These past couple of weeks I have been feeling the absence of community and the togetherness we have let so easily slip away. There is a ripple effect of fear emanating through our world today because of coronavirus. What if were to ask you at this fearful time, can you come to presence? I know it is not easy because most of us, including myself, are trained to gravitate towards worry and worry does nothing but create “DIS-EASE” in the body, which eventually can lead to disease. It wreaks tremendous havoc on the body.
This is the time, more than ever, to show up and practice mindfulness and taking extra care of YOU and your immune system… OUTDOORS!
It is a time to say yes to you. It is an act of self-love and self care, this is essential now! We have to remember to practice mindfulness and togetherness even in the time we feel the most vulnerable and scared. We are already a couple weeks into coronavirus and it already feels like the loneliest of crisis. Don’t you agree?
I have felt for much of my adulthood that we have lost the art of togetherness with our cell phones and computers. More and more people are now feeling isolation and loneliness. We all feel now how that feels especially during this crisis. I am hoping now more than ever to have us slow down, get outdoors and rethink our priorities, think of this as a “reset” and we all have to be in this together.
We are also all feeling the strain of being told what we CANNOT do, no one likes to be told what not to do. But what if we can reframe our mindsets into what we CAN do! For instance, get outdoors and get moving!.
One thing for sure is we are all social beings, we are made to CONNECT. It is deep rooted within each of us which is why so many of us are planning zoom parties right now! We are craving interaction with each other now more than ever. What we are being asked to do right now goes against our deepest needs. But one thing we can do is move our bodies!
So today I want to talk about movement. You know, Tony Robbins says, “If you want to change the emotion, you change the motion.” Yes, so I agree with Tony, whom I admire and talk of frequently as a mentor of mine. There is something when we are not moving we tend to stagnate, and what happens when things stagnate? Algae grows, fungus grows, we need that freshness when we keep moving, there is creativity, inspiration and healing in moving. It makes us feel alive. Do you find movement joyful? For me, it is hiking, hiking is so much more than movement to me, it is my moving therapy. What exercise might be worth trying or exploring that works best for you?
There is an experience people want to be having when they are moving. Some want to be excited, or thrilled, or pumped, some look forward to it, or some dread it and avoid it, what we are looking for is what feeling is the driver and your motivation for you to get up and move? For me, moving and exercising is like breathing.
We always chose what feels more pleasurable, so if it feels best to wake up at 5am and go for a run or a hike, we will do that instead of staying in bed. If it feels best to hit the snooze button we will do that. We always chose what feels most pleasurable. So we need to find out whatever that thing is that overrides movement as the more pleasurable choice. SO instead of “I should go exercise, it becomes “I GET to exercise”.
Did you know that hiking, walking or running outdoors provides enormous health benefits?
For starters, you can get your dose of Vitamin D for an immune booster. A hike through nature in just 90 minutes is proven to lower stress, boost motivation as well as brain health. It gives you purpose and clarity, increases positivity, improves heart health, lowers cortisol levels and releases seratonin, the feel good hormone.
It gives you a sense of strength in yourself that you didn’t know you had. You feel grounded and connected. It gives you an enormous sense of accomplishment as well as takes you out of your comfort zones, physically and mentally. It makes you think you are stronger than you think you are when you get to the top of a mountain or to the end of your runs.
No wonder I feel so much better after a hike! Just imagine how much better YOU will feel when you are actually experiencing nature in all its glory, feeling the sun on your shoulders, breathing in fresh air with dramatic views, clear blue sky above, maybe even spotting a deer or two and feeling the earth beneath you, grounding you. Empowering you. You feel better just thinking about it right?
I encourage all of you to get outdoors in this time of crisis, always keeping our distance for the time being, and finding what form of movement is most pleasurable for you.
But sometimes just getting outside and connecting with others, and really BEING there–is enough of a destination
Happy Trails!
I am a certified transformational coach, aka Trail Blazer! I guide small groups and challenge them physically through hiking, emotionally, and spiritually through meditation. I inspire and educate that it is never too late to reinvent your self through my 6-week hiking empowerment program called Finding Your Trail.
I have been featured in Thrive Global, VoyageLA, Deborah Kobylt Live, KenshoHealth, and the Palisadian Post newspaper. I live in Pacific Palisades with my husband and 2 children. I am also a Facilitator for a charity called The Foundation For Living Beauty. www.lisataitelman.com