Where your eyes go, everything else will follow.

Your eyes should be guiding the world in front of you. Where are your eyes when you’re engaged in anything that is relevant to your posture?

That’s the 2nd underpinning of positive posture.

If they’re down, pick them up. This is especially helpful when you’re either walking, exercising or even simply standing.

I see this often in a session. Many times I’ll stand behind someone while coaching them through an exercise. I do this to get out of their vision and let them focus on themselves without my presence in front of them to distract.

I can tell if their eyes are down from behind them because their head is cocked down. Their attention follows suit. And it’s obvious from the back. In other words if your eyes are down everything else will follow.

That includes posture big time.

It’s okay to get an idea looking down to locate the space in front of you, but keeping your eyes down simply gives the okay for your brain and attention to focus downward. If you get good at focusing downward when you’re trying to do something positive and inspiring you’ll get good at focusing downward.

Not necessarily what you what to be getting good at.

Get the picture?

Pick your eyes up if you don’t need them looking down.

Your head will follow.

Now bit by bit adjust your body to get that whole feel of openness so that it can soak into your brain.

Practice that with your weekend activities and into your daily life next week.

p.s. If you missed last week’s post on awareness, you get get a quick look here.

Next week: Hold Onto Yourself Baby!

The basics of good posture really don’t feel basic at all.

Example: negative/unfavorable situations can erode at the very foundation of simple self confidence.
Erosion of that sort isn’t even felt until it’s been going on long enough.

By that time you’ve established an unconscious pattern that shows up in your neck, shoulders, low back or even your knees.

You’re crooked, hunched, leaning or impinged and it shows.

Good posture is far from “standing up straight“.

Posture is a good indication of how you feel about yourself inside and your level of awareness.

And, it’s about how you show up in the world.

So let’s start with that.

Are you even aware of your posture?
Not only standing, but walking, sitting, in conversation with others, watching TV, using your laptop.

How are you being with yourself at the innermost level? It kind of sounds like a spiritual level, but that’s not what I’m referring to.

Imagine your skeleton.

Got a picture of what it might look like?

Okay, imagine yourself as only a skeleton the next time you’re standing in conversation with someone.

• Are you leaning to one side?
• Are your arms crossed?
• How hunched is your back?
• Are you wearing your shoulders as earrings?
• How far apart are your feet?

You might find the 5 underpinnings of positive posture useful in bringing your attention to the support of your structure, your body.

But remember, you’re not going to fix these by changing your body only.

And that order to “STAND UP STRAIGHT” won’t lay any positive pattern.

Barking at yourself may simply be a correction according to the barked order but not on any cellular/body/brain awareness level.

So, don’t bark, but do read on.

Today is #1 Self Awareness:

How aware are you of yourself inside that body?

Bring some mindfulness to how you show up in the world whether it’s in conversation with your spouse, in line at the bank, or walking from your car to the store.

What’s it feel like in there?

Work on awareness today and into next week. That’s the first underpinning of positive posture.

Awareness is huge.

HUGE.

You might catch yourself better now that you’re aware of awareness:)

Next week: Where Your Eyes Go.

When I hear folks say ” I want to start running” when they haven’t exercised in eons or “I don’t like to walk”, I ask “Why?”

Some people look at walking like a ‘less than exercise’. They’d rather risk running on a body that holds 20+ pounds, or with a heart that is quite unconditioned than walk.

If you’re one of those consider a simple solution to what could seem like such a complex inquiry. The answer: physiologically & logistically walking is the simplest exercise.

Simple works.

Pretty much every time.

Stop complicating it because of what your ego suggests is better. If you keep listening to that you’re more likely to either still be sitting or injure yourself because of a poor choice.

Lace up and go.

It’s as simple as that…you might be surprised at how joyful it can really be.

Here’s a short blurb from last week’s New York Times about getting in shape at middle age that points to the simple exercise, walking.

=> Show Me the NY Times article.

What I like in particular about this video is simple: they offer 3 levels of working out to this high intensity workout.

That means that both Boomers and chicky-chicks can do this and everyone in between.

The leader does the most intense workout.

The gal on the right modifies the leader’s workout.

Follow the gal on the left if you have issues to be aware of; want less intensity; or are new to this whole thing.

They pretty much get right into the workout, so consider doing a 3 minute warm up yourself.

Go get ‘em.

Don’t want someone bathing you & feeding you your pudding at age 80, start teaching your body good posture moves.

The sooner, the better.

Yes, that’s even any twenty somethings that happen to have stumbled onto this page.

