Well, it’s finally here! I’ve got a new website with audio and videos to help you Rock What’s Yours.

I’ve started a REVOLUTION.

Want to join me? Check out my  Man-i-FEST-ohhh that comes with a digital class:

Movement Revolution: 5 Principles To Transform Your Shoulders So Life’s Jackassery Slides Right Off Them.

Oh, and did I mention it’s FREE? Pop on over, check out my new digs and download your free class today.

We’re gonna rock this out like a movement mo fo.

As many of you know, I’m busily creating a new online business to launch in January and it’s all taking place under extreme pressure to get it done right and on time by my boss. My boss is highly critical and demands perfection. She isn’t quick to notice what works well, but zeros in on the flaws like a laser. She tends to motivate by pointing out all the crap while simultaneously mocking me. She’s a real pita and, what’s worse, she lives in my head. Sometimes I think she’s taking a spin class up there because it literally feels like the wheels are turning 24/7 with information, ideas and directives. She’s loud and distracting, up in my head, and that’s probably her way of demanding attention. In the last week or so, she’s had some competition from my sons, though. They’ve been growing louder with demands of christmas decorations and a tree. For a second, I thought they’d been smoking crack (until I remembered we don’t keep crack on hand). Don’t they hear my boss yelling at me to get my shit done BEFORE Christmas so I can relax for a few days before I launch? Even the holiday commercials were starting to annoy me. I fantasized about steamrolling right over the holidays~ forget the tree & decor. My head says I haven’t got the time.  But, suddenly I noticed how stressed out I was at the prospect of bringing home a Christmas tree, never mind decorating it. My body cringed at the thought of bringing the holidays into the house in its current state of disarray. The fact is, Christmas is coming whether I like it or not, so I can step into right now and make this moment work or I can continue pushing it off, resisting what will keep trying to manifest regardless of the plans I’m making.

So, I made a decision to take a week off from work* and focus on creating an environment that supports what’s happening right now. That way I could dust the family room and wash the floors without the internal pressure of a deadline. I could create the space for the holidays not only in the house, but in my body. When I’m cringing from what’s happening now, my body contracts, leaving no extra space for the joy that could inhabit it.  Embodying deadlines, stress, criticism, fear or whatever my negative self talk of the day may be means there’s no space left to embody joy, gratitude, empathy, thoughtfulness or LOVE.

It’s because I made the decision to stop listening to the spin class in my head and instead listen to my heart, I was able to navigate the would be treacherous waters of parenthood with smooth sailing the night my son ran off. The next day, he stayed home from school because he listened to his body (a story for another time). He helped me clean, read books and we had several long talks about how feelings manifest themselves in the body, so it’s helpful to notice and embrace those sensations.  He shared with me what makes him feel happy and we came up with a strategy to encourage those feelings more often. We also decided we both need to embody patience with one another.  I went to sleep that night feeling gratitude for all that had transpired because I felt we both understood each other better and had a clearer line of communication going forward. My heart felt full because I was in the moment to experience it.

I say I teach embodiment but that’s not the whole story. Truth is, we embody ideas, qualities or feelings all day, every day without someone teaching us how to do so. What I teach is how to embody what supports you right now, in this moment. Too often, we are trying to live in the future or perhaps even the past, but that isn’t possible. We are here, right now, and it’s vital we embody what will give us the most energy, fluidity and love so we can connect with that which is most dear~ our families, our friends, ourselves.  I don’t want a critical perfectionist telling me what to embody. I am more than that.  I want to rock my most vital embodiment today and I encourage you to rock what’s yours.

*Yes, I know I’m writing this and, technically, it’s work, but I’m not doing it because my boss told me to. I’m doing it because I was inspired to. Embodying inspiration.

**I’d like to give a shout out to Bryan Franklin for his thoughtful wisdom will forever stick with me.

http://www.bryanfranklin.com/

It’s that time of year, again. Your spine’s birthday is coming up and this year you really want to throw a bash that is worthy of the structure that enables you to do EVERYTHING. Seriously, imagine what your life would be like without it. I’ll wait while you do….

