Daily Movement Prompts, Sunday April 9, 2017 edition: Body, Mind, and Heart
Sometimes when people talk about doing exercises or athletic activities, they describe willpower and effort. But I think that it is more than just “powering through” that matters for our movement choices. I believe we need to feed both our Minds and Hearts for the choices that affect our Bodies.
What thoughts occupy your Mind? Do you struggle with old easting disorder messages? Do you hear old accusations about being lazy or fat or unskilled? Do you suffer from abuse or mockery or ridicule?
Have you learned new thoughts to fill your mind in recovery from abuse, disordered eating, or neglect? Do you have new messages for your mind from therapy or healthy relationships to help bring strength and acceptance to your mind? What encouraging messages can you embrace?
Also, honestly, not all brains have chemicals in balance. There is no shame in finding the proper medication to battle depression or other imbalances. All brains need a variety of hormones and chemicals. Some bodies provide these from internal sources: they produce the chemicals. Other bodies need external sources, to use prescriptions for proper chemicals.
And then for our Hearts: what wounds are still healing? What passions are growing, where you can embrace new ideas and new permission to excel?
If we truly want ways to pursue health and movement, focusing on the body alone is less likely to show success than focusing on the Body plus the Mind and the Heart.
Have you fed your Mind and Heart today?