The Magic Of The Word Movement

Try holding completely still for a minute. Impossible. Why? Breath is movement. Simply by nature of being alive, you are moving. So movement from breathing - and all movement - is a vital human need. Movement is life, life is movement, and movement is the first and primary language of the body.

I suggest you drop the word “exercise,” throw out the word “fitness,” and replace those dreary and loaded terms with the word - 'movement.’ How do you view “exercise?” Do you use it as a way to burn calories, lose weight, or compensate for what you ate? Do you feel pressured by the whole world to improve your “fitness?” When we approach exercise this way, it can feel like punishment and wear on self-confidence and mental wellbeing. Exercise can often feel like something you have to do, as if we are adding another chore to our never-ending to-do-lists, and this in turn can rob us of joy.

In fact, what we are after is ‘joyful movement.’ When we reduce our body’s movement to losing weight, burning calories, or winning over someone else, we lose so much. Joyful movement is not exclusive to certain types of movement. Joyful movement approaches physical activity with an emphasis on pleasure, choice, flexibility, celebration, and intuition. The best part of ‘joyful movement’ is that you get to define what is pleasurable for you. Some people love playing a sport while others may enjoy hiking. You likely know what movements make your body feel good and you can decide to incorporate them into your daily life. There is no objective measure of performance you must achieve, no pace or distance you need to reach to satisfy anyone but yourself.

“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.” – Carol Welch

Movement drives our brains, our bodies, and our creativity. Movement also helps us think better and sharpen our memory, sleep better, reduce aches and pains, and helps us maintain a better outlook on life. Even in small doses physical activity improves your mood. Many research studies demonstrate that daily physical activity correlates with a sense of purpose in life, and that people are happier and more satisfied when they are physically active than when they are sedentary.

How To Be More Active.

The journey to discovering joyful movement does not require that you take big steps and make huge life changes. There are hundreds of little ways that you can add movement to your daily life. Explore and learn how to move in a way that benefits your mind, body, heart, and soul.

There is no “right way” to be active. Any physical activity — a walk, a swim, a bit of yoga — can give you an emotional boost. Joyful movement emphasizes a flexible mindset - moving when and how it feels right and eliminating the pressure that comes from “should” and “should not.” Of course, what feels joyful and fun now may be different from what your body preferred five years ago. Preferences change over time in the same way that your body changes over time.

“Change happens through movement, and movement heals.” – Joseph Pilates

Make moving a habit you practice every day: start the day with 10 push ups and 10 squats. Find a few minutes to take a walk around the block. Join in active games with your kids. Engage in a few stretches in front of the TV.

Many of us spend too much time sitting – in front of a computer, watching television, or being behind the wheel of a car. Take the stairs, tend to your garden, park farther away from your destination, take your dog for a walk, have a walking work meeting, or play catch with your friends or family. After sitting for lengthy periods at your computer, your body will thank you if you get up and move around.

“Never sacrifice the intuition of the body for the glory of the ego.” – Jessica Schatz, The Core Expert®

This is the guidance I give before every class I teach. I use it to emphasize how important it is to listen to your body. If you feel stiff before movement, take it slow. If you feel energized and empowered during movement, keep pushing. If you feel sore after movement, enjoy a rest day. How to engage in movement is your choice.

So go ahead and move. Find a quiet, private space. Suspend self-criticism and your conscious and habitual directives to your body. Engage your curiosity, self-respect, honesty, and courage. No matter your size, your shape, the flesh that jiggles, the bones that stick out, you will find in your moving body an expression of who you are and you will discover the sheer joy and simple pleasure movement can bring.