When I was in school, many moons ago now, I was never very good at Geography. The subject required a certain simplicity that I never really understood. Every time they asked me a question and the answer was easy, I would always think ‘that can’t possibly be the right answer, it’s too easy’ so I would then deliver a long convoluted answer that was always wrong. You would think that I might have learnt over the years of schooling that the easy answers were usually the right answers but I never did. Until now.
It has taken me over 20 years to realise that, actually, the easy answers are usually the right answers. But by easy, I really mean ‘simple’. At least in some respects. Let me explain what I mean.
Over this last year, and its been just over a year since all of our lives were somersaulted into a new paradigm of living, I started doing many more Zoom calls, as I’m sure you did too. Which meant, that I was sitting much more than normal. Which in turn meant that I wasn’t moving as much as usual. I know, the first thing you think is but you teach Movement! Indeed I do, but when I am online, I am teaching, and not doing. When I am in studio, I demo, and walk around a whole lot more. Also, remember that schools were closed too. Before lockdown I was walking to and from school to collect and drop off my daughter and then nothing. I have always loved walking, hiking that sort of thing so it was one of the first things I missed when I was forbidden to do it. Walking around the garden just didnt have the same effect.
All of this lack of movement then started to show up in my body as an achey hip, or a low grade irritation in my sacro-iliac joint, or cramps down my calf. I just wasn’t comfortable in my skin any more. It hurt in places that it shouldn’t. Add in all that extra baking that occurred and the stomach girth increased too. Add onto that hormonal changes and you can only imagine the wierdnesses that were happening in my body.
Cut to now, a year later and I have finally figured out, that it really is the simple things which make things feel easier and better. I have 4 things that usually sort out my achey hip, or any type of niggly pain that rears up in times of stress. As they are so simple, I want to share them with you too. Now, I said simple, not easy, because for many of us, our habits hinder our changes, and anything that might feel like ‘work’ we are less inclined to do. I find that these four things, make a huge difference in my world and I think they can do the same for you. If you give them a chance.
Choose just one, and aim to do that thing every day for a week. Notice the differences. The following week do the same thing. Notice the differences. Repeat.
- Take a walk. Aim for at least 20 minutes. Every day if possible.
- Drink water. Lots of water. It flushes your system and improves your skin complexion (it also plumps out your wrinkles if you’re at the age for those…;-))
- Eat good food. Food that sustains you and gives you energy. The least amount of packaged and processed, the better.
- Move your body in all directions.
And thats it. Sounds too easy right? We often overthink things. We over complicate the simple things. We think we need to do big fancy manoeuvres to make changes, but ultimately all we really need to do is start with the simple things. I know, it got me too. So, I have been putting into practise this realisation and what do you know? My hip pain is dissapeared, my bum is no longer lazy, I feel better, because I have gotten fresh air, used my body, moved it in all directions and I just feel so much better about life. Because if one is in pain, or feeling niggly bits, I can almost guarantee that you are very most likely not getting one of these factors.
I have one bonus checkpoint for you.
5. Rest.
Yip! Who would of thunk it? But what does rest even mean? It’s a word that encompasses so much. Which can in turn cause anxiety, if we even think to stop for a moment…
I have two suggestions for this idea of rest:
- set an alarm for 5 minutes. Get down on the floor. Lay on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor at a comfortable distance from your hips. Close your eyes. Notice your bones on the floor. Breathe. Wait for the alarm to go off. Get up and continue with your day. Do this as many times as you fancy.
- Go to this link and indulge in about 50 minutes of meditation and mindfullness. https://youtu.be/5R4VMGcUkzI
That’s it. Give it a try. Go easy on yourself if you dont manage to do these every day, but give it your best shot.
Your habits can create a positive or negative environment. It’s totally your call.