In the Midst

One of the inspirations for this blog is an aikido colleague of mine, Mark Walsh. He began a mind/body blog in 2007 and has touched upon a wide range of topics in it. He is based in Brighton in the UK so his entries often offer a glimpse of British culture and humor as well as mind/body related topics.

Earlier this week, Mark had a post on a workshop that he did in an office setting. It was a ‘stretch and relaxaton’ class. It was held at the client’s office and as part of it Mark actually offered coaching on individual ergonomics at people’s work stations. The concept of bringing stretching to the office worker stayed with me long after I read Mark’s blog. For the past couple of years I have offered stretching sessions at the American Society of Training and Development’s International Conference. I do the sessions right out in the hall of the Convention Center while participants are walking between sessions. People stop and join in for a few minutes and then go on to their next sessions a little more energized.

In both instances, we are catching people in the midst of their daily activity and showing people how they can enhance the quality of their lives by some simple practices. It is one thing to read an article which relates the benefits of stretching while sitting at your computer or after sitting for 45 minutes listening to a presenter. It is quite another thing to follow through and do it. If you catch people in the midst of their activity and have them practice, they are more likely to apply it later on their own.

So, wherever you are right now, as you read this, pause for a moment. Take a few deep breaths. Notice where your body is tight. If it is in your neck or shoulders, do some gentle stretches. If it is your hands, shake them gently. If it is your lower back, twist gently from side to side. Take another few breaths and go on with your daily web surfing.

Have a great day!
Judy Warner