It All Started By Serendipity

Emotional Health, Health & Wellness Article, Physical Health, Self Improvement

It’s the first of the year, and many have been thinking about their various priorities for 2020. “Efficiency” is high on my list so that I can get more done to serve those who need to move more, reduce pain and stiffness, or better defend against pain in the future.

Part of being efficient with my time is starting each day with some self-care. For a starter, consistent practice of some basic movement routines needs more attention. It seems that it is always the last item on my list of to-do’s … the exact opposite of best practices.

I got up today and went to the window to look out, appreciating the beauty and the silence. Connecting with nature helps start my day. While looking out, I realized that I felt stiff after getting a full 7 hours of sleep, something that usually doesn’t happen. So I decided to stretch a little – – then a little more.

Suddenly an idea came! Why not do some yoga while I’m looking out the window. This way, I can ‘stack’ these tasks and serve two priorities at once. It felt so good that now every morning will begin this way.

Taking time to reflect on 2019 helps me to understand what changes could be made in 2020 to:

Incorporate more training into teaching
Serve more clients
Volunteer my time to help others
Be more efficient
Have time for self-care.

That’s a long list. And there is one more thing: being “realistic” about expectations. If possible, I would also help more people, take all the training that is offered, and still have some personal time. Of course, that is not realistic. To avoid burnout, I … like you … need to set realistic expectations. Therefore, I am thinking more about how I can ‘stack’ my life.

What can you stack?

What small change can you make in your life? It doesn’t mean more time, just being more efficient. Some out there are now saying, “Multi-tasking is not good for us.” That is true. However, I’m not talking about multi-tasking but am talking about “taking a walk while talking on the phone, meditating while waiting in the doctor’s office, or stretching while doing the grocery shopping … especially when standing in the checkout line.” Just try not to stand still during those moments so that you can incorporate more movement into your life as well.

You may be thinking – – “Wait a minute, she teaches ‘movement’, why does she need to move more?”

There are TWO reasons – – beginning with:

First: it’s good for us because our bodies were designed to move all the time.

Second: when teaching and working with clients, the primary focus is on their immediate needs for movement and developing a plan to chart their course to improve. (In my case, frequent movement helps to reduce hip pain and manage the stiffness that resulted from two falls that happened years ago.)

Everyone has their own unique needs for movement to reduce pain and stiffness to become healthier and happier. Also, our bodies and minds tend to be more joyful and less stressed when we move more.

Start with small changes. Be realistic. Let me hear back how you plan to ‘stack’ your life!

If you would like help on your wellness journey, schedule a private consultation.