DAY 3. MOVE.
Ahhh, yes. Time to get into the body. Now I know you may be thinking, all this stuff is so basic. Duh. Clean. Stay off your phone. Exercise.. it IS basic. So are you doing them regularly? Are you doing them with intention? I'm not attacking you, but it is important to ask yourself why you do anything, really. I feel it's important, maybe less shocking, to start with the basics, the "easier" things. The outer, super tough protective shells we wear every day, before that shell feels safe and spiffy enough to let us in. Ya?
Physical exercise/movement has a direct relationship with my inner world (yours too!). We, again, especially lately, are spending a LOT of time in our heads. We can't really do much! Our heads can be a scary place when we are living in a time of such uncertainty, can't it.
*side bar, life is ALWAYS uncertain, we just tell ourselves it isn't and come up with little plans for each day that God lovingly snickers at. We make these plans to feel safe and in control, right? But do things ever really go exactly as we planned? I'm not being insensitive to these scary times but as someone who has lost people in the scariest of ways, out of the blue, and been through some really wild and uncontrollable times, more than once in my life, I've realized the best thing and only thing we can do is have faith in something greater. This is something that takes a lot of exercise and letting go of things, people and/or places that you feel you *need* for joy. You don't need ANYTHING for joy. I'm not saying I'm all the way here yet, are you kidding?! But I'm better. And practicing letting go and flowing with the current of life instead of fighting it will just make you a happier and more fearless person all around. But we'll get into that when things get a lil deeper. Back to our shells..*
Yes, our heads can be scary. When we live entirely in our heads we start to believe everything we think. So we must get connected with the body, and get in touch with our entire being. Because there is a lot more power in us when we decide to allow our body, head, heart and soul to work together on the same team.
Many things feed your soul and you'll start to notice what does and what doesn't, the more inner work you start to do. You will notice, when you start on your spiritual journey of healing and unlearning, that other elements of your life will very naturally evolve with you. A lot of things just don't satisfy you or feel the same as they used to. So, if you start your healing spiritually first, the physical and mental will follow.
You've heard your body is a temple your whole life I'm sure, and it is. It's your vessel to receive knowledge and messages from your soul. Your body speaks to you in many many ways, all the time. It speaks to you much easier and with much less pain and irritation when you treat it lovingly. Exercise keeps your body young. It is actually one of my favorite ways to meditate. I get crazy inspired when I'm running and/or walking. When I was really depressed and didn't feel like working out, I would play Louise Hay meditations on YouTube and listen on my headphones and walk around the DTLA flower district at 7am. For me, movement brings me back into my whole being. It reminds me of my other senses. It makes me feel gratitude for my able body and for the beauty of this world. It brings me back to mindfulness.
So MOVE today! Dance! I dance every day, I feel singing and dancing are two of the truest expressions of the soul and bring you closer to your higher self. It just feels SO GOOD like, I cry when I sing. hahaha. Start an at home workout challenge! Go for a walk, run, bike ride. Does your building have stairs? Take those instead of the elevator. (I do my stairs every day from the basement to the 12th floor 3-5 times up & down) Feeling anxious or angry or frustrated? Do some push-ups!! I don't know why but when I feel angry an upper body workout specifically is the fastest thing to move those emotions through my body. Do yoga! Aerobics! SSSTTTRRREEETTTCCHHHH!!! Learn some choreography! Seriously, pull up that youtube gym and have some fun with it.
Just tell yourself you're gonna do 20 min a day and I guarantee even on your lowest days, once you start stretching and thanking your body for all it's doing for you, you're gonna feel so good you're not gonna want to go a day without it. I can't say it enough, physical exercise is one of the biggest things that keep me HAPPY. It is one of the highest ways I honor and love myself. Obviously, I could and I have, gone on and ON!
Love you. GO MOVE!
See you tomorrow.
xx L
