A Movement Reclamation
I’m five, wearing my pink tutu as I bike around the block. I’m not consumed by how the bike ride will change my body or if I’m burning calories. I move my body for the pure sake of moving – alive and free.
Fast forward eleven years and I’m dripping in sweat, three layers of clothing, my mind consumed by the repeat soundtrack – do more. You aren’t worthy. You aren’t enough. My day is measured by MyFitnessPal.
At sixteen, movement rapidly shifted from empowerment to all-consuming. The parallel between my worth and the way I moved my body rapidly grew to what I now know was exercise addiction. The addiction was fueled further by the praises I received from others. “You’re the hardest worker in the room.” “No one works out as hard as you.” “I wish I was as fit as you.”
I was no longer a young girl who rode her bike around laughing freely. I was now the girl who was the hardest, fittest person in the room. I was determined to keep that identity.
Until that identity almost took away my life.
I slowly came to realize that my relationship with fitness was not life-giving – it was life-taking. When I stepped on my first yoga mat during recovery from my eating disorder, I was told to notice my breath. I was invited to speak kindly to my body, notice my thoughts, and tune in. All of this felt daunting and foreign.
Over time, the more I returned to my mat, the more I understood how movement can be a way to heal and connect to my body.
The principles of yoga transformed my relationship with both my body and movement. Through my journey and the support I provide to others as a yoga teacher, run coach, and recovery coach, I ground myself in five key principles to reclaim our relationship with movement.
One: Your Movement Language
Think about your most important friendships and how the way you speak to your friends impacts how the relationship develops. Our language with movement and our bodies is a relationship that deserves to be nurtured and developed.
The word movement includes ANY way we move our bodies (i.e. gentle walks, dancing in your kitchen, going for a run, yoga, lifting…). There is truly no limit to the beautiful ways that you can move your body.
Movement language is also rooted in how we speak to our bodies. When we speak from a language of aesthetical change, we perpetuate an inaccurate and often harmful correlation between movement, our body, and the aesthetical impact of movement on our worth.
However, when we use language of functionality, gratitude, and celebration, we create dialogue that is not rooted in worthiness, but instead in empowerment and connection.
A few examples….
Instead of “I need to do yoga to get toned,” try “I’m doing yoga to feel more connected in my body and mind.”
Instead of “I need to run so I can earn my dinner,” try “I will choose to move my body in a way that feels intentional for me. I deserve to eat no matter how much I move or do not move my body.”
When we assess how we speak about movement and our bodies, we can reclaim our relationship with movement as one that is healing and life-giving.
Two: Your Movement WHY
As we change the dialogue around movement, it impacts why we move our bodies. In the examples above, the language around movement shifted from aesthetic and outcome to one of connection and intentionality.
I invite you to spend time either reflecting on why you choose to move your body or allow rest.
A few questions may include:
Why am I choosing this movement? Does it bring me joy?
Will this form of movement make me feel more connected to my body?
Am I choosing to move because I feel like I have to or because I authentically want to?
What am I gaining by allowing myself to rest?
When we get curious about why we move our bodies, we can build trust in making choices that are authentic to who we are and who we’re becoming.
Three: Movement Inventory for YOU
With the array of fitness culture messages, it’s easy to get swept up in the latest toxic trend. There is no singular “right way” to move your body. What feels right for your body will be completely different from someone else.
I invite you to create a movement inventory of ways you previously moved, currently move, and/or want to move your body. In one column list out the different forms of movement. In the next column, write out ways it makes you feel. In the last column rank how much joy (1 = no joy and 5 = the most joy) this form of movement gives you. Be sure to also include rest. The inventory should reflect what movement looks like for YOU, not for anyone else or what is the latest “trend.”
After assessing your different forms of movement, allow yourself to lean into those that make you feel the most joyful and connected.
Not all movement is easy. Sometimes it can be beneficial to get outside your comfort zone and try different types. However, if you’re primarily doing a form of movement because you “should'' do it although it doesn’t feel good in your body, give yourself permission to lean into other forms of movement that make you feel connected.
Four: Playfulness and Mindfulness
One of the most important parts of movement is allowing it to be playful. Not only does it help us connect to our bodies in a fun-loving way, it can help us increase creativity and overall well-being. Playfulness may look like swinging on swings, playing tag with friends, dancing around your kitchen, or anything that evokes wonder and fun.
Inviting in mindfulness can also be essential. By incorporating mindfulness principles, often found in types of movement like yoga and meditation, we create a deeper mind-body connection. An example of a mindful movement practice may look like going for a slow walk where you pay attention to the sensory activity around you.
As you move your body mindfully, consider asking yourself these questions:
What do I feel in my body right now?
Where is my breath moving through right now and how does it feel?
What do I notice around me – sights, smells, sounds, my feet on the ground?
Can I let go of what I think this should look like and accept what is?
Five: Movement with Community
Lastly, movement with community is an incredible way to move your body from a place of celebration with others! Moving with a community can increase your sense of belonging. Whether that means joining a HAES-aligned running/walking group, trying out yoga in the park, taking a dance class with others, or any other way you choose to move – finding a community that celebrates you and supports you as you are is a powerful way to reclaim your movement relationship!
Movement is complex. Give yourself permission to let it evolve, just as our lives evolve. No matter how you choose to move or not move, know you’re enough as you are.
