joy of movement

This is not a sponsored post, nor do I have any affiliation with the book or author.

It is no secret that I love movement, especially what I consider “mindful movement”. It brings me so much joy and feels freeing, like the worries and stress and chatter in my mind are gone and I am just in the moment, present. It also feels really good in my body, not only to get out of my head and into my body, but to do something good for it. It physically feels better, as well as mentally. 

This has not always been so for me. When I was a kid, I really, really did not enjoy sports or running or anything that involved a specific type of moving. I did, however, enjoy riding my bike for fun, dance classes, and even going to the gym with my parents to check out the cool machines and group exercise classes. 

It was this joy that stuck with me years later, as I started to incorporate more movement into my day, mostly for health reasons and prevention. 

When I was at my darkest times and hardest times, movement was always there and was something I turned to to help me through. 

It is what I left the field of Speech Therapy to pursue and to take on as my career, training in Yoga, mind-body fitness and teaching group fitness classes. And even to this day, teaching a class is one of the times I feel the lightest, most present, and absolutely most alive and connected. 

So I was super excited to find the book, “Joy of Movement” by Kelly McGonigal, PhD. Simply the title had me hooked, like I was understood. And then when I started reading, one of the first paragraphs felt like someone finally put into words what I felt when teaching and moving:

“In the nearly two decades, teaching has become a source of tremendous joy and meaning. Over the years, I saw again and again how movement could shift a persons’ mood. How it could send someone back into the world renewed with hope. I got to witness how exercise could empower participants to sense their own strength, or give them permission to let loose. As I taught individuals of all ages and varied physical abilities, I learned how movement could serve so many roles. It was a way to practice self-care, an opportunity to tackle challenges, and a place to make friends.”

This book covers the science, and personal stories, behind why movement is so beneficial for us as humans and how we evolved to move.

Kelly McGonigal is a research-based psychologist and author, and lecturer at Stanford University. She has also written a book called “The Upside of Stress” which, being in Stress Management Coaching, is on my must-read list. She is also a group fitness instructor and lover of movement. Her writing style, while based in research, is really about stpry-telling. This book, about the science behind movement and how it can improve your happiness, is less about stating the research, and more about exploring how  the research shows up in real life, for real people.

The Joy of Movement covers some of the physical benefits of movement, but focuses on the mental and emotional benefits received from movement. 

It is a fairly shorter read, with seven chapters and about 200 pages. I found it pretty easy to understand and follow (although, it did take me a bit longer than I anticipated, but that was due to interruptions from life and my young kiddos:) ). The seven chapters of this book break down different aspects of this, from the “runners’ high” to addiction to community to moving through pain. 

  • Chapter 1 looks at the Runners’ High and the real purpose behind it – which is not just to enjoy running. It lpps back at human evolution and the chemical reaction in the brain
  • Chapter 2 looks at addiction and how exercise has been shown to help in recovery, as well as how it has similarities to the addictions at the brain level, without the negative components. 
  • In Chapter 3, we get to explore group fitness and community, and how these can help to build connections, keep you moving, but also keep you thriving. 
  • Chapter 4 looks at how movement can be wired in the brain and can help in healing and in reducing the limitations of degenerative diseases, even if only for a moment. 
  • Chapter 5 explores using movement to help with the obstacles that we face in life, and how it can help with mental and emotional growth, but also with pushing through physical obstacles that sometimes cause mental challenges, depression, etc. 
  • Chapter 6 focuses on movement in nature and the deeper connection that can be felt from being in greenspace, moving and breathing, and how this shows up in brain functioning and mood. 
  • The final chapter, 7, looks at ultra-endurance athletes and the ability for movement to change lives, as well as build deeper connections. 

The Joy of Movement  helps to explore the other side of movement that we often neglect or overlook – the pieces that can help us emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually, to thrive in our lives. It shares the stories of people, while also looking at the research, the science and explains how this is happening in the brain and body, as well as how we humans have evolved to move and to thrive from it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves movement, wants to move more, or is looking for a way to find more joy in their lives. 

As someone who often uses and coaches about Mindful Movement, this book helps solidify how truly important movement is for overall well-being. 

