Future you

I have a “big” birthday coming up. In a few months, I will turn 50. I have never been one to be fussed by my age, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t aware of this one. Not because it feels "big" or "old", but because it marks a chapter in my movement journey. I am reflecting on where I've been and making plans for the future.

Five years ago, I heard a thought-provoking reflection that has greatly influenced my personal practice and teaching of movement.

This is what I want to share with you.

Imagine yourself 5 years from now…10 years from now… and 15 years from now. How do you imagine you feel in your body? What kinds of things do you want to be doing in your life? How are you going to get from where you are now to where you want to go?

While it may seem simple, it is also a challenge. In our society, we focus on training for activities that push us beyond our limits, like running a marathon or climbing a mountain. However, we often forget about training for the movements of everyday life, such as getting up and down from the floor, carrying heavy objects, or twisting and reaching. We assume that these foundational movements will always be available to us…until one day we realize they’re not. We may not even be sure when we lost the ability to do them with ease. Instead, we notice that nagging shoulder, or that hip thing that happens sometimes, or that backache that shows up more often.

These foundational movements are the movements of life, and when we lose the ability to perform them with ease, we limit ourselves and our potential. I am proud of the progress I have made in the past five years, but I am also aware of the work ahead. My next five-year movement goals are not glamorous, but they are essential to the life I want to live. I want to continue to improve my ability to move through everyday life with ease and integrity.

This is the focus of somatic movement – restoring foundational function to the body. Somatic movement has provided me clarity where there was darkness, movement where there was stiffness, and ease where there was pain. I am eager to continue learning and see what the next five, ten, and fifteen years bring!

I encourage you to do your own reflecting on the next 5, 10, and 15 years. What do you imagine? How will you feel in your body? How will you move? If you want to move with ease and integrity, then how will you get there? What are you doing now that will support you then?

Onwards in learning and moving!