Developing a Personal Daily Practice

As a movement educator, I can’t tell you how many times a day I hear “Oh, this feels so good, I should do this every day!”  Or . . . “this is SO hard for me, I guess I should do it more often”.  So . . . why don’t you???? 

Developing a personal daily practice at home does not mean that you do a full hour “workout” or class each day.  I see a practice as a commitment to evolve in yet unknown ways.  There is an ebb and flow – some days or moments feel successful and some do not, yet we keep showing up at regular intervals quite simply to evolve and see what is presented to us.  There may be times when a physical practice makes things look or feel better and times when it frustrates us–but the commitment to listening to your body and allowing it to evolve is what matters most.

You might be asking yourself what the difference is between an at-home practice and a daily practice? 

An at-home practice is more like your “workout.”  This can be an adjunct to the group classes or private sessions you do with an instructor, or as many of us are experiencing right now, home workouts could be your primary source of exercise.   A daily practice is much more brief than a workout.  It could be as simple as one or two movements or breathing patterns which you do every single day to get you closer to your physical goals, soothe stress or maintain a more pain-free life. 
 
Do you need a daily practice?  In my opinion yes, because we all deserve to cherish and care for ourselves more than we think.  If daily pain or stress are a part of your current life then adding in a short daily practice can truly make a difference.

Start small and keep it simple! A daily practice could be as simple as one or two movements or breathing patterns which you do every single day to get you closer to your physical goals, soothe stress or maintain a more pain-free life.  You may just start by taking three deep breaths at a certain point in the day and you will be surprised at the results this simple daily practice can yield.
 
Do you need a daily practice?  In my opinion yes, because we all deserve to cherish and care for ourselves more than we think.  If daily pain or stress are a part of your current life then adding in a short daily practice can truly make a difference.
 
5 Steps to Creating a Daily Practice

1. Ask yourself what you’d like this practice to offer you
2. Choose 1-3 movements
3. Designate an anchor to your practice
4. Write it down
5. Keep showing up

1. Ask yourself what you’d like your daily practice to offer you: A sense of calm at the beginning or end of your day?  Decrease specific pains over time?  Strengthen a weak spot?  Open up a tight spot?
2. Choose 1-3 movements which will help you achieve step 1: If you take classes or private sessions with a movement professional think about or start noticing which movements in your classes give you the highest rate of return – which positions do you find the most soothing or effective at either releasing pain, tightness or tension?  Which exercises do you find most challenging and want to get better at?  Perhaps choose one tight spot and one weak spot that you know you have (or ask your trainer what they see in your body that could use some work) and choose a position or movement to support these spots. 
3. Designate an anchor to your practice: Your anchor is an activity which you already do every day that holds you accountable to your daily movement practice.  You might also think of it as a trigger.  Choose something you never skip – waking up or going to sleep, making or drinking tea or coffee, taking the dog for a walk, turning on your computer etc.  Your daily practice is now anchored to just before or just after this activity.
4. Write it down or say it out loud to someone: Studies show that when we write something down or voice our intention it becomes more real and we then hold ourselves accountable to our actions.  If you choose to write it down, consider placing the note somewhere you will see it often.
5. Keep showing up: Just do it.  You may find that the practice you have chosen needs less, more or a different anchor.   It may simply need to evolve or change over time, and this is all part of your practice. Adjust as needed but keep showing up to witness the evolution it offers.  That means that if you miss a day you don’t beat yourself up – because that would NOT be showing up for yourself ;)
 
Not feeling very creative or motivated?  Reach out - I'm happy to help you create your personal daily practice!