What's Causing My Pain? We have a deep need for things to make sense. Knowing what happens and why gives us a feeling of some control and order in the chaos of life. Research shows that humans are wired for pattern seeking and storytelling. “Everything in our brain is looking for the … Read more about When Trying to Make Sense of a Problem Doesn’t Make Sense
How Will You Say Goodbye to 2020?
A Year Filled with Fear and Challenge 2020 has been unlike any other year in our lifetimes. Almost all aspects of society have been upended in ways unimaginable just a year before. While some people’s lives haven’t changed much, others have had to work longer and harder under incredibly … Read more about How Will You Say Goodbye to 2020?
Ground, Sound, Breathe Your Way to Less Stress and More Ease
As we enter month 10 of the COVID pandemic as well as the holidays, it seemed like the perfect time to repost this article I wrote a few years ago. Hit the Pause Button for Just 1 Minute I want to share with you an easy yet powerful practice I picked up while attending a seminar called “The … Read more about Ground, Sound, Breathe Your Way to Less Stress and More Ease
Why Pulling Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps Doesn’t Work
Introduction As we enter month five of “the new normal” of COVID-19, so many people are experiencing practical and emotional hardships, or simply feel frustrated and stuck. At the same time, there are folks who are—or at least appear to be—doing well from the posts on Instagram and Facebook … Read more about Why Pulling Yourself Up by Your Bootstraps Doesn’t Work
The Downside of Awareness Nobody Tells You About
Awareness Has Many Benefits... Awareness is a word you hear a lot these days. Also commonly called mindfulness, it's a quality of paying attention to yourself (your sensations, thoughts, reactions, etc.) and your surroundings in the present moment. This kind of awareness has numerous … Read more about The Downside of Awareness Nobody Tells You About
Soak in the Good to Better Your Brain and Body
In these strange and often stressful times, I’d like to share a simple exercise that can significantly boost your well being. "Take in the Good" is a practice created by Dr. Rick Hanson, a psychologist and Buddhist teacher, as a way to counteractive the negativity bias of our brain. Our Brain's … Read more about Soak in the Good to Better Your Brain and Body
Are You Greater than the Sum of Your Parts?
"Parts" Thinking is Entrenched in Our Culture People frequently ask me questions like, “When is your next ‘neck’ class?” or “Do you ever teach a class for knee pain?” We’re accustomed to thinking of ourselves like a car, made up of various parts. We commonly say things like, “My 'back' went … Read more about Are You Greater than the Sum of Your Parts?
The Best Way to Change a Habit
(Part 2 of Are Your Ideas of What's Right Leading You Astray?) The Desire to Fix Ourselves Runs Deep How many years have you spent intentionally trying to correct something about your posture or how you move? In the last post, I talked about our ideas about how our posture (or strength, … Read more about The Best Way to Change a Habit
Are Your Ideas of What’s Right Leading You Astray?
Do You Think You Have Bad Posture? We all have ideas about how our posture should be (back straight, shoulders down, stomach in) and what constitutes “correct” movement (engage core muscles or never twist). We acquired a lot of these growing up. As an adult we continue to gain more from physical … Read more about Are Your Ideas of What’s Right Leading You Astray?
A Simple Way to Shift from Stressed to Refreshed
Too Busy? Not Enough Time? My intention for the past year and a half is to have more ease in my life. This was going well. For quite awhile I had a steady meditation practice, got regular exercise, was eating well and maintained downtime between work and commitments. But then my schedule got … Read more about A Simple Way to Shift from Stressed to Refreshed
One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Health: Walking
My Change of Attitude About Walking I’ve always appreciated walks in nature, but it’s only since having a dog that I’ve really embraced walking. Before, other than occasional hikes in nature, I rarely walked. It just didn’t seem like an interesting activity in itself. And if I needed to go … Read more about One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Health: Walking
Which is More Valuable: Being or Doing?
(originally written Nov 2016) How Much Do You Push Yourself? Recently, one of my Feldenkrais® students shared how she’s been applying principles from my class to other areas of her life. Specifically, she’s taken the idea of staying within a comfortable, easy range instead of pushing to the limit … Read more about Which is More Valuable: Being or Doing?