In today's world, we are constantly hit up by the latest exercise or fitspo in order to achieve an exterior aesthetic, often shifting with the trending body shape of the times. People associate food with diet culture and exercise with work. This in turn creates a stress around health versus a self-loving attitude.
Breathe... deep inhale in... exhale out... (repeat)
Let's rephrase our entire thinking. When you move, you are playing. You are feeling every fiber of your physical being in motion. You are alive. You are vibrant. You are that child at the monkey bars, gliding across, not exercising- playing. You are jump roping because it's fun, you can dance and hop along to the music. You are not working- you are playing. You are not monotonously counting your reps in a half dozed glaze, you are putting your mind in the muscle and movement, feeling every lift with excitement at how strong, capable, in tune with your body that you are. You do inversions as your feet dance and move around to the music and your body all engages 100% present to balance and adjust to this play and flow led by moods, feeling, music... that presentness brings you to a now state... until the soreness kicks in the next day, you didn't even realize every muscle was engaging as it was, you were simply flowing...
You are playing. Every time you run, jump, hop, lift, you are the kid on the playground releasing your energy to breathe deeper, feel stronger, flood your heart and soul with endorfins. Remember that kid who played until sunset and thought "Do I have to come in, stop moving, stop playing for supper?"... Return to your heart. Find your play. Say Thank you, God that I can move, jump, dance, laugh.
You are playing. When you dance, you are fully in tune to your body, your posture, the flow of wherever the rythmn takes you. Biologically our posture affects our mood just as our mood affects our posture - interesting right?... But when dancing, you are honoring your body, mood, mind, posture and endorfins flooding throughout you, but all you know is your are playing, feeling, flowing, feeling alive, in tune, present... You are present to the song... the instruments... the beats... the feeling... going within beyond the conscious mind and into the subconscious flow... Thank you, God.
You are playing. You are releasing any stress of the day through laughter, self-love, and movement. You are exhaling out anything heavy on your mind and body. Sweating out the build up of the day and embracing the glow with every fresh breath. Thank you, God.
You are playing. You are remembering what it is to engage with your inner child. You are recognizing this ability to play interact with how you handle all aspects of your life, you adventure, your creativity, your wonder, your free spirit, your ability to live and explore all sides of yourself. Thank you, God.
You are playing. You recognize that how you move your body as a kid, as an adult, as you are right NOW... not only will carry you into your future years to be able to dance, move, play but it will add quality years of an engaging, exciting, mobile, functional, fun life in the years ahead. Thank you, God.
You are playing and the secret to life is we are never to old to play and must never stop the joy of play. Pour Sunshine on your Soul. Spark A Little Sunshine within. Embrace your inner child. Find movement that speaks to you. Gather your friends for an impromptu hide and seek at the park, game of outdoor kickball, Sharks and Minnows, night out dancing... movement is just the extension of the soul releasing its joy in motion... through motion, we release emotion... the beauty and the stress that we may not even be aware we carry at times... release it... release your emotions through motion... and you'll realize why your body always feels so much better after you give yourself that time and space to play. When you love, honor, nurture within, the outside takes care of itself. Thank you, God.
Love & Light,
Lisa Alavi, Spark A Little Sunshine