Okay, so you realize it’s vital to holding you up, creating movement, attaching muscles & ligaments and most of all, housing your spinal cord. Knowing how important it is, I’ve got 3 Simple Steps to a Happier Spine. (And who doesn’t want a happy spine?)

1. Make a Wish List for your spine.

For your spine’s birthday, you’ll want to register for gifts to make sure it gets exactly what you want. So, take time to think about what your ideal spine would be~

strong, flexible, mobile, adaptable, supportive, sexy, fluid, snake-like, dynamic, juicy, springy, happy, excited, effervescent, zippy, chilled out, relaxed

The choices are endless, so long as you phrase it in a positive way.

2. Notice how you typically think and talk of your spine.

You know that person in your life who, when asked how they are doing, proceeds to give you a list of all their ailments and problems? Well, what if you asked yourself about your spine, how would you respond? Would you think about your aches, pains and arthritis? When alone with your thoughts, what comes up regarding your spine? Do your thoughts correlate with your Wish List Registry? Or are you thinking the exact opposite of what you’d like?

It’s important to note that I’m not discounting any pain or discomfort you may have. It’s just time to become aware of what your self talk is saying to your spine. Are you limiting your spine’s potential? Start thinking, “What if…?”

3. Match your thoughts with your Wish List

Next time someone asks you how you’re doing, I challenge you to answer as if it’s been lavished with all the wonderful gifts from its registry.  Try something like this:

” I am fabulous! I’ve got this super mobile, slinky spine that allows me to move and supports my every action. It’s juicy and springy with endless energy and feels brilliant!!”

Yeah. I know it seems W-A-Y over the top and you might get unfriended, but until you shift your thinking, your spine won’t feel as special and important as it deserves to.

Do you want a happy spine? What’s stopping you?

I spoke recently about how to have a happy spine on Alive and Well with Karena Thek Lineback on Hometown Station AM 1220. You can listen to the podcast HERE. Be sure to click on the Media Player ABOVE my name to listen.

Is it time for a change?

I’ve been mulling so many things over in my head for the past year, it was getting really crowded in there. Seriously, I’d started searching for an off site storage company because my brain felt like it was on the verge of exploding. Maybe you knew this already, but turns out, there are no such facilities for cerebral information. Apparently, the only way to unload all that stuff is to stop thinking about it and start doing it. I know, I know, I’ve heard many calls to action recently, but if you want me to do something, your best bet is not telling me to do it. I’m a contrarian like that. I’m changing because my sanity (what little there may be of it) demands it.

You’re Fired!

I fired all my clients (except 1). Yup, I want to teach more Franklin Method® (FM) and, darn it, Pilates kept getting in the way. I want to create more FM web content that’s accessible from all corners of the globe and that requires time and focus. So, I am no longer teaching group or private Pilates classes. It was a very scary decision. I’ve been thinking about doing it for a l-o-n-g time, but couldn’t pull the trigger for a number of reasons. That’s my only steady income and it means I am putting my entire being into my passion so…I felt I was risking a lot. Once I took action, though, I knew it was right. How could it not be? Plus, I received some heartfelt support from my clients after informing them and that reinforced my confidence.

I’m in the process of putting some great ideas into ACTION right now, starting with my FIRST EVER! video about becoming your own expert. I’ve got another newsletter brewing and some freebie goodies coming out too, so stay tuned!

While you’re anxiously anticipating my next move, take a minute to tell me what actions you are taking to clear up that clogged up noggin of yours. Group brain purge!

This is a continuation of my last post which talked about the necessity of understanding the evolution of our bodies to gain greater insight regarding our function within the Franklin Method®.

I’m Catholic which means my kids are Catholic which means my kids attend Catholic school. Okay, that last part isn’t necessarily a given, but they do, in fact, go to a Catholic school at which their father is the principal (It gets worse. He’s also their math teacher.). While studying my first year of FM, I wasted no time volunteering my time to their classes so I could try out my new imagery skills on young minds that haven’t begun to shy away from letting their imaginations run wild.  Plus, teaching kids embodiment skills before they develop chronic problems would be a good thing, no?  If you ever have the opportunity to teach kids, I highly recommend it. They are so refreshing and will challenge your teaching skills in the best way! I learned so much from them.

