Ministry of Movement

Movement. A natural part of our physiology that not only makes us mobile but also has significant health benefits. 77% of adults in the U.S. do not get enough exercise. When and why do adults become sedentary?

I’m the mother of a very active nine-year-old child. Like most children, she loves to roughhouse and play, she likes jumping on the bed and climbing trees, she would rather run than walk, and she sits cross-legged on the floor. This is very typical, average behavior for children.

Most adults however rarely engage in much, if any, physical activity. It no longer comes naturally, as it did in childhood. But it is natural and important for our health. So, what changed?

Society essentially teaches people how to behave acceptably. Throughout history, we have been taught to sit down, don’t move, be quiet, and pay attention. Society’s terms of acceptable behavior have asked us to deny our natural urge to move around in favor of sitting at a desk. We are increasingly trained to be stagnant.

By middle school, there is usually no more recess time in schools. Running and playing or even sitting on the floor is not seen as socially acceptable behavior, other than in a structured P.E. class. Other than that short time in P.E., kids are expected to sit properly, for hours and hours each day.

We’ve all heard the old saying “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it”.

Anything that we rarely ever use will weaken. This is true of both physical and mental muscles. When one stops strength training, he will lose muscle mass and lifting becomes more difficult. The same with speaking a second language. The more one practices, the more fluently it rolls off the tongue.

The bottom line, the more we actively practice anything, the more we gain strength and endurance.

But when we don’t utilize our natural gifts and abilities, such as within the body and the brain, we become increasingly negatively affected. So, we need to create a harmonious balance of using both brain and brawn.

A sedentary lifestyle is linked to a host of chronic diseases, mental health issues, low energy levels, advanced aging, and decreased life span.

It is all about habit, and habits are learned.

We learn to sit at a desk all day in school. After we graduate, we get jobs, where we’re likely to sit for 6 or more hours. Then factor in the commute time to and from work. Lots more sit time. This creates the pace for a sedentary lifestyle if we’re not careful.

Movement is undervalued in today’s modern society. We have cars, elevators, planes, and trains to get us where we’re going quickly and effortlessly. We have doctors, medicines, and surgeries to ease our ailments. Besides, we’re probably too busy to even notice when our habits have gotten out of whack. Many of us spend so much time in our heads thinking, we have forgotten to take care of the bodily vessel.

We need balance in our modern lives.

We need to revisit how our bodies and minds naturally worked before society trained us to sit down, behave, and think a certain way. Our bodies are designed to move, just like our minds are designed to be curious.

Not only is it important, but physical activity is also necessary to maintain good physical and mental health. Just as proper sleep and nutrition contribute to one’s overall health, movement is a must. It’s non-negotiable. One must eat, sleep and move regularly and properly to maintain good health. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Many people feel time-constricted, between commute, work, family, and other obligations. We feel so rushed or busy, that we don’t eat well, or we sleep poorly, and this further impairs one’s energy levels and motivation to exercise. Everything is connected!

This is why balance is everything.

Recognize that regular physical activity is as important as every other natural function that keeps you healthy and alive.

It doesn’t have to be super-structured, but routines really help. Like anything else. Showering every morning, having a bedtime, choosing nutritious food. We must carve out time for physical activity. You don’t have to go to the gym or sign up for rugby! Just simply adding some habitual movement into your day can go a long way.

It is unfortunate that society has discouraged casual, spontaneous, natural movement and I think we need to undo that. Perhaps we have outgrown the desire to roll around on the floor with our feet up in the air, as we once did as children! But that doesn’t mean we can’t find other small, incremental ways to fit daily physical activity into our modern schedules.

Here are some ideas:

Walk, instead of drive, if possible.

Take a dance break!

Stop, drop and do burpees!

Stand up and do some jumping jacks!

Stretch at the counter while waiting for the coffee to brew.

Just shake your bones! Jump, walk, run, play, whatever! Just get moving!

I guarantee, even implementing a few small stints of physical activity during your day, will leave you feeling more energized and renewed. The idea is to simply get moving.

Movement is as good for your interior as it is for your exterior. Movement strengthens and nourishes muscles, bones, cells, and internal organs. While also balancing brain chemistry, to promote good mental health. We must take care of our whole being- body, mind, and spirit- because everything is connected.

Let’s redo what society deems as “appropriate” adult behavior. Let’s claim the ministry of movement, so we can reap the health benefits and live our best lives!

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