Would you like some new ways to move your body?

I was that kid that couldn’t sit still.

My mom would encourage me to “go read a book” when I had some time on my hands.

I preferred to go outside and play, which wasn’t always that easy living in the Buffalo, New York area – known for feet upon feet of snow and loads of rain much of the year.

Overcoming “weather” to get outside and get moving, was something I learned at an early age.  It stayed with me.  Only as the decades have passed, I’ve found there are a few other aspects to staying active no matter the weather, that I’ve come to understand.

That’s what I want to share with you this month as we explore Essential Movement and preparing to move your body, actually doing it, and what happens afterward that keeps you coming back for more.

Movement is Essential to Well Being

You know movement is key to a healthy, vibrant life. Right?

Our bodies need movement in our limbs, torso and spine to keep the critical life fluids moving. As we breathe and our hearts pump away, we move oxygen, blood and lymph through our being to carry good fluids and nutrition to where it’s needed. This same process of course, carries out the bad stuff and leftovers—like the toxins, excess proteins, excess fluids and whatever we’re “done” with.

The opposite of movement is stagnation.  What happens when things stagnate? Nothing good really.  Stagnation of the body can create dis-ease as unwanted toxins and pathogens get trapped in areas of the body where they can, over time, cause harm. As in.. big harm.

So how do we shift that concern toward healthy, vibrant well being?

It’s simple, but not easy.

We have to move it every day! It’s that simple, but not always easy to do. Essential Movement is truly critical to our life quality and health!

Practice What Brings You Joy!

Knowing that Essential Movement is critical to our well being, the first suggestion I have is that you need to find what brings you JOY in movement. That means you have to be willing to experiment a bit with different ways to move your body, different times of day, maybe different locations, and different options depending on the weather.

You also need to recognize that Essential Movement involves three key areas that need to find their way into your activity.

STRENGTH – BALANCE – ENDURANCE

Personally, I’d also add VARIETY to that list. Why? So you won’t get bored AND so you don’t get injured from repetitive activity on the same bones, joints and muscles over time.

As a 20+ year massage therapist, I’ve personally experienced this challenge, and massaged hundreds of professional and amateur athletes who’ve created their own “monster” by doing the same sport the same way, month after month, year after year.  Mixing it up with a variety of activities to create STRENGTH, BALANCE and ENDURANCE is truly Essential Movement.

Mix it up by increasing the pace or degree of difficulty. You can switch out activities to increase your heart rate, add more time to increase endurance, add more weight to increase strength and/or challenge yourself to improve your balance.

What’s actually happening when we move it?  All the fluids in our bodies start moving. Lymph. Blood circulation. Muscle contraction and expansion. So then the real work happens to flush, move, flow, clear out and level up our health!

Let’s Get Clearer on What Can Work For You

To get clear on the first steps, try putting a drop of doTERRA Lemon essential oil (the Oil  of Focus) on the palm of your hands – rub your hands together and cup them around your nose. INHALE….hold…exhale.  Again. And one last time.  It’s a great way to deepen your thoughts on this topic. OK, so now let’s begin by asking yourself these questions to narrow down a great way to get started with some Essential Movement:

• Do you prefer to wake up early or late?
• Do you need more time alone right now, or more time with others?
  • If “others”—do you mean your kids? Your spouse or partner? Friends? Or really anyone?
  • If “alone” —do you mean in silence? With music playing? With natural noises?
• Do you prefer to be inside or outside?
• Are you open to investing in equipment, or are you all set on that?
• Do you have appropriate layers of clothing to go outside for each season? How about shoes?
• Are you at a healthy weight and muscle mass, or would you like to improve on that?

Keep your anwers in mind, and take a look at just a few ideas below.

Essential Movement Idea Generator

Here are a few ideas to get you thinking. Maybe you already have a few days a week you move it with something you love to do. Think about filling in the daily gaps to move more with an activity you can even do in your own home or yard that is easy to access. Is there something you’ve not tried before? NOW is a great time to get started.

Minimal equipment, easy to access daily:  Walking, Running, Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, Calisthenics,  Stretching, Dancing, Cleaning & Straightening Up the House, Gardening, Hula Hooping!

Moderate equipment, plan a time: Bicycling, Rollerskating/blading, Hiking, Swimming, SUP, Kayaking, Weight Lifting or TRX at a Gym, Barre or Pilates classes, Cross-Country skiing, Snowshoeing, Sledding/Tubing, Archery, Ice Skating, Partner Dancing, Aerobic classes, Paddle tennis, Tennis, Racquet Ball, Squash, Softball or Lacrosse Leagues, Golf, Horseback Riding, Painting the House, Planting Trees, Moving Your Household, Laying Sod, Stand-Up/Push Lawnmowing.

More equipment, plan ahead: Water skiing/wake boarding, Horseback Riding, Motocross, Skiing or Snowboarding, Bobsledding, Ice Climbing, Mountain Climbing, Backpacking/Hiking, Polo, Car Racing (put that one in for Jim –honestly, professional car racers are in excellent physical shape!)

What Style of Movement Suits YOU?

Take BICYCLE RIDING for instance. I know so many people who love riding a bike. There are the classic bikes without any gears – Road bicycling with gears – the new Electric bikes with gears – Mountain biking – Recumbant biking – Stationary bicycles – Peloton indoors.  Click here to get some ideas on which approach may fit your personal style. 

How about YOGA? Daily yoga asana practice is one of the ways I increase my flexibility and balance.  There are so many yoga asana options to samplefrom beginning with gentle, restorative yoga or yin yoga; or step it up with more movement during a slow flow, hatha or vinyasa class; or try really amping it up with Ashtanga or Hot Yoga Vinyasa. Click here for some of the types of yoga to investigate.

