Exmoor Massage

29/08/2025

*Mental health MOT*

It's that time of year when we are all quite exhausted and secretly looking forward to autumn (except possibly teachers who will be working even harder! Sorry guys!)

🍂 But generally, autumn inspires us to be more introspective. To slow down, enjoy the cosiness of home and pets/family or books!

But it's also a good time to reflect on all the things you are grateful for. They might be few, or they might be many, but gratefulness ✨️ is very powerful and can completely change your perspective.

A little habit that makes a big difference:

1.) Before bed, write down or tell someone 3 things you are grateful for today. 🧡

Trust me, if you're cynical, it takes a few days, but it is well worth sticking with it.

2.) Pause, name out loud what you can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch to help bring you back to the present moment - this is a mindfulness trick to stop negative thoughts escalating

3.) Breathe slower 🌬 - inhale through your nose (count for 4) and make the exhale through your mouth extra long (count for 8) - this stimulates the nervous system to relax

4.) Try a meditation practice, 🧘‍♂️ there is often a mantra or takeaway you can carry with you for the day to redirect your thoughts in a positive way

Here's one I find helpful

Do you agree you cannot change the past?

Do you agree you cannot force the future?

I am peace

If you're new to meditation, it can feel a bit woo woo but practice makes it easier to relax into it. 🙌

5.) Move your body, dance, shake it, exercise, whatever feels good and gets the blood pumping. Exercise has been proven to be beneficial to your mental & emotional state.

Remember to check in on your friends and family and let them know how important they are to you, and more importantly, take a moment each day to show yourself some love and respect.

💚

28/08/2025

*To all the women in my life - READ THESE!*

If you are a woman or care about women's health, you should read at least one of these books!

is a naturopath who offers actual advice for dealing with women's health issues. Her focus is primarily on managing insulin resistance through menstrual conditions and perimenopause in these books.

She has a ton of practical solutions whilst also explaining the science behind why these issues exist and how her suggestions work within the body.

For perimenopause & menopause, the yellow 💛 Hormone Repair Manual and hurray, it's finally a positive outlook on perimenopause

For women not yet in perimenopause, still on the pill or other forms of birth control, the pink 💓 one Period Repair Manual. Heavy, painful periods, light periods, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, and more explained

And for women who want to know more about how their metabolism affects their health, the orange🧡 one.

There is some overlap between them, so choose one that resonates with you, and you will not be disappointed!

Really useful information to know about before you see your doctor so you know what to ask for and can feel confident discussing your symptoms.

03/07/2025

*Broomstick game for poor posture*

OK, it's not exactly a game but it's a fun(ish) way to correct your posture!

Tuck the broom handle under your arms by the crook of your elbow and stand tall. If you're slouching you will notice a bit of pressure from the broom on your back. Stand tall and long!

Game number 2 is actually a great way to keep kids entertained 😂 but put a book on your head and walk around, it will very quickly tell you if your posture isn't dancer-level!

03/07/2025

*A very oversimplified explanation of how poor posture affects the upper body*

As a massage therapist, I see poor posture all the time, crikey even I find myself working at the laptop bent over like Gollum sometimes too.

But perhaps a wee explanation of what poor posture does to your body might give you some insight into how to correct it.

Today I started with shoulder position as I happened to have some male clients in this week who both favoured the thumbs in jeans position. (Obviously women do this too but this week, it seemed to be the fellas and this movement pattern standing out).

1. Shoulder position - roll 'em back where they belong, a nice neutral position. Thumb position can help with this - see video

2. Open up the pecs

3. Bring the head back in line with the body

Now that's a good start.

Sometimes people get bored of posture so the ex-teacher side of me comes up with silly games to make it more fun!

1. The Broom - pop it under your arms around the elbow bend and behind your back. Thumbs forward, shoulders neutral and head back in line with the body. Too much flexion of the spine and you'll feel the broom pressing against your back

2. Deportment practice - walk around with a book on top of your head. If all else fails, you will make someone laugh!

29/05/2025

Any funds you can donate would be greatly appreciated! We're halfway there but only a few weeks to go!

Friends and fam and anyone who loves North Devon beaches and countryside, could you spare a fiver, maybe even a tenner to support me and Anna as we don our neoprene and do our very first triathlon for Earth Action North Devon (previously Plastic Free North Devon) - they do amazing work educating locals and tourists and organising clean ups.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/georgie-russell-triathlon-fundraiser?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=015

To prove how dedicated I am to this triathlon, look at what I have been wearing.... in public 😂

On the 6th of July, Anna and Georgie will be doing:

1.5km ocean swim

37km (22miles) bike ride with 2185 ft elevation

12km trail run with 918 ft elevation

30/03/2025

*Happy Mother's Day to all!*

What do I mean by all?

To those with children and all that energy needed
and those who have lost their children and are still grieving.
To those who would like to be Mothers but haven't found the right partner,
or are facing infertility, IVF and hard decisions.
To those whose Mother has passed away, leaving them bereft and feeling a little lost.
To those who have a difficult relationship with their mother and work hard to protect themselves. ✨️

Today can be a bit of a triggering day for some but let us celebrate all the people who show us mothering love and care in our lives in whatever form that may be, from friends and neighbours to family, and let's show our gratitude for all they do.

It's no easy feat raising a family in today's world, juggling it all so here's to all the mums holding society together with love ❤️

13/03/2025

Hi, I'm fundraising for Plastic Free North Devon and taking part in the Croyde Ocean Triathlon on 6th July. Check out my Just Giving Page here https://www.justgiving.com/page/georgie-russell-triathlon-fundraiser and if you would like to donate, it really is a great charity keeping Croyde clean and connecting locals and tourists with nature. Also you can laugh at my wetsuit penguin look ...

Help Georgie Russell raise money to support Plastic Free North Devon

05/03/2025

*Dunkery Beacon come rain or shine*

The loop from Wootton Courtenay to Dunkery Beacon is my own mini Everest! Currently, just walking up the hill is enough to get my heart rate right up, but the plan is to be able to run the whole way up and back by May when I have a half marathon ... on Exmoor.

Yes, some people are mountain goats, and for them, this is an easy run, but for me, it's a big challenge! So I will keep chipping away at that hill until it's easy for me, too.

What's your mini Everest?

🏃‍♀️

04/03/2025

Hello spring and all the massage therapists, celebrating easier laundry conditions!

A few people have mentioned having an outdoor massage in the summer, and I am (very casually) looking into it... I have a few ideas (heaters, pergola etc) but if you have any suggestions or inspiration to share, let me know! It may even happen this summer... tbc

03/03/2025

*Little rituals*

Now that the ground isn't wet mud, I thought I would get back to my little routine of morning hot drink and watch the sunrise with bare feet to help regulate my sleep and circadian rhythm.

Well, I can tell you I lasted about a minute before I gave in 😅 as it was -1 this morning and I'm a bit out of practice.

But I am so looking forward to doing that as the grass grows and the sun rises earlier.

What are your little habits?