Health is freedom, and we’re all on our journey to feel healthier and more capable. The key to good health is movement. But, for many people it’s hard sometimes to create a sustainable movement routine. It can feel overwhelming like you have to work your body to the bone to get any training in. Movement is about the small things. Getting up from your chair and twisting, jumping, stretching for five minutes.
Think small, think about bite sized MOVEMENT SNACKS!
Movement Snacks is a lot about the small wins. I want you to have a lifestyle of joy, variety, and enjoyment. Those are the feelings you deserve, and they feel good! It’s hard to stick to routines if they don’t make us feel good.
So, how do we get more movement into our lives?
There are elite athletes who have mastered the art of movement. While they are huge inspirations for me, it’s important to scale down how we look at movement. Some of us feel we have constant limitations. Whether you are nervous to get started, scared to hurt yourself, or bogged down over how you got so far off track. It can feel so overwhelming that you never even try to start at all.
I want you to unlearn the no pain, no gain lies. It’s nonsense and damaging.
Movement is about you and what brings you pleasure.
Movement is for every body, yours included!
I want you to start thinking about movement culture. An amazing sociologist Henning Eichberg talked about the way we move in the wider context of life. Movement culture breaks the boundaries of movement as fitness. It’s about the umbrella of things that go into our life, that control how we move and why. Changing your perspective around movement can help you pave your own way. Find something that inspires you and start small. It is our liberation to move, and it’s a blessing. If you can move, do it! In any way, you can.
“Body and movement constitute fundamental conditions of human existence.” Henning Eichberg
Movement culture can be anything from play, games, festivities. I want you to shift that negative self-talk that says movement is miserable, or movement is a chore. Ask yourself, “how do I make movement work for me?” Take accountability for the fact that there is something you can do. Whether it’s a five-minute walk up the street or a short stretch on your lunch break. Take control. Create a movement that works for your lifestyle and your physical limitations.
You deserve to go into midlife with movement. Healthy aging isn’t about doing less but asking yourself the right questions. What movement brings me joy? What are my goals? Do I enjoy slow, or fast-paced movements? How will this fit into my life? What inspires me and is sustainable? How am I going to hold myself accountable?
“Life requires movement”
― Aristotle
You need to know why you’re doing it and show up with radical responsibility. I’m a big fan of the science of small wins. A lot of us like to think big. We go from zero movement to this high expectation of going to Crossfit five times a week. This is hard to stick to, it’s not gradual or realistic. To win at movement, start small. Be honest about what you can do before you start, and then stick to that. At the end of the day, no one can do it for you but you!
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle
The biggest aspect of movement culture is the small change. The habit. An act of micro bravery to try, include, or experiment with one form of movement.
Start with five minutes a day, and then work up from there. You will build a strong foundation, and self-reliance when you stick to your small goals. You begin to trust that, ok yeah I CAN do it! That’s what this is all about.
Movement begets more movement. So it’s important to get the ball rolling. This is when your personal movement culture will come more naturally to you. Tune into your body on a daily basis, do a full body scan and say okay ‘
‘Where am I at?
What do I need today?
We should ease into movement. Many of us think we have to wake up and kill ourselves training. But it’s about listening to your body and feeding it the movement it needs.
Do some breath work and body scanning, it connects you to yourself, your body and changes your mood. Be present with yourself and start learning to trust your body’s voice. When you start doing what feels good, you enter a flow state. Everything makes more sense, it feels good, it’s rhythmic.
Movement is possible for you. Healthy aging is possible for you. Movement can be anything you want it to be, it doesn’t have to be sporty or fitness-related. The most important part is starting somewhere. You deserve to feel good and you deserve to move. It de-stresses us and honors our bodies. I encourage you to ask yourself some of these questions. Be honest. Try to find something that inspires you, excites you while you move. Start small and stick to it, and don’t make excuses. You can’t change if you never change, so start small and get your progress moving.
I’m so excited for you to find a movement practice that makes you feel more alive!
Please share with me your movement practices, and remember you are not alone. I’m here for you and I want to help you grow through these experiences. This is what true health is all about.
If you have any questions, please leave them below or send me a message. Have a great day, move your body in different ways and explore with an open mind.
cheers x Julie
[…] was through creativity, fun, and combining all these styles to cultivate my own practice and a movement culture that works for me. In many ways, I see it as a privilege that I never limited myself in a movement […]