What Moves You?

What moves you…really energizes, motivates and inspires you? How often are these things included in your daily, weekly, monthly or yearly life? Some things, like travel, can’t be included every day, but those like listening to resonating music can.

It’s easy for us to get wrapped up in daily activities and not make time for taking care of ourselves. We prioritize work, family and obligations then if there’s time for us, we add a little here and there. I work with my clients to change this habit, to make themselves a priority.

In a similar way, it’s easy to put the things on the back burner that really recharge us and give us joy, because there are so many other thing to focus our attention and time on. If there’s time left at the end of the day, maybe one of those activities or experiences will find its way into our brief ‘me’ time. Or we think the weekend will provide the opportunity, then even that gets filled up.

I don’t want to be morbid, but if you knew you had limited time, would you spend more of it on these things that feed you? Why should we wait until some magic open time slot presents itself before experiencing what we really love?

What if you identified something each week, or even each day, that you would love to do…that would leave you feeling happy or even blissful, and actually create a slot for it in your schedule? You may think you’d just feel selfish or guilty for slacking off, but self care actually increases not only mood, but cognitive function and productivity. And what better way now and then to take care of yourself than to do something that really moves you?

Sadly, for some, this is such a rare occasion that they really don’t even know what they like, what moves them, anymore. It can take a while to remember what’s most inspiring…first you have to give yourself permission to connect with those desires. It can help to look back at your childhood and remember what you used to have the most fun doing. And when you enjoyed those activities, did you feel guilty or self-conscious? Most likely no…just happy, even blissful.

What moves me?

~Nature…all of the splendor around me and around the world

~Music…different genres at different times

~Dancing…both with partners and just shaking my thing

~Travel…locally and to experience new locations and cultures

~Reading a really good book…fiction and self growth

~Stories…of people doing amazing things to help others and the planet

~Doing my own bit to help others and Mother Earth

This is how I make these a part of my daily life:

Thankfully I live surrounded by nature, and I get out and walk in the trees every day. I listen to music (or nature sounds) throughout the day. Now that things are more open again, I am able to dance every week, and I find that when I hear an inspiring song and just start dancing solo around the house, the rest of the day goes so much better! Travel to places outside of the states has definitely been limited in the past 18 months, but I do try to check out new places locally as often as I can find them. I read my current book during my meals, so I get that time every day. I also read uplifting stories every day to give myself a boost. And, thankfully, my work allows me to help others and I’m looking every day for ways to make a difference.

So what moves you?

Perhaps one of your New Years resolutions, or just a focus for 2022, could be to do more of those things that energize, motivate and inspire you…that light you up!

Here’s to an amazing New Year of balance and joy.