Even when you know the outcome will be positive, there’s something about changing our state (whether it’s mental, emotional, or our literal physical posture) that can be so hard. So what do we do to take that first step?

Have you ever stood at the edge of a cliff or on a diving board? You wanted to go there. You can see the water below. You want to be in that cool, sparkling water… 

But you just can’t seem to make yourself take the leap…

Many of us are so conditioned to the stress and striving and vigilant nature of working toward a goal, that we don’t know what to do with it when we get there. The tendency might be to doubt our accomplishments or to jump right ahead to “What’s Next?”- which leads us to feel empty and directionless. 

So, even though you’ve reached the promised land, as it were, you may need a little practice at being in this phase.

Here’s a couple practices to remember: 

…you have a vision of where you’d like to go, and you have even developed a plan for getting there… Then, seemingly from the outset of your journey, as Winston Churchill would say “It’s just one damn thing after another.”

Realizing you’ve entered Phase Three of the Change Cycle can be a useful shift in perspective to keep you going.

The body loves variety and thrives when we use it to explore new ways of moving and playing.

The problem comes when we either ignore or resist these signals to shift what we’re doing…

It is a time to follow the urge to experiment and try new things but don’t rush the full-time commitment just yet…

when change feels cataclysmic, it sends our nervous system into overdrive - into a flight, fight, freeze or fawn state - in which it’s nearly impossible to see a clear path forward. 

So how do we ride this wave of change when it feels so big and dangerous? 

Does a Catalytic event need to be Cataclysmic?!

When something comes along that inspires or pushes you to change, how do we ride this wave the best?

As soon as we can acknowledge change is happening, we’re in stage one of the change cycle…

Stage one calls us to look inward - it’s a time to go into a cocoon, or like a tree shedding it’s leaves going into Fall it's a time to acknowledge what we're leaving behind. 

The thing that seems most true for our times is that change is constant. From the advances in technology, to shifting political landscapes, to how our jobs are performed, to the climate of the earth… It can be really disorienting to figure out how to navigate in a constantly changing world. 

Are we Running from Pain and consequently running away from the life we want?…

Why advice giving does not work unless you are already 100% on board…

Have you ever felt bad about not following through on your health goals? 

It’s one of the most common experiences when we resolve to make a change. (Remember your new year’s resolutions?? ) You take a step forward, then slide right back to where you started. 

What happens next? 

What is normal blinds us to what is natural? 

How do you take off these blinders?

You know, in the water a shark would clearly swim faster than me. However, on land, I would definitely outrun a shark.

Why is it that we can be fit in some ways but not in others?

I messed up. I fell while skiing, twisted my knee, and felt a pop…

What this incident revealed to me is my tendency to choose anxiety and stress over peaceful and relaxed….

“No tree has branches so foolish as to fight amongst themselves.”

~ Ojibwa saying

When I read this expression, I had an “aha” moment. It pointed to a truth I had been seeking both in my life and in my coaching…You know when you feel pulled in multiple directions?When your fitness, your desires for your life, your community, your work, your family all seem to be at odds with each other?

So, my mission with “In Aligned Movement” has grown to be: helping people root into their essential selves, and using that as a compass to develop both healthier bodies and joy enhancing ways of living.

Overall, my hope is if we develop the movement rich lifestyles that bolster our true natures on the individual level, we will also foster a new culture that is supportive and protective of the Earth as a whole…

I had a birthday last week! My recent tradition I started a few years back is taking a longer hike on my own for my birthday. Here’s why I love hiking:  It’s an activity that touches on many of my values at once and also provides opportunities to gain insights about myself…

Movement Snacks are an intentional change in position and movement to break up the sedentary parts of our day…