How do you love to move? Share it in the comment below!

Much Love, 

Jessi

PS Want some free resources to help you reduce stress through movement and meditation? Sign up for the free SLP Toolbox, and gain access to meditation and mindful movement audios.

fitness apps for slps

Top 4 Fitness Apps for SLPs

Stress can make you feel like both your body and brain are moving in slow motion. Your head is in a fog and you can’t think as clearly or swiftly as usual, and your body can feel sluggish, tired and overall lethargic. And both usually carry a bit of tension that builds right alongside the stress. 

One of the best things for reducing this stress and all that accompanies it, is also one of the most difficult things to do at times, and one of the things we tend to let go of when we are stressed – movement.

Moving is healthy for your body. You’ve probably been told to move by your doctor, coach or nutritionist and remember through the (dreaded) fitness tests back in elementary and middle school. Awful fitness test aside ( I failed nearly every year, but love to move now), movement is also great for reducing the tension you feel both mentally and physically from stress, as well as giving you a place to step away from stressful situations and reminders (aka your desk), and to drop in to your body and out of your head. It helps clear your mind, gives you back some focus, and builds up some energy. 

At least, when it is done mindfully and with a bit of enjoyment. The key is, actually doing it and finding easy ways to get started. 

Luckily, there are some really great apps and sites that can help you to get started moving more and reducing our stress, or to continue to build and vary your mindful movement practice. 

Here is why, in my opinion, these apps are these so great, especially for SLPs:

  • they are easy to use
  • not too expensive (In general. I know this depends on individual budgets)
  • have mindful movement practices for you to use
  • Are easy to access via app or bookmark

There are a lot more out there, even some that many of you suggested via an IG poll. Here is a list of the ones that I found to focus on mindful movement, some more reasonably priced (or come with a lot), and not affiliated with any particular gym or MLM (multi-level-marketing). 

*I have no affiliation with any of these, beyond my own personal experience, and of course, my own site (SLP Toolbox). 

Top 4 Fitness Apps (and sites) for SLPs:

  • Barre3
    • Main Reason:
      • Free Trial
      • Mindfulness is a priority
      • Movement blends multiple disciplines, as well as barre, to keep them creative and fun. 
    • What you get:
      • Mindful but challenging
      • A little more expensive (like paying for a studio), but has an in-person studio in many cities.
      • Also comes with recipes, lifestyle, monthly challenges, etc. 
  • EllenBarrett.com
    • Main Reason:
      • Free trial
      • Inexpensive and updated each month
      • Mindfulness is key
    • What you get:
      • Mindful movement in each workout
      • Fuses yoga, Pilates, barre, Tai Chi, walking, aerobics
      • New workout each month
      • Bonus videos some months
  • FitOn
    • Main Reason:
      • Free, but seems like you paid for it
    • What you get:
      • Tons of options
      • Tons of trainers
      • Lots of time lengths
  • YouTube
    • Main Reason:
      • It’s free, just with some ads at times
      • You can find so many things
      • Easy to access on your phone or tablet
    • What you get:
  • BONUS: SLP Toolbox: (My free resource library for SLPs)
    • Main Reason:
    • What You Get:
      • Mindful Movement and Meditation Audios, updated monthly

You can click on the names for each of these to head over and check them out. Sign up for access to a variety of Mindful Movement audios and more by clicking here: Free SLP Toolbox.

If you are looking to keep track of your mindful movement and create a game plan, make sure to check out the “Mindful Movement Weekly Planner” download/printable PDF, available in the SLP Stress Management Shop.

Do you have a favorite app or site you use? Share it in the comments below. 

Much Love, 

Jessi

simple anytime flow

There are times when you just need a little break to get up and move around, especially after sitting for so long at your desk, or focusing really hard on something. Even when that work is enjoyable, it can create tension and brain fog. Getting up to move around, whether to take a walk outside or to stretch at your desk, can help you to feel refreshed, recharged, and refocused. 