Afterwards, I had several colleagues stunned that I could teach FM in a Catholic school which surprised me because it never occurred to me that I couldn’t. It was the subject of evolution that triggered their cause for concern, but I believe making assumptions about students or potential students, can lead to missed opportunities for growth on both sides. My mother has worked in sales my entire life and I’ve heard her say umpteen times,

“Never prejudge who will or who won’t be a potential customer because people will always surprise you.”

So, how do we override our assumptions?  What if we feigned ignorance? The word comes from Latin meaning “not knowing”, so what if we pretend not to know what we think we know about our students so we can actually get to know each other (and ourselves) better? (This is getting pretty deep, now, huh?)

My point?

If we, as instructors, hope for people to open their minds to the reality that their bodies have and will continue to evolve, then I have equal hope that we can open our minds to the reality that everything isn’t always as we assume it to be. If not, then we will miss so many opportunities to be surprised.

I don’t know about you, but I love surprises!

“Don’t assume. It makes an ASS out U and ME.”

Some day I’ll write a post on all of the invaluable wisdom he has imparted to me over the years, but this one sparkling gem has been incredibly valuable to my Franklin Method® instruction.

What does God have to do with it?

In the FM, we discuss evolution a great deal. We look at how our bodies are similar (or different) in design or relate to not only our immediate predecessor, the chimpanzee, but also to other species like dogs, cats and even fish.  Sometimes we really go out on a limb and relate our body’s structure to inanimate objects like bridges and obelisks.  Having a discussion about how our structures have evolved over time is imperative to understanding why we are the way we are. Understanding the why is imperative to understanding how we function.

A chimpanzee’s sacrum is flat. A human’s is bent or curved. Why is it bent? Because it helps to get the base of our spine underneath our head. That’s how we stand upright!  An important element of our design, no?

Evolution is a word that instantly puts people on high alert because your acceptance or rejection of it is widely assumed (uh oh) to be directly related to your belief in God or your adherence to a particular religion’s dogma.  God can be a tricky subject for many and our defenses can get easily riled when he’s brought up.

Don’t assume a position.

I taught a couple private FM classes to an intuitive, curious and delightful Pilates instructor over the summer and just before we began she took a moment to inform me that while she loved Eric’s books, she had one concern: Evolution. She informed me that she was a Christian and she wasn’t sure about the evolutionary aspect of the method. I then told her my position on the evolutionary aspect which I will expand upon here.

Whether you believe you are, today, a direct descendant of a single celled organism created out of nothing billions of years ago or the descendant of a famous couple who were created in a garden several thousand years ago doesn’t matter.  We are what we are and the similarities or dissimilarities between our bodies and those of other species exist without prejudice towards our personal beliefs.  You can believe we evolved slowly over time based on what worked best or you can believe God took the best of every being he designed and put it into his most prize creation~ humans. Either way, we have an opportunity to gain invaluable insight into our function by looking back at what came before us. This, in turn, gives us new skills to move forward with a new appreciation for how and why we are designed as we are. And having that appreciation, could lead to deeper respect for our bodies which, I believe, can lead to an even deeper relationship with God.

I’ve more to say on this subject, so I’ve divided into 2 parts.  Stay tuned for the second coming (Ha! Pun completely unintended.) later this week! In the mean time, what do you think?  I’d love to read your thoughts on this.

“This study is part of a field of psychological research called embodiment. The basic idea is that the mind/body relationship is not a one-way street, with the mind giving orders for the body to carry out. Rather, the body also influences the mind.  Other studies have indicated, for example, that holding an expression, like a smile, can alter one’s mood, as can a hunched posture.”

