Successful people choose to do mostly small and seemingly inconsequential actions everyday that bring them closer to their dreams that 95% of people don’t, or won’t, choose to do.
I love my Barre 3 class. (I promise this story will relate to your business & mindset and not just about my abs!)
If you’ve never heard of Barre 3 it’s a blend of Pilates, Yoga, & Ballet. It’s an hour-long class of mostly small range, deep muscle movements that transform your body (and your mind) very quickly. It’s unlike any fitness class I’ve ever taken.
I love it because in addition to finding muscles I didn’t know I had, having better posture, more mind-body awareness & connection, it’s taught me some really valuable lessons about mindset, choice, and transformation.
In class, we are invited – even celebrated when we reach the stage of “shakes & quakes” during movement or extended hold of a posture.
The shakes & quakes come when we’ve accessed the deep muscle fibers and found our edge. The edge where we are fatiguing the muscle & strengthening or transforming it. This comes when we do small (1-inch) movements for many repetitions. They come when we bring our awareness into the muscle and move very mindfully vs. using momentum to carry us through.
We are always invited to work where ever we are that day, some days there are lots of quakes & shakes, some days not so much. I’ve noticed that the times when I’ve slowed down the most, made the smallest movements and gone deeper in a posture than I thought I could, those are the days when I find my edge and access those trembling legs or arms. And those are the days when I feel most release of what no longer serves me (physically, mentally, emotionally) and I build strength (physically, mentally, and emotionally) to take me where I want to go.
Sometimes I pull back from the shakes & quakes.
They are scary. They feel and look a little weird. I’m afraid they’ll hurt (they can be pretty darn uncomfortable!) When I first started going to class I was afraid of what others would think of me. Sometimes I’m worried I won’t have the energy to move on to the next posture and finish class!
Sometimes I just don’t want to work that deeply, I’m too distracted or I just want to “get through” a series of movements and move on to something I like better or that is easier or more comfortable for me. When I do that I know I’m just cheating myself and it’s the little voices kicking up again trying to keep me safe & “looking good”.
Then there are days when I’m really tired and it’s most honoring of myself to play just this side of the edge and work on my form vs going deep, and I learn so much and grow a lot on those days too.
Barre 3 does use bigger ranges of motion to “flush” the muscles and bring in fresh blood & oxygen -and these bigger movements, while using momentum, are still mindful and controlled. In addition to bringing in nutrients, these larger movements also bring in fresh perspective.
Recently, I was reading The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. The key principle to success as Olson describes it is doing the small daily movements that are both easy to do, and easy NOT to do.
Successful people choose to do mostly small and seemingly inconsequential actions everyday that bring them closer to their dreams that 95% of people don’t, or won’t, choose to do. These small actions are both easy to do AND easy NOT to do.
Just like Barre 3 class. The movements in and of themselves are easy to do. To access the posture and do a few of the movements – no problem. AND they are easy NOT to do. It’s easy to lose your form and let your belly hang loose vs cinching it in throughout class, or if you’re just going through the motions, start moving large range when the instructor is encouraging even smaller movement. It’s easy NOT to go deep into the muscle with your mind and just listen to the music or your thoughts and move without awareness. It’s easy NOT to go to class when you have a lot going on with work & family obligations.
You gotta get real with yourself and be in your body.
Having the instructor give you immediate feedback (along with a mirror on the wall) keeps you accountable – IF YOU CHOOSE to listen and make adjustments.
The mirror keeps you real – if you choose to use it as it’s intended. If you use it to judge yourself (and if you’re judging yourself you are also judging others, you can’t separate the two) you’ll get caught up in a little voice sh*t-storm and that’s where you can get hurt or lose your place in class or quit because you feel bad about yourself.
Having a mirror (i.e., coach/instructor) keeps us honest with ourselves and helps us with our form:
People who say “I’ll do it when…” and don’t get feedback are taking the EASY NOT TO DO option over and over again and then wondering why their lives (and abs) are still the same, or worse.
What most people want is this huge shift to happen in their relationships, business, money, work, happiness, etc. overnight. What they don’t realize is that it’s the repeated micro-movements of discernment between the little voices and the resistance they kick up and choosing to listen to and follow One’s Inner Voice over and over again that brings results. Easy to do (once you understand how your Inner Voice speaks to you). Easy not to do (because those little voices are always ready to distract you and pull you away from your edge of growth).
We all need a mirror and accountability to keep us on track. None of us are immune to to the distractions that are easy to succumb to. We need clarity and awareness so we can choose EVERY DAY to make those seemingly small and inconsequential decisions that will either strengthen our communication with our Inner Voice, or not.
The question I get asked most often is “How do I listen to my Inner Voice and stop listening to my fear?” Well, it’s simple, but not necessarily easy. So I created a way to support folks based on years of my own personal experience and work with my clients:
The Inner Voice Circle is officially open and you are welcome to join us as we practice the daily inner adjustments that affect which voices we are listening to: The ones in our head OR the voice of our heart and soul. You can choose…and the choice is easy to do (click HERE to find out about charter member pricing that is $800 off the regular price for a limited time) and easy NOT to do (delete this email or tell yourself you’ll do it later).
Remember, quantum leaps happen when you make small movements over time, things that most people wouldn’t even notice. You work deep and at your edge and suddenly you find yourself on the other side of it, happier, healthier, stronger, and wiser with flatter abs and a fatter wallet. 😉
From my Heart To Yours,
Kris
You can always schedule a time to connect with me 1:1. CLICK HERE for a no-cost 30- min consultation!