One way that helps me, is to practice yoga. The combination of breath and movement, especially in a simple anytime flow-style class, for me, is a tiny bit magical. There have been a few times that I was incredibly stressed and felt like everything was falling apart (often related to work and feeling like I was in the wrong field or job or just wanted a little relief). My head was full of what-if’s, how can’s, and why this way, and my body felt tired and stiff. Once I made the decision (usually with some prompting from loved ones to get to a class), I immediately felt better, like a switch had been flipped and I was reset. 

  • There was the time I was crying over finally having a placement for the year (I had secretly hoped they wouldn’t have one, so I would have a real excuse not to go back), and I was contemplating over crawling into my bed at 3pm in the afternoon or going to my favorite yoga class. At the prompting of my loved one, I went to yoga. The teacher said everything I needed to hear (it was kismet), I cried. And I left feeling better, stronger, and ready to accept the position, even if I knew it wasn’t my forever goal (I left the field of SLP 6 months later). 
  • There was the time in more recent years where I had doubled my work hours and felt incredibly stressed and that burnout was creeping back in. I knew it was due to a lack of time for myself and some self-care. I was sitting far too much during the day and didn’t have enough creative time, nevermind time to move. Winter break was coming up and I was excited to have time (and some childcare for a bit) to head to a yoga class or two. But we all got the flu instead (hard) and I had one day before work started, and still had not gone to class. At the prompting of a family member who was visiting, I took time for myself and I went. And I felt an immediate weight lift off of me as I sweat, moved and breathed. It was my first yoga class in almost 2 years (motherhood, moving, new job), and it felt like coming home again. 

This feeling didn’t last forever, but each time it gave me a moment to breathe, to see a parting in the gray clouds that had taken over, and to feel that everything could be ok again, if I just took a  moment to breathe and move and tune in to what I really needed. It helped me see the magic of yoga again, and to feel empowered and more balanced for myself. 

Over the years, I have found that, when I am stressed about my job or life in general, yoga, especially a simple anytime flow type of practice, helps me to concentrate on something other than my work (this is also really helpful when I am having stressful or spiraling thoughts). When needed, it also helps to get back into my body, and less in my head, so my thoughts have a moment to pause and reset, and I can work out any tension that might be building from sitting to work all day. After yoga practice, I usually feel ready to get back to my work, at least for a little while. 

If you love yoga or are looking for a simple practice to help you when you are stressed, you can download a short, audio, 20 minute “Simple Anytime Flow” yoga practice in the SLP Toolbox, a FREE Resource Library full of tools to help you better manage and reduce your stress.

This “Simple Anytime Flow” is designed to help you connect your movement to your breath, so you can get out of your head, ease some tension, and find power within your body and mind. 

Sign up below to access this download and more.

What has your experience been with yoga? How has it helped you when you are stressed? Share in the comments below!

Much Love, 

Jessi

PS Have you checked out the SLP Stress Management Course? It’s an in-depth look at practical ways to manage and reduce your SLP Stress, and gives you the background into the stress you face, how and why it happens, and what will actually work to help it out (not looking at the brightside, ignoring the stress, complaining, wishful thinking, but real strategies that help your brain and body rewire the response to the inevitable stress you face.

This Self-Paced 8-week course is now available, but won’t be for long! (The LIVE version will be coming back soon).


practice barre anywhere

When you are stressed out, as an SLP or just as a human, it is easy to start to let go of the things that actually help reduce and manage your stress. You might find that you:

  • sleep less and work later (or earlier)
  • grab convenient and/or comfort foods
  • stay stationary to work instead of moving around
  • skip exercise in order to save time
  • no quiet, reflective time or meditation, instead continuing to push and do more

The things that help you (and your brain) to process, take a break from, and let go of stress are usually the things that seem ore negotiable when you are feeling overwhelmed and short on time. In the short term, this seems like the best idea, it gives you more time to get done the things that are stressing you out and are taking over. In the long run though, this only allows the stress to build up more, your stress response to stay fired up, and for you to continue doing more and more of the things that are stressful It also allows the stressors to affect you more deeply, instead of building up a resilience and having strategies that reduce the stress.

It helps to work with someone or join a program or listen to a course of podcast that can help you make a plan to start doing these things again and using them, even when you are stressed. This can be a way to help you figure out what strategies you currently are using, which ones you are letting go of, and what might work better for your long tern ad short term goals and lifestyle.

