Moving at the Speed of Your Heart.
Working as a health coach, I find that the best exercise to recommend is the one my clients connect with from their heart. People will commit to moving their bodies consistently not because the latest research proves a certain cardio workout to be most effective but because they feel the joy in their heart when they move that way. We are all very intelligent and well educated, firmly based in the scientific knowledge of our modern world. Yet, we seem to struggle with discipline and will power to keep our exercise practice going, when the scientific findings are the sole source of our inspiration.
There are theories that entire books are written about on any given form of movement. They usually claim the unique, incomparable qualities that only that movement form can give. It is true that every exercise has its benefits, but can we be equally successful at every form of exercise? For instance, our ancestors were runners, and therefore running is in our DNA. Though such a broad statement may inspire some of us for more cardio workouts, it may also make others feel inadequate. Is something wrong with you because you just don’t like to run? No amount of self-talk, discipline or will power can make you keep a weekly running schedule if you don’t enjoy it.
Disciplining yourself to keep up with an exercise you don’t connect with leaves you feeling empty, unfulfilled, and depleted of energy. Such strategy places more of your attention on the so-called ‘weakness’. Traditionally in the west, weaknesses are to be overcome and conquered. However, it is with the greatest amount of effort and the least amount of progress that we can grow from our weaknesses. It is a much easier path, paved with less resistance and an inner sense of joy, when you follow your natural strengths, whatever they might be.
I suggest, try and discover your own inner version of the Greek god of athletics, Hermes. Though our basic building blocks are always the same, we are still individually wired with unique perspectives, tastes, and physical abilities. Through discovering your physical talents, you can open other possibilities of knowing yourself at the deeper level of your existence. Focusing on what you enjoy enables you to maintain your health and balance in the body you have, rather than wishing you had a different body. I believe that we will always remain the center of our personal universe, to explore, understand and accept it is a gift.
Here are a few practical suggestions how to uncover that heart-to-movement connection:
- Think back to your childhood. There is always at least one activity that we loved as children. We would find any excuse to do it. We ignored grown-ups comments and interruptions because we were so wrapped up in it. For me it was dance. I remember dancing in front of the TV in our small living room whenever music came on. I recently rediscovered this form of movement by joining an adult ballet introductory class. The class gave me unparallel feeling of joy and elatedness, as well as a great workout.
- Create a list of activities you always wanted to try. If you never tried yoga, dance, Pilates, roller-skating, biking, riding a scooter, or tennis, make an effort to try. Find inexpensive classes in your local YMCA, or borrow the equipment from a friend. Mainly, give yourself the opportunity to discover what you love.
- Think seasonally. Especially if you live in a seasonal climate, try to think of physical movement in a cyclical way. Rather than quickly letting go of your outdoor cardio favorites, when the first snow hits the ground, try to find new ways to keep yourself entertained in that weather. This keeps you connected to nature and the cycles of your own body. It keeps things new and interesting all year long.
- Focus on Joy. The main point is that you need to find your own flow. Scientists who study positive psychology termed the activity where one loses him/herself, forgets about ego, and loses the sense of time as the flow. Sometimes we also refer to it as in the zone. Any activity that connects you to your inner essence is an endless fountain of joy, strength, creativity, and health. It rejuvenates and propels our life with a renewed sense of empowerment.
