Its One of the First Law's of Physics

Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion, and bodies at rest… 

Well, they tend to stay at rest.

But knowing this, how can we use it to our advantage? 

This subject has actually come up recently in several family conversations.

If you could live in a place where you could be more active, wouldn’t you?  It sounds almost silly when you say it out loud.  Of course we would choose the place that makes it easier to move.

But we don’t always think about that when we’re making decisions about where we live, what kind of career we pursue, how we spend our weekends - or even where we go on vacation.  Instead, our thoughts are led by security, finance, social circles, etc.

Now, sometimes the choice to stop moving is intentional… A vacation may be exactly what we need when we want to do absolutely nothing but rest and recharge.

But other times, we unintentionally create environments that make movement harder.

We drive instead of walk.

We sit for hours at a time.

We park in the closest, most convenient spot.

We choose the easier, more convenient option over and over again.

And eventually, being inactive becomes the easier choice.

The interesting thing is that this law of physics becomes even more important as we get older.

Because the more active we stay, the longer we tend to stay active - and the better quality of life we have.

And I don’t mean that you have to be doing intense workouts every day.

I mean - keep moving your body in whatever way makes sense for you today.

Because life happens.

You get sick.

You get injured.

Your schedule gets crazy.

Your energy tanks.

You have responsibilities and obligations that simply have to come first some days.

There are absolutely times when rest is the right answer.

But there are also times when we can find a workaround instead of letting a barrier become a permanent stop sign.

One of the ways I think about this when I’m sick is by asking myself:

What percentage of 100 do I feel like today?

If I’m feeling like a 40%, I’m not going to expect myself to perform at 100%.  I won't expect myself to do anything but load up on hot tea and grab a box of Kleenex.

But when I get back to around 70%, I might start moving at about 70% of my normal.

Maybe that means:

Restorative yoga

Tai chi

Mobility work

A leisurely walk

Something that gets me moving without asking my body to do more than it’s ready for

And that transition back into movement can be so much easier than going from completely sedentary to trying to jump right back into your normal routine.

The same idea applies when you’re injured.

Let’s say you hurt your elbow.

Your elbow may need rest, rehabilitation and time to heal.

But does that mean your entire body needs to stop moving?

Not necessarily.

You can still train your legs.

You can work on your core.

You can maintain your cardiovascular endurance.

You can work on mobility in other areas of your body.

You may need to modify what you’re doing, but modification isn't the same thing as stopping.

It is still movement.

Traveling?  Modify your workout to fit in a suitcase.

Been away for a while? Modify the way you start back up.

And this is one of the reasons I believe movement is a choice we have to keep choosing throughout our lives.

Not because we should constantly be pushing ourselves.

Not because rest is bad.

And definitely not because we should ignore pain, illness or legitimate limitations.

But because staying in motion helps us keep the ability to stay in motion.

Think about that for a minute.

The goal isn't simply to be fit today.

The goal is to maintain the strength, mobility, balance, endurance and confidence that allow you to continue doing the things you love tomorrow… and five, ten and twenty five years from now.

That’s one of the things I teach inside The Revitalize Method™.

We don’t just talk about workouts.

We work on learning how to make choices that keep you moving - even when life doesn't go exactly according to plan.

Because there will always be obstacles.

There will be busy seasons.

There will be vacations.

There will be illnesses and injuries.

There will be days when you have 100% to give and days when you have 50%.

The goal isn't to eliminate those days.

The goal is to learn how to keep moving forward through them.

So this week, I want you to look around at your own life.

Where are you making movement easier?

And where might you be unintentionally making it harder?

Maybe it's time to park a little farther away.

Take the stairs.

Go for a 10-minute walk after dinner.

Get up from your desk every hour.

Choose a vacation that gives you opportunities to explore on foot.

Or simply ask yourself, “What movement can I do today?”

Because bodies in motion tend to stay in motion.

And sometimes the best thing we can do for our future selves is simply...

Keep moving.

xoxo,

Kim