These typically include things like movement, meditation, creating more sustainable and nourishing routines, and taking care of yourself throughout the day with better food, quiet moments, and time to move mindfully.

Movement is a great way to help manage your stress, and is often one of the easier things to include or come back to when you have been stressed. You can feel the benefits right away, it helps you to step away from the stress, and helps you to get out of your head and into your body. Plus you might already have a routine to fall back on, a gym membership (hopefully with online offerings), or some streaming services.

One of my favorite workouts, since I can sneak it in with minimal equipment, space and time, (and not a lot of sweat) is a barre workout. The smaller moves really pack in big results, you maintain a mental focus on your body during the workout, and you don’t need much space, so you can do it pretty much anywhere. For years, this has been one of my go-to workout styles to teach and take (along with yoga and getting outside).

Here are a few moves to help you practice Barre anywhere, anytime:

  • Wide Plie
    • Stand with feet wide, toes and knees turned out. Inhale as you reach your arms overhead, exhale as you sweep the arms down and bend your knees. Repeat 10 times.
  • Narrow Plie
    • Stand with your heels together, toes and knees turned out. You can bring hands to your hips or reach your arms out to the sides. Bend your knees as you exhale (it’s a small move) and inhale as you straighten the legs. Repeat 10 times.
  • Single Leg Reach Back
    • From your Narrow Plie, sweep your right leg to the back corner, flexing your foot. Your hand can stay on your hips. Engage the core as you slowly lift your leg up and then tap it down. Repeat 10 time and switch sides.
  • Knee to shoulder
    • Reach the right leg back again and hold on to a chair if needed for balance. Point the toe this time as you lift your leg and hold it up. Bend your knee, so your leg aims towards your shoulder/elbow/side, then lengthen. Repeat 10 times and switch sides.
  • Narrow Plie Reach Across
    • In your Narrow Plie stance. bend into your knees (you have the option of lifting your heels slightly, but keeping them pressed together). Start with your hands on hips or on a chair. Slowly reach your right arm across to the left corner, twisting through the core but keeping the legs still. Then switch, reaching the left arm to the right corner. Repeat 10 times on each side.

You can find an audio for these barre moves (and more) in the “Barre Anywhere” practice, a flowing barre movement audio, available for free in the SLP Toolbox.

The SLP Toolbox is a free resource library, full of practical tools to help SLPs manage and reduce their stress. It is updated monthly with meditation audios, movement audio practices, as well as an archive of journal templates, self-care checklists and more.

Not a member? You can access the library (for subscribers only) by signing up below:

Looking for more ways to manage your SLP Stress? Make sure to check out the following:

Much Love,

Jessi

yoga and meditation for SLP stress

Stress has a funny way of making everything seem as if it is moving at a faster pace, with a lot of components, and no time for any of them. As an SLP, this stress looks like too many extra tasks, too big of a caseload, too much productivity rates and way too much paperwork. And in 2020, it’s also too many changes thrown at you in a split second.

When stress hits, it can be tempting to try to speed up with it, in order to get more done and have more – more time, more freedom, more ease. But this usually ends up doing the opposite.

Speeding up feeds the stress mode you are stuck in and pulls you deeper into the “Cycle of Stress” (something we discuss within the SLP Stress Management Course).

You end up moving faster, which can lead to mistakes in your work and missing key pieces, mental exhaustion from constant multi-tasking, and feeling more stressed from the rush of trying to do it all. And once you are feeling stressed, it’s harder to turn down the response and switch into a more natural, less-stressed way of life.

One thing that can help you to slow down, when you are feeling more and more rushed, is a steadily-paced yoga practice. And one other thing that can help you even more is pairing it with a meditation practice. This combination of mindfulness practices allows you to tun into your breath, body and mind, so you can unwind, check in, and take care of yourself. The yoga and meditation for SLP stress combo help to reduce and manage it, while dropping you back into the present moment, your body, and out of ruminating or stressful thinking.

