I’m not a fan of resolutions. If you’re not incredibly inspired to make a change it takes enormous willpower and determination to start something from nothing. That’s why I’ve started implementing these changes before the clock strikes January 1stand will implement them slowly over time. It takes time to form a habit and I’m aware of my shortcomings and hacks to get me there. Regardless of your level of motivation, I hope to inspire you with one or more of my resolutions.
Move more. After reading Primate Change, taking the Anatomy in Motion course, ending my time as a performer and discovering all the cool new movement practices out there, I am motivated to just move. I realize the importance of disentangling movement from ‘exercise’ and I’m making daily and hourly efforts to find ways to move often and differently. These include walking wherever I can, reminding myself to not sit as a reflex when I see a chair, taking up body weight exercise like Animal Flow, handstands and having a daily movement practice.
Change my footwear. As an Anatomy in Motion practitioner and listener to podcasts like The Foot Collective I understand the importance of allowing your feet to be feet. Letting their joints move freely, challenging the surface they walk on,letting them feel the floor and not restricting them with unfoot-like shoes. So when the time comes to replace my shoes this year I will choose a footwear brand that is zero-drop, flexible and minimal (check out Vivo Barefoot, Lems, and Xero to name a few).
Find time to move. I realize that for me I feel much less lethargic when I move more. It can change my mood, motivate me to be productive and takes away my sugar and caffeine cravings. I noticed that just by standing to work I get work done faster and more efficiently and I need less sugar and caffeine. Plus I no longer need that afternoon nap. For me, I need to make a habit to move more. And I know that the best way to motivate me is to make it a habit I can’t break. My movement practice is in my schedule now. It’s unstructured, I set a timer and I just move. It’s kind of like when you were a kid and you didn’t want to get in the bath and then 30 minutes later your parents couldn’t drag you out of the bath.But that’s just what works for me.
Find new ways to move. I’ve discovered Animal Flow and handstands and that gives me lots of challenges to wake up new ways of moving. Plus endless entertaining ways of doing them in countless configurations that keeps me motivated. I also want to try beam walking (see The Foot Collective for amazing beams), slack-lining and trapeze. So many fun ways to move in new and challenging ways.
Move in old ways. I used to cook and bake a lot. Since taking up a low waste lifestyle I’ve gotten back to cooking more from scratch to save on waste. The added benefit is it gets me moving more. Cooking from scratch requires me to move and use my muscles in ways that heating up partially prepared food doesn’t require. I also need to get my cat to lose weight. I enjoy watching her run and leap after her toys. So I’m going to incorporate more floor time with the kitty in the New Year.
Maybe I’ll discover more fun and interesting ways of moving later in 2019. That’s the great thing about choosing to move more. The discoveries along the way.