In day to day life and society in general, we can all get a little rigid, a little stiff and a bit inflexible at times (both in physical and mental terms). We become so preoccupied with doing and having that we often forget to relax and enjoy the moment. We often forget that our bodies can do more than stand, walk or sit. It’s like we begin to live with tunnel vision in our bodies and forget that we are born with a whole range of motions.
Why is this so important you may ask?
Well just like when water stops flowing; it becomes stale and stagnant, it can look quite ugly and loose it’s serene appeal. The same can happen to our bodies. When we become rigid, we forget the beauty of our bodies, we hold tension in our limbs and our energy, thoughts and creativity can become stifled and stagnant. Do this repeatedly, and over time we can become quite miserable and stressed. But once we move, it’s like we free ourselves of our self inflicted shackles and find joy again.
And yes, exercise, dancing, playing etc all involve movement and yes one could say we move all day long from morning to night, but I mean conscious movement (outside of normal everyday activity). How many times do you stop to consciously move your body to get energy flowing again?
Adding simple, conscious movements into your day can do the world of good. Literally moving, shaking your body changes the physiology of your body. Cells are invigorated, energy is moving again and feel good endorphins are released. The brain sends happy signals to the body. It’s proven, it’s scientific! Think about the last time you had a good dance; how did you feel?
The reality is, the body doesn’t know what’s real or not. Try it, close your eyes and remember a good night on the dance floor, put yourself back in that space, remember the sounds, the songs, the heat, the laughter, the happiness, see yourself dancing, waving your arms, singing at the top of your voice, moving your hips, sweat on your forehead and a big smile on your face. Really imagine yourself back in that space and now notice what’s happening in your present moment? I bet you can feel those feelings again right now. I bet you have a smile on your face. I bet you even feel like hitting the dance floor now or putting on some music and dancing around the house! Within a couple of minutes, you’ve changed your state and feel all those benefits now. That’s the power of what you feed your mind!
We are energetic beings, we are made up of energy and everything around us is made up of energy. This energy is meant to flow all the time. It’s not meant to get stuck or we’re not meant to hold onto it. It’s meant to flow through our bodies, pass easily from us and to us. (Consequently when we hold onto energy or try to bury it deep within us, that stops or hinders the flow and causes a multitude of issues – another topic for another day!!).
Think about a child having a tantrum. This is a perfect example of energy being released. Something is not quite right in them, they are uncomfortable, unhappy, not at ease or whatever the case may be. There is a build up of energy and boy do they let you know about it. They have a massive outburst, tear the place down, kick and scream, pull everything apart and then 10 minutes later they are the perfect angelic little heroes again! You often wonder how they can change so quick? But they have released their pent up energy. That’s the way they know how to do it. They don’t think about it again, they are free and they pick up right where they left off. It’s done.
We can all do the same but instead of throwing a tantrum like a 2 year old, channel that energy and find ways that work for you to release it – movement is definitely one way (dancing, walking, yoga, exercise), or perhaps you can channel that energy into a creative process like journaling, painting, cooking etc.
We are all responsible for our state, so take ownership and just move your body when you feel stifled. Do like Taylor Swift says and ‘Shake It Off’. What’s the worst that could happen? Yes you’re thinking mind may try to tell you how silly you look, how ridiculous this is, but move past that and just focus on the movement and have fun. Wake up your senses and change your state.
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