Interested in WALKING or RUNNING?  This is one that offers so many options in mobility. Think about what brings YOU joy: slow chatty walks, fast walking with arms swinging, race walking style,  slow jog, faster jog, running or walking 5K-10K-Marathons and more. Walking is my favorite at varying speeds as my knees are no longer happy pounding the pavement while running after years doing so on concrete sidewalks of Chicago. Not sure which way to roll? Here’s an interesting article that explains a few key concepts.

DANCING can be SO much fun, and fantastic exercise!  Get your feet moving whether that’s going solo, with  a partner, line dancing with a group or learning new moves in a class. Take a look at just some of the dance styles that could be fun to learn.

Need More Inspiration?

Watch this and dance like nobody’s watching!

“I LIKE TO MOVE IT MOVE IT” from the movie Madagascar

Suggestions to Make Essential Movement More Fun and Comfortable

1. Schedule It – setting aside time to MOVE is essential! For me, that has been decades of early-morning wake up to have the time set aside to get in some form of exercise to start my day and get things moving before work. Some people do this over a lunch hour, or after work. Not me…I am an up-and-at-em girl who needs to burn off a little steam to start my day and focus my mind.
2. Hydrate! I like to add 1 drop of doTERRA Peppermint essential oil into a 16-ounce water bottle that I drink and sip as I start moving. Great respiratory support, breath freshener and motivating aroma. Just remember to give that bottle a little shake before drinking or you’ll get a huge gulp of peppermint oil to start!
3. Take a Deeper Breath – Applying 2 drops of the doTERRA Breathe Respiratory blend to my chest or even over my clothes around my upper body, is a great way to take in the vapors that support a healthy respiratory system. Truly opens you up quickly and allows you to jump-start the deep breathing of exercise and movement that is so beneficial. Try taking it with you when you are out in sport mode. A few drops here and there can really give you another boost of energy!
4. Recover Faster – Nature has so many solutions for us to help our body regain its balance after exercise. Don’t let sore muscles stop you. The best way to recover from soreness in muscles is to stretch and move them WITH the help of natural remedies like a few drops of the doTERRA AromaTouch Massage Blend, the Deep Blue Soothing Blend, or oils such as Copaiba, Peppermint, Marjoram, Lavender, Frankincense and any of the conifer tree family. These are my personal favorites. Just mix 2-3 drops in a tablespoon of carrier oil or cream and massage into achy areas.  You can even add a few drops of Lavender + Marjoram into a warm bath for soaking away any discomforts.  I’ve used the doTERRA essential oils as my primary muscle and joint recovery tool for over 12 years now both personally AND professionally as a massage therapist. Seriously – there IS no comparison in the natural world.   Take a look at what I suggest to get you started.

The Best Tools To Keep You Moving Again & Again

Having the natural tools you need for Essential Movement and faster recovery makes a huge difference in keeping it fun and joy-filled! I suggest the doTERRA AromaTouch Technique Kit of essential oils and blends shown above. It is the perfect toolset to get you ready for Essential Movement, to help you during exercise and importantly, to help you recover faster so you’ll get back up and out to move the next day!  It’s flexible in its uses, affordable on a cost-per-drop basis,  and an all-encompassing starter kit to get the tools for recovery, relief and so, so much more.

In fact, the AromaTouch Technique Kit I suggest comes with a quick reference guide and instructions, along with a link and code to view helpful videos to learn a very powerful home-based therapy you can learn called the AromaTouch Technique and Hand Technique. As a doTERRA Certified Instructor for the Technique – I have seen its favorable impact on hundreds of people over the years.  I can’t wait to teach you all about it and its therapeutic impact for your well being!

The doTERRA AromaTouch Technique Kit includes 8 oils and blends along with the Fractionated Coconut Oil you need to apply the oils topically on the skin.  Here’s what you’ll receive for just $145.00:

• 1 year Wholesale Membership on my doTERRA team with a 25% savings on every oil, blend and wellness product you purchase online
• 4 oz Fractionated Coconut Oil – carrier oil into which you put a few drops of the essential oils
• 5ml Lavender essential oil – bath soak, too much sun, muscle recovery
• 5 ml Balance Grounding blend – mental wellbeing, literal balance
• 5 ml Tea Tree essential oil – foot issues, occasional blisters or bug bites
• 5 ml On Guard Protective blend – supports immune health to keep you moving!
• 5ml AromaTouch Massage blend – my #1 choice for muscle recovery & joint discomfort
• 5ml Deep Blue Soothing blend – addresses deeper recovery needs and muscle comfort
• 5ml Peppermint – respiratory, mood elevation, muscle recovery
• 5 ml Wild Orange – mood elevation, digestive comfort, muscle recovery
• Personal wellness consultation to help you learn to use each oil & blend
• On-going team training on the effective and safe use of doTERRA essential oils
• And all the support you need to incorporate natural solutions into your life

Ready to order? Click here to order your doTERRA AromaTouch Technique Kit through me, and start using the oils right away!

A Few Final Thoughts

Don’t overthink the idea Essential Movement.

Just get moving!  Because as Yoga says “Do or Do Not. There is No Try.”

Start to notice how much of your day you’re in a chair, vs walking-standing-bending.

Go from there to pick up the tempo (and yourself) and find STRENGTH – BALANCE – ENDURANCE day by day through more movement.

Think about what movement you can add into each day, and how you can find the JOY that comes from treating your body to what it desperately needs and loves…Essential Movement!