When I was in junior high, there were mornings in which I’d feel anxious which would manifest itself in a wonky tummy.  I’d feel grim about the prospective day and express that to my mom by saying, “I don’t feel good.” Mom would kiss my forehead to gauge whether or not there was actual reason for concern (This was before Ferris Bueller taught me to hold a thermometer next to a lightbulb to feign a fever, but even still, she found the forehead kiss more accurate than a thermometer, so it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.) and then instructed me to smile. She’d say, “If you smile, you will feel better.”  I’d roll my eyes, mentally, because that wasn’t what I wanted to hear but also because she was right. Every time. It didn’t happen instantaneously. It would take most of the bus ride (which was extra long because we took the public school kids first before heading to my Catholic school), but sure enough, by the time I was dropped off, I’d forgotten that I was not feeling up to snuff.  Did this invalidate the reasons I’d had for being uncertain about facing the world that day? No. Did this mean whatever I was dreading would magically resolve itself and my world would instantly fill with rainbows, unicorns & butterflies (or more fittingly leg warmers, MTV & Rob Lowe)? No. What it did was improve my ability to cope with whatever was thrown my way on that particular day by altering my physicality in a small, but significant way. I changed my body which changed my mind.

It’s the feedback loop that has the potential to never end:Smiling leads to feeling slightly happier which leads to smiling more which leads to feeling even happier which leads to bigger smiles which leads to bigger feelings of happiness which leads to- well, you get the picture.  But, perhaps you’re a skeptic or you’d prefer to call yourself a realist. Maybe putting on a smile seems like a fanciful way of whitewashing reality.  The feedback loop can work the opposite way too: Grimacing at an upset stomach leads to increased thoughts of dread which leads to greater brow furrowing over upset stomach which causes even more dread which causes consternation over upset stomach causing stomach to tie itself into knots which sets a girl up for a less than confident grasp on the dreadful situation. Either outcome is possible. It’s just a matter of which you prefer. Happy or dread?

Which brings us to movement. Do you dread moving? Do you cringe at the thought of exercising because of a shoulder injury?  Do you grasp your knee in an imaginary effort to protect it when you see someone running a marathon?  Can you hear your tight muscles cry when someone suggests you try Yoga?  If your physicality exudes hesitation, fear & protection, how will that inform your brain?  What kind of feedback loop are you creating?  Are you happy with that feedback loop?

You can find a few more tips on how to embody change here. Let me know what you think!

“Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”   ~Joe Pilates

Do you think exercising will make you capable of performing your many daily tasks with zest and pleasure?  I say maybe it will and maybe it won’t. It really depends on how you exercise.  If all you think about while working out is how hard it is, how much you’d rather sleep in another hour or how tight, weak or inflexible you are, then odds are you are not performing much of anything with “spontaneous zest and pleasure” other than getting the heck out of your gym or studio when done. What you think about while exercising affects not only how well you perform the movements but also how much of the benefit will spill over into the rest of your life. Does this sound like a lofty ideal?  I think it has practical applications…

Often I am asked if my full name is Virginia. It’s not, but I was named after my dad’s youngest sister, Virginia, whom everyone called Ginny. Ginny got her driver’s license when she was 22.  Just after passing her test, she was driving with my grandmother when a semi truck forced them off of an overpass. That was a Monday. My grandmother died that day, but Ginny held on until Wednesday. I was born on Friday.  And so my mother named me after Ginny but with my own unique spelling. Like many children, I asked to hear my birth story a lot.  As I grew older, the part that seemed to stick deepest in my subconscious was the accident and semi trucks. When I started driving, being on the road with big trucks made me nervous. Throw in rain and/or darkness and I’d develop knots the size of golf balls in my shoulders.

When I do Pilates, my tight shoulders are something I address regularly. As is so often the case with many of my clients, shoulder muscles tend to get stressed out. It’s as if they seem worried the rest of the body isn’t pulling its weight when creating movement so they’ll often contract unnecessarily in an noble but misguided effort to help out. My goal is to create soft, relaxed, supple shoulder muscles that get out of the way when they aren’t needed and when they are required to move bones, do so with ease and fluidity.  To that end, I think about my melting shoulders a great deal while exercising. I think about my shoulder girdle being free and mobile when I run.  I spend my time thinking about how I would like for them to feel and function.  This is great practice for how I want them to behave when I am not engaged in exercise and afterwards, they are happier, which makes me happier.