One great way to do this is through a “body scan” meditation, followed by a slow and steady flowing yoga class. This combination helps you to start slow, where you can tune into the body and breath, and then use movement to help stay connected to the breath and the present moment. This way, your brain is focused on “now”, you are reducing tension in your body, and you are turning down the stress response as you slow down.

Here is a quick yoga and meditation for SLP stress, available now in the SLP Toolbox, along with other meditation and movement audios, journal page templates, self-care checklists and more.

You can subscribe to this FREE resource library and access this Yoga+Meditation practice below:

If you are looking to dive even further into understanding and managing your stress as an SLP, make sure to check out the SLP Stress Management Online Course, now available in a Self-Study version. It includes the 8-module course, as well as bonus meditation and movement audios. You can find out more details here: SLP Stress Management Course.

Much Love,

Jessi

Movement for SLP Stress Management

When you are stressed, as an SLP or otherwise, one of the best things you can do is to get up and move your body. It could be a stretch at your desk, going for a quick walk down the hall, taking a stroll through your neighborhood, following a short fitness video or audio, or taking an hour for a yoga class. Whatever it is, movement is key to helping you reduce and manage your stress and tension, in both your body and mind.

Movement for SLP Stress Management, especially when done mindfully, can help you in a few different ways, including mental and physical tension relief, health benefits, and stepping away from a place of stress.

(Mindful movement for stress management is something that I dive into in much more depth in the SLP Stress Management Course, along with a few audios and videos to help you get moving).

It can also be really difficult to incorporate into your daily routine, or to start doing at all. Movement can be one of the first things you sacrifice when you are stressed, drained and feeling short on time.

Even when you know that movement is one of the key strategies to reducing and managing stress, it is not always easy to fit into your schedule. In fact, sometimes you are likely to not do these stress management techniques, because finding time for them seems like an additional stress that you are not willing to take on.

When this happens, there are a few ways to add in (or tweak) mindful movement without additional stress:

  • Look for spots in your day that you already have available, but might not be aware of at the moment.
  • Have a few short videos bookmarked on your computer for when you have a no-show or cancellation or a quick 10-15 minute opening
  • Plan for 15-30 minutes at the start of your day or at the end of your work day (and build this into your schedule)
  • Do something you enjoy, so you are likely to look forward to it and make it happen
  • Match your movement o your energy levels, so it feels good and you feel better after, not depleted, exhausted or bored.
  • Keep it short and simple – go for something efficient, like an interval practice that targets your entire body and mind.

Using these tips as guidelines to help you decide what to do, and when, can help you to add in a powerful stress management technique, without adding in more stress. If you are still feeling overwhelmed with this idea, you can get even more guidance and learn how to figure out what works best for you, when to practice it, and how to make it a habit, in the SLP Stress Management Course (available for enrollment now).

If time is the biggest issue for you, and you are looking for something that is efficient and guided, you can download the “Quick Interval” Mindful Movement Audio in the SLP Toolbox. It is a 20 minute, full-body movement practice, that just requires you and no other equipment. Each move is done for a minute or so, before you switch to the other side or a new move, so your body and brain are engaged the entire time, which will help reduce some mental and physical tension and stress.

The SLP Toolbox is a FREE subscribers-only resource library for SLPs, full of practical and effective tools to help reduce and manage stress. It is updated bi-monthly with exclusive content, such a meditation and movement audios.

Not a subscriber to the SLP Toolbox? You can sign up below to access this download as well as many more movement, meditation and journaling tools.

Much Love,

As an SLP (and a mom and a human and a yoga teacher and everything), there are days when my energy feels great. I am focused, feel awake, am able to think clearly and work efficiently, and am just overall feeling good. These are the days where I can feel my energy flow, steadily and solidly.

There are also days when my energy levels are totally out of whack:

  • I feel frazzled and scattered in my thoughts
  • I feel T-I-R-E-D and can’t think clearly at all
  • My body feels tense and drained
  • I’m exhausted
  • I’m hyper and can’t focus or just want to move
  • I’m anxious
  • And so many variations

Can you relate?