Data compiled from 804 people aged 65 & over clearly shows that good posture is key to helping yourself maintain an independent life. 

Here’s why:

The vertebra from T1 to S1, basically your entire back minus your neck and sacrum/tailbone “is linked to whether or not one will require help with bathing, feeding, dressing, going to the bathroom and other activities of daily living (ADL).”

The yellow highlighted area  below is T1 to S1.

And, this is fresh off the press from the Journal of Gerontology.

The study followed the 804 participants, aged 65-94 for 4.5 years and concluded that the angle of inclination in the trunk, or the ‘leaning forward’ is associated  with future dependence in daily activities among older adults.

What to do?

Here’s a really short video (89 seconds) of 5 simple posture exercises anyone can do anywhere. 

Remember, posture is not improved by doing one thing, or training one muscle group. 

It’s the whole body/brain integration that provides the clearest learning track.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Spring just jazzes everyone to go outside. It puts a little pep in the step of otherwise housebound hibernators. It’s fresh, scented, warm, and delightful.

Belong to a gym? Consider getting out once in awhile.

The gym really does nothing for your spirit.  It may even add some dullness. That kind of stuff sneaks under your radar.

And gyms are full of other people’s germs.

Sweaty, breathing heavy heroes counting reps, smashing personal records, and gawking in the mirrors.

Who needs ‘at?

Here’s 10 reasons to get out and get some green goodness in your blood, through your lungs, under your feet, and imbibed into your spirit!

1. Outdoors is constantly changing and fresh = Natural brain stimulation.
2. Moving outdoors is FREE.
3. Challenge yourself with the unpredictability of outdoors. It sharpens your reflexes.
4. Fresh air feels comforting.
5. You’re less apt to count the minutes being outside for a walk vs. the dreadmill.
6. Go all terrain= get off the paved path. That alone improves balance .
7. The outdoors has hidden healing powers that are unexplainable. You gotta feel it.
8. You’re more likely to breathe deeper= boosts the immune system.
9. Being outdoors stimulates you to want to do more. It’s naturally inspiring.
10. Taking a walk means honing in on your attentive & awareness skills. Be present.

Unplug, Disconnect, Open the Door & Get Out!

Go.

Ready.

Set.

Apples.

3 days worth.

That’s 9 pounds of nothing but apples.

It’s the Spring Equinox cleanse.

Detox for the Equinox.

Here’s the lowdown:

One Stop Shopping. 

Do you have in your nearby town one of these grand shopping centers/complexes that offer ‘one stop shopping’? It’s like a self-contained outlet that can provide everything you need. Seems obvious the idea is to provide an efficient convenience for you as a shopper. Of  course the idea is also to sell more products if it’s all in one place. 

Simple shopping centers of old with a supermarket, drugstore, dry cleaners, and a bank have evolved into these monstrous shopping multiplexes. And lots of stores with big gaps seems like a couple planes could land in between. Pretty huge huh?

Okay, that’s where you come in and the idea I have for you today.

Understandably so you’re on a mission when you go, say, food shopping. Maybe in that trip you need to pick up a quick gift at the wine store. And perhaps go to the bank. 

So, IF the time affords you think about parking once and do all those errands.

Let me explain.

Yesterday at my nearby multiplex shopping center I needed to make a bank deposit, run in Staples, and get 5 items at the food store.

I secured my parking spot way in the back of the food store lot and then plotted the course. 

Bank first, Staples next, stop back at car to get re-usable bags and onward to food store.

Sure it was a bunch of walking. If I was wearing my pedometer+  I’d say I logged about 700 steps. (remember a mile is about 2,000 steps, so that’s over 1/4 mile). 

Added 700 steps to my day merely by inconveniencing myself.

Park Once and plot your course from there.

It’s really not an inconvenience if you have the time. It’s about saving gas, saving frustration of finding another parking spot, challenging your brain to plot, it’s highly functional with fresh air for your lungs and mind.

It’s doing yourself a whole lotta good by logging good moves for your body!

Try it next time you visit your nearest gargantuan, colossal, whopping multiplex!

For today’s quick lesson, you don’t need to go far.

Heck, don’t even need to get outta bed, but please do.

Here’s a buffet of simple movements you can do ON your bed.

Yep your bed, believe it or not.

See, your bed can provide a comfortable ground to move and as well as get into position to stretch.

These exercises and gentle movements will help you release and open:

• tight hips
• shoulders
• your ribcage

There’s even a few abdominal exercises in the mix.

and, yes…I have my shoes on the bed.