This past weekend we drove to Nashville down I-65 which is a major thruway that is traveled heavily by semi trucks every day of the week.  There is no escaping them.  As I was driving I-65, I noticed something. Actually, it was a lack of something I noticed: no knots, no tension. I was completely at ease while passing truck after truck after truck (I was in a hurry to see my favorite baby niece) in the pouring rain.  As I thought about it, I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I felt tense while driving around semi trucks.  Would I describe my driving experience as “spontaneous zest and pleasure”?  Not quite, but it wasn’t far off, either.

What do you think about when you exercise?  What are you practicing when you exercise and are you happy with the results?

Should it take 3 minutes to perform a single movement? No, that’s a bit excessive (& therefore Movement Nerd country, not to be confused with Movement Junkie city- see below), but one of the characteristics of Pilates that makes it unique is only doing a few reps of any given exercise.  A reason for this is so you can take your time and do the exercise to the best of your ability.  This is important, so I’ll repeat it in case you missed it due to an eyelash being stuck in your eye: A reason for this is so you can take your time and do the exercise to the best of your ability.

Still wonder why doing it well means doing it less?  Doing something well requires slowing things down, at least at first. When do you tend to make the most mistakes in life? When you’re rushed & in a hurry, right?  Same goes for movement.  So slow it down, pay attention and you’ll do a better job completing your task with less repetitions.  Sweet efficiency!

Why, then, did I spend so much time engaged in the pre-movement stage of Spine Twist? Because I was aiming for my all time best Spine Twist which I know requires the least amount of muscular effort possible so my thoracic (upper) spine has the freedom to twist like a soft sponge being wrung out.  And I’ll have you know I won the Gold Medal for Spine Twist at my imaginary movement olympics. So, mission accomplished!

Slowing things down can be a hard concept to buy into if you are a Movement Junkie, my self coined term for those that loathe Yoga and yearn for a Spin Class. People who don’t want to “think” about moving, they just want to move!  You know who are.

So, I dare you. Try it out. Tell me how you liked it or maybe didn’t like it. Either way, I want to know.

This past weekend we baby sat while my brother & his wife celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary.  Here are a few imagery ideas I implemented while caring for my favorite baby girl:

1. Shoulder Triangle:

While sitting & feeding my niece, I imagined a triangle running from the base of my skull, out to my shoulder tips & then back into my spine.  As soon as I felt tightness, I’d exhale & imagine my triangle widening out & down (even melting off my shoulders & down my arms for extra release), allowing my shoulders to relax so I’d use as little muscular effort as possible to hold her & the bottle.  Whether you are bottle feeding or nursing, infants eat a lot so we need stamina to endure lots of feedings.  Increased tension while feeding means quicker muscle fatigue. Parents & caregivers can benefit from less muscular & mental tension.

2. Springy Spine:

I’d stand & gently/lightly bounce my niece before nap or bed time to get her eyes to glaze over &  close.  As I bounced her, I imagined my spine being springy & boingy too.  My spinal discs were mini air filled cushions aligned on top of each other helping to support & cushion my spine in a well organized manner.  Bonus: This image also allowed my spine to compress & decompress or shorten & lengthen while gently bouncing which helped juice up my spinal joints with fluid, making them healthier. That means I got a workout for my spine while simultaneously putting a baby to sleep. Multi-tasking is an asset!

3. Melting Feet:

She has acid reflux, so I spent a good bit of time standing with her during feedings so she could take time to digest and/or spit up her food.  I’d check in with my feet to see if I was standing on both equally or shifting my weight to one side.  Then I’d imagine my feet spreading like spilled ink or melted butter to relax & distribute my weight more evenly.  This tended to cause a chain reaction & my spinal spring would realign as well as my shoulder triangle would widen & melt & then…Voila! Aligned body with more energy to care for helpless baby.

Next time you are caring for your own baby or someone else’s try these out & tell me how they work for you.  Better yet~ Try your OWN imagery out.  Just take a moment to check in with your body & then do what you think is necessary to make any changes.

My middle son & favorite baby girl.