Tip 6:

Attend to the quality of your movement.

Tip 5:

Learn something new just for the experience of learning.

Tip 4:

Go barefooted as often as possible.

-The arches in your feet only get stronger when they get used to do their job. Arch supports in your shoes will not strengthen your arches, they will weaken them.

-We receive a lot of information from our feet: what sort of surface we’re standing and walking on.

When you walk, don’t look down! Feel the surfaces you’re walking on – it’s good for your brain!

Tip 3:

Listen.

To what’s going on inside you. Every movement and position has a different “voice”. When you swing your arm, your shoulder communicates information in one way. When you sit for too long, your sitz bones communicate information in a different way. Pay attention to the tone. Is it a murmur or “yum” or a shriek of “nooooooooo”? Is it flat ache of a body part asking to move or the weary moan of a body moved too much?

Listen.

For your way to move. You’ll know it, even if it’s buried in technique and relentless instruction. It’s voice may be almost too soft to hear, but it’s there. Shut off

right

this way

suppose to

learned.

And hear what your body has to say – for itself.

It’s your body rediscovering it’s voice.

Tip 2:

Dance.

Every chance you get. Every day. For every reason. For no reason.

Dance for yourself. Dance with your friends. Dance with family. Dance with people soon to be become friends. Dance alone.

Tip 1:

 Move Like a Kid Long After You Aren’t a Kid Anymore!

(There’s even a song about it):

Get On the Floor!

Getting on the floor regularly benefits you in two ways to start:

– It gives you immediate feedback about the condition of your body. 

The kind of feedback you don’t get on your feet and can easily ignore on your feet.

– You can’t “cheat” on the floor.

To move it takes all of your joints. To sit still requires healthy, functional flexibility, mobility and stability.

Cultivating your ability to move on the floor is an incredible gift you give to yourself. After age 6, moving on the floor is all about Awareness – paying attention.

It’s Movement Alchemy’s “EarthDance”,  Nia’s “Floor Play”, and  GAGA’s “Play” and they all exist to do one thing:

Keep us Fit, Strong, Agile and Functional.  For Life.

Mobility Tip:

Give yourself a Movie Star Red Carpet day. Walk like a movie star and everywhere you go it’s a red carpet.

Mobility Tip:

Do something new; something your body and mind have to figure out. That feeling of awkwardness signals learning. Don’t avoid it. Embrace it!

Awareness Tip:

Breathe. After every phone call, stop and experience 3 breaths. Close your eyes as breath passes through you. Let this simple practice open your senses. Notice what more you can hear. Explore this practice as your eating and notice how much more flavorful your food becomes. Let your eyes soften as you practice and let your sight expand.