As an SLP, you are bound to feel different from day to day, or even hour to hour, with all that you are trying to balance and work through. Sometimes you feel like you are ready to push through and struggle to make it all happen, and other days you want to just give in and give up. It’s incredibly stressful either way. Taking deep breaths and moving your body can help you to reduce and manage the stress you are feeling, and give you a way to feel steady and ready for the rest of your day or week.

On these days, movement is key for me – either to help me bring my energy levels up and feel more motivated or to bring them down and get more grounded. And sometimes, I need a combination of things to help me really feel my best. Movement will help me to get out of my head, and into my body when my thoughts are spiraling or not focused. It also helps me to feel more energized when I am exhausted but HAVE to do the work. My favorite style for these days is often yoga, a walk outside, or a class called “Energy Flow”, that I taught for my first 5 years as a yoga + mind-body fitness instructor.

In the Energy Flow class, you combine some yoga, Pilates, barre, aerobics and conditioning to help you either lift up your energy or burn off some of it, or a combination of the two. I always feel better after this style of class. The combination of taking deep breaths and moving with awareness for my body helps me to focus, feel calm, and feel ready to take on my day – without feeling overly exhausted or depleted.

You can download this “Energy Flow” Mindful Movement Practice in the SLP Toolbox, a FREE resource library to help SLPs reduce and manage stress. Sign up below for access.

You can also check out even more “Mindful Movement” videos and SLP Stress Management Q&A’s and tips on the SLP Stress Management YouTube channel.

Much Love,

energy flow

help you slow down

Do you ever feel like you need something to help you slow down, especially when your work day is full of you “pushing” through to get more work done?

When things get stressful, one of the first things I do is tense up, followed by trying to push through to get more done, even though I am already mentally and physically exhausted. It’s a difficult habit to break, and it is one that shows up in so many different jobs and settings that I have worked in.

The truth is, the pushing through doesn’t actually help or get work done in a way that feels good. I might get the task completed, but it is usually just “done”, with little passion or care behind it, and most likely with some errors due to my being exhausted and stressed.

What would work better is if I could slow down, check in with how I am doing, let go of some tension, and then come back when I am more refreshed and ready.

I’ll feel better about the work when I am done, more connected to it, and much less stressed.

With the new school year (whether you are in the schools or not), during a pandemic, you are probably feeling a lot of “push” and a lot of disconnect right from the start. It is likely that you are trying to create a whole new system of working, feel lack of support, and your body and mind are reacting to the stress – tension, tightness, disconnect and more stress.

It is difficult to take time to reduce the pushing and to slow down instead, but, when you can, it makes all the difference. And it can help you move from a place of pushing, or reacting, to a place of responding and connecting.

Here are some of my favorite ways to help you slow down:

My favorite way to slow down, and check in on what I am feeling physically and mentally, is with a Yin-style yoga practice. Yin-style yoga focuses on holding the stretch for a longer amount of time. The idea is that this helps you to get deeper into the tissues and fascia, letting go of tension and stress that builds up. It also gives you time to breathe and check in with each stretch.

The 5 stretches that I like to use when I am feeling tense are:

  • child’s pose
  • side stretch
  • pigeon pose
  • reclined twist
  • savasana/laying flat

I hold each one for 2-5 minutes and breathe. It helps me to explore what I am feeling physically, and see how I might be reacting rather than responding to the sensations. And then I have time to check in mentally to see how I am feeling with the tension I am working through. Plus, it’s nice to slow down and just breathe for a little while, after pushing through all day.

If you are looking to slow down after pushing through the day, you can download the “30 Minute Slow Down Stretch”, a Yin-style yoga practice that helps you slow down, so you can stop reacting to the stress in your body and respond to it instead – or just take a timeout form your busy day.

You can find it in the SLP Toolbox, a free resource site for SLPs to help reduce and manage stress.

Not a member? You can subscribe (its free) for access below:

If you are looking to dive even deeper into managing and understanding the stress you face as an SLP (even when it is during a pandemic, or maybe especially so), check out the SLP Stress Management Course, an 8-week online course that shows you the what and why of stress as an SLP, and how you can manage it, build a foundation of resiliency, and reduce the stress you face, even when you can’t change the reasons for it.

You can find out more info here: SLP Stress Management Course.

Much Love,