at this time but check back later as we are constantly updating our categories.
I've been sulking in these NO's for a while now, but then I thought that sharing the NO's would be the perfect way to launch a blog site about overcoming obstacles.
I’ve Been There Too
I achieve great successes partnering with my clients to conquer their conditions because they understand that I've been where they are. I've even had to wean myself from addictive pain medications. During college, there were times my pain was so severe that close friends had to pick me up and carry me to the restroom. I also understand why my clients hide their conditions and their desire to be viewed as "normal" and “able bodied” because I've been there too. People who didn't understand my condition called me lazy. They didn't understand that my legs didn't wake up until an hour after I did, therefore, most winters I'd hibernate until noon and whenever possible decline any morning activities. When I was 12, I collapsed at a track meet and had to be hospitalized. The doctors told my father and me that I had a chronic disease. Based on my bone density scans, the doctors estimated that I would need knee and/or hip replacements by age 18 and that my life expectancy would be age 25. Spoiler alert: The doctors were wrong! So every day my feet touch the floor, I am defying the odds!
And through my practice, I allow myself to be used as an instrument to remind others that they too are limitless human beings with the infinite capacity to achieve the optimal health I now possess by way of nutrition, exercise, massage and self-love.
Stay tuned for my next update in approximately 4 days…..
♦️♦️♦️
Blog entry 12/26/18: Son of Alvoda
Since its inception, my original gifting program Agape Touches Lives has expanded to also service veterans suffering from depression, hospice patients, and caregivers who make financial and career sacrifices to be fully present for loved ones. I never imagined in 2008 that living in my purpose would place me in a position to reintroduce healthy touch to victims turned survivors of domestic violence as well.
So as I approached my 10 year business anniversary this past Sept 2nd, I thought of how spiritually uplifting it would feel to gift 25 of my clients with massages for a month. I have not been able to perform this gesture the last few years due to depleting my life's savings 5 years ago in response to a series of traumatic incidents. I was not wealthy when I started my practice in 2008, but I was debt free and my commercial massage business was immediately successful. My commercial massage segment grew so rapidly that I was turning away celebrities, opportunities to tour with bands, and contracts with pro athletes because my primary intention was supporting patients who could not pay due to financial hardships. During the period 2009-2012, my business was so prosperous that I was able to donate as much as 60% of my time and resources to patients living with chronic illnesses and charities raising funds for pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancers, Muscular dystrophy and HIV/AIDS research. Each May, I consistently donated a portion of my services to teacher's appreciation at local schools and towards actively assisting with educational scholarship fundraisers for deserving students. I also enjoyed popping in on nonprofits and giving out free chair massages to caregivers who go out of their way to serve others. For the first 5 years, I had an abundance mentality and it felt as if everything I was gifting was pouring back into my business tenfold.
This financial freedom allowed me to not only subsidize massage fees, but once or twice a year (typically birthdays and holidays) I would wait for my clients to present payment and then tell them that their fees were covered in full. But after depleting my life's savings, I was left with the emotionally difficult task of telling patients whom I knew could barely afford to pay anything at all that their rates were increasing from $5 to $25 and from $25 to $45. I had to tell clients who could only afford to pay me in fruits and veggies from their home gardens that they not only had to pay $25 but that they were also on standby for openings. The patients I once treated like VIP and gave 1st priority scheduling were now relegated to standby passengers in a dream that originally centered around them. I left corporate America (and later declined non-profit status) because I did not want to become a business that needed to prioritize securing profits over assisting people, but here I was prioritizing profits over people because I was drowning in credit card debt.
My friends and family already know that I'm going to gift the massages whether anyone else contributes or not and whether I have to work 7 days per week to cover the costs or not. My friends and family know that I will do it just to see the look of gratitude after waving all fees for a Fibromyalgia/Lupus patient who scrapes up $45 because muscle relaxers and pain killers don't work anymore but massage does. I will do it for the client who prior to massage lived at a constant pain threshold of 7 to 10 for 15 years but massages interrupts the pain cycle reducing it to 2 for approximately 3-4 weeks but she holds out another 2 weeks because she can't afford to come every 3 weeks even with the subsidy. I will do it for the patients who depend on massage to minimize the overload from chemo and radiation therapy. These therapies kill healthy and cancer cells wiping out the entire immune system while massage facilitates the body’s natural ability to HealThy Self. For most of my clients, massage is not a luxury. It is a crucial element in conquering their condition and reclaiming optimal health.
Stay tuned for my next blog on New Year's Day...
♦️♦️♦️