How to Integrate Transitions to Feel Stable Ground Amid Life's Changes

This time of year is rich with transitions — kids returning to school and increased work demands that feel different than they did in the vacation-filled summer months. Then there is also the transition of seasons, the first hints of cooler weather and less morning and evening light. We can feel that seasonal change is coming. 

What is it like to notice these changes in your body? Are you energized and excited for change? Or is there a feeling of uncertainty? Do you feel stable and grounded? Or do you feel unsettled? What sensations in your body give you that information? 

We experience transitions all the time, some frequent and expected and others that completely rock our world and leave us feeling shaky. It is common for transitions to feel hard or a bit unsettling. Many of us like things to feel stable and familiar most of the time. Our nervous system is constantly searching for safety. One way that we can support our nervous system in feeling safe during a transition is to check in and spend a little time noticing how we feel. 

Slowing down and taking this time to check in with yourself allows you to integrate the changes that are happening. Things can move very rapidly in our present world, and move faster than the evolution of our body and nervous system. Pausing. Slowing down. Noticing. Taking time to allow yourself to adjust to what is happening now. All of these things can be really helpful with navigating transitions, big or small, with ease. 

Somatic Practice: Orienting for Awareness in the Present

Orienting is a simple practice that helps us be aware of where we are in the present moment. Our nervous system is always trying to keep us safe, and this practice reminds us that we have relative safety in the moment we are in. While it might seem overly simple, it really is a great way to support ourselves in being present.

Take 4 minutes to complete the orienting practice I’ll lead you through in the video, and see if your awareness of being in the present doesn’t leave you feeling more in balance.

Simple Grounding Exercise Practice for Stress Reduction

Take a few minutes to slow down and tune into your body. This simple grounding exercise helps to cultivate more connection to the present moment and supports stress reduction and overall well-being.

How to Keep Up Your Summertime Workouts

Summertime can be a whirlwind of different schedules, kids’ activities, vacations and taking advantage of more daylight. It’s normal for workout routines to shift as you want to spend more time outside, and vacations can take you away from your normal routines.

If you struggle with consistency while traveling or with the change in summer schedule, here are some tips to support you in moving and feeling your best.

• Learn what movement feels the best for your body and spend time doing that. It’s much harder to force yourself to exercise doing something you don’t enjoy. Exercise and movement should feel good in your body! You’ll naturally want to include it in your summer activities when they do.

• Have a regular practice of a few simple exercises or stretches to support your health and well-being. A few minutes of movement will start your day off right, ease travel aches and pains and offer consistency with different schedules. Want help with this? I’m happy to design a program for you!

• A little movement counts! Don’t have time for a full workout? Any movement is good! A few minutes of stretching or a few minutes of exercise is better than none!

• Try going for a walk. Especially while traveling, walking is a great way to move your body and see some sights.

• Join a virtual Pilates class while on vacation. If you’re used to in person Pilates, consider taking a virtual class to keep your Pilates practice consistent while you are away or have a different schedule.

Enjoy the different pace that this season brings and keep moving however feels good to you.

Finding Your Balance at Any Age

Working on balance is crucial as we age.

Balance is often described as stability and steadiness when standing, sitting or walking. Good balance means one can maintain their body position comfortably while doing different normal activities, such as sitting, standing, going upstairs, etc.

Each year, 25% of adults over 65 years old experience a fall, according to HealthinAging.org. Falls are scary and can cause injuries. Falling can also result in someone becoming more limited in their movements, which impacts how they move, what activities they want to do, and the fears they experience with certain activities or movements.

When I work with clients on balance, I think about how we can work with their relationship to the ground. How can the ground offer support? How can you feel the ground providing that support under your feet? Most of us spend a lot of our time wearing shoes, and we can become disconnected from our feet and have poor awareness, strength and flexibility in our feet.

Often, I’ll start by having clients stretch, move and release the feet. Next, we’ll do other grounding exercises to bring more feeling and awareness back into the feet. We’ll notice the surrounding environment and the feedback that being present brings into the body.

There are so many exercises and ways we can challenge balance, and it can be fun to time these so you can see how your balance improves over time (and it really can improve quickly!). You can start simply by standing on one foot. Feel the wobble. See how long you can stand for.

My goal with Pilates and somatic sessions is to support you in feeling safe in your body. I want you to be able to trust your body in a deeper way, which will allow you to do all the things you want to do and keep you strong and active as you age. You’ll find balance exercises in my virtual mat classes or sign up for a one-on-one session (virtual or in studio) to work on balance in more detail.