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I’ve recently been working with a Physical Therapist to support some muscle imbalances that have led to occasional calf or hamstring strains. These issues had been nagging me for a while but were mostly vague, until they weren’t.
One of my exercises is entirely core-related and I love being stronger but do not always love doing core exercises. When I asked my PT how many reps or how long to do this exercise she said, “45 seconds or until you can’t maintain your form.”
45 seconds? NO PROBLEM! I think it’s safe to say that my day almost always has a spare 45 seconds of time, no excuses!
Knowing that I could feel big gains from such a small amount of time has encouraged me to do my 45-seconds of abs at least 2 but often 3 and occasionally even 4 times throughout the day.
Even at 4 repetitions that is exactly 3 minutes of the 1,440 minutes I’m gifted every single day that I’m alive.
In Chinese Medicine theory, autumn is the season of sharpening your schedule. Of paring down what you no longer need and adding in what will serve the greatest good. When the leaves drop, you can see the structure of the tree. The branches that were obscured become visible.
So too can we use these shorter days to remember what we value most. What we can drop and not worry about and which branches of our lives need tending or care.
Here’s my secret strategy: start with the tiniest (teeny-tiniest) step possible, then build from there.
Here are some examples (from my actual life):
Want to drink more water?
Have an empty glass awaiting you on your kitchen counter, ready to greet you each and every morning. Make sure you have filtered water the night before so that you don’t have to wait and then get distracted and forget your water goal.
Want to eat more vegetables?
Have frozen vegetables always in your freezer and pickled vegetables often in your fridge. (I’m in love with these, which happen to be from my home state of Ohio.)
Want to meditate?
Have your space clean and ready (even if it’s just a cushion or a corner in a room, which is my small-home set-up) and set a reminder for your appointed time that says “meditate.” I never actually “forget” to meditate, but I like the accountability of the pop-up I have set for daily at 6am. It reminds me that meditation is something that I care about, and I’m hesitant to snooze the reminder so it helps me just go get that done.
Whatever you want to work on, pick one teeny tiny step and take it from there. It’s the small steps that make up our lives, and you will feel powerful and motivated as you move along. Once your confidence is on point and you’re feeling like you’ve got a groove built, add something else.
Note that when you go on vacation and return or when seasons change, routines might fall away or shift. That’s ok. Just start from what you know (or think) might work for you, and adapt from there.
This is a beautiful time to appreciate life and to take the time to reassess what matters to you most.
If you’ve been having trouble identifying the next steps that matter most in your quest for better health, or if you’ve been having trouble anchoring into healthy routines, you might want to consider scheduling a Telemedicine Self-Care Strategy Session*. I can help you get clear on how to introduce new habits, and we can talk through strategies to help these habits stick. I love to troubleshoot and go deep.
If you’ve been feeling muddled, bloated, distended or sluggish in your GI tract, I would love to help you with acupuncture in getting your GI system back on track. I often work with GI disorders and I love helping people optimize their health.
My website has more information about Telemedicine services, about acupuncture, and even about how to get started and who I help best.
If you still have questions, I offer free consults by phone. So that you can tell me more about what you’re hoping I can help you with, and I can answer any questions you might have. Reach out to schedule your consultation.
Autumn is an excellent time of year to recommit to your wellbeing. I’m here to help and am happy to connect with you.
For those of you who love syncing up with the seasons, or who want support navigating this seasonal transition, there’s still space in my restorative yoga workshop this Sunday at 11am at Studio 34. No previous yoga experience is needed for this nurturing and beginner-friendly practice.
During this workshop we will explore the energy of autumn according to Chinese Medicine theory, and we will allow ourselves to restore our nervous systems with restful yoga postures. You can read the complete description and register here.
Can’t make it this Sunday? This workshop will also be offered on Friday evening October 18th.
May your autumn be peaceful and aligned with your complete potential.
Monica
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