How has your week been?
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This time of year is a demonstration of change and what is possible. Trees that had no leaves four weeks ago now are stretching up to the sky filled with leaves. Baby Canadian geese are starting to thrive with their parents and lose some of their bright yellow fluffy fur (see image below). The once brown lawn is now a lush green playground for insects.

So much change.

If our environment and pieces of our world can change so much, why can't we?

I am fully immersed in yoga therapy training this week. Eight days, eight hours a day and SO much information. I wanted to quickly send you a message this morning with one of the videos from my training. We are going deep into the pain experience this week. I would like you to ponder this,

Pain is...a call to action for change and part of the human experience. 

Learn a bit more from a video from Greg Lehman from Movement Optimism below.

​Nothing happens if we don't put insight into action.

The questions from the video are a good place to start…

1. What is in my cup?
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2. What can I change or address in my cup?

3. How can you build a bigger cup?


Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

This little family greeted me on my walk this week. They were venturing out onto the street so me and another person gently guided them out of harms way. The sense of adventure in the little ones was so fun to watch. And I was only hissed at once by momma!

Almost every conversation I've had with patients and clients recently has involved some discussion about Spring activities, most specifically - gardening.

Spring has sprung - at least only now in my neck of the woods! 🌷

With all the new physical activities that gardening requires, do you know when enough is enough?

Granted if you are a big garden lover, your garden is never enough. Only when the first snow falls do you hang up your trowel.

Keeping in mind that the physical demands of gardening are new to you in 2022 (catch the rhyme!), it is essential for your gardening longevity to know when enough is enough for one day.

Just like play off hockey (Go Oilers Go!), our goal is to make it to the stunning pots in August (i.e., the Stanley cup of gardening) and now is not the play off season. I would argue that we've only just begun the preseason of gardening.

Those professional hockey players have been training for their competition for months. They eased into their season many months ago and so should you!

Key things to remember as your gardening competition, er, I mean gardening activities ramp up.

#1 - Warm-up

This seems obvious and yet it isn’t something we necessarily do. Guilty as charged here!

Take a walk around your property and scope out what really needs doing.

Gather your tools and walk them to where they are needed.

Ease into movement before lifting that heavy shovel of dirt!

#2 - Do the Big Stuff First

The earlier in you gardening session you can fit in the big movements (i.e., lifting, pushing, etc.) the better. Your body is the "freshest" its going to be at the beginning and less neuromuscular fatigued compared to later in your session.

#3 - Do What the Plants Do

Take your time. Be deliberate. Flowers don't show up instantly. Nor does your garden need to be instantly "done".

Drink water throughout. No plant grows without water. You need it too!

Nourish yourself particularly if you are gardening over many hours or days. You can't perform on low nutrient dense foods. Neither do your plants.

And finally rest. Imagine those flowers that close up as the sun recedes for the day. You need rest too (and even maybe a soothing bath).

All in all, know that gardening is a process and with each session you do, help yourself by knowing when enough is enough.

No one wants to be stuck indoors and in pain with the beautiful Spring weather. Take care of you and your garden will take care in due time.

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

🙋🏼‍♀️ Oh wait - last week I mentioned that I'm teaching an upcoming in person workshop on Saturday June 11 at Yoga Within in Edmonton. Feeling your yoga: Bringing more awareness to your practice workshop fits so well with the concept of knowing when enough is enough. Our bodies send us messages. Do you feel them? This workshop will provide a chance for you to take a pause and listen.

​ Space is limited so register early if you want to work in person with me!

Happy  Spring to you!

As Spring moves into full swing, many people are talking about getting outside and enjoying the nice weather. Gardening is one of the top physical activities that they are talking about!

Some people, though, struggle with the demands of gardening and yard work. The stimulus, meaning digging, bending, lifting, raking, etc., is in many cases too much for their joints particularly if they have osteoarthritis. In this case, reducing the stimulus' load may be the answer.

In this week's Physical Activity QuickPlay, I talk about the possible lifesaving (and pain saving) effects of being physically active for our joint health. Osteoarthritis is common and I reflect on WHY being physically active is so important (picture me rubbing my hands together with anticipation and excitement to dive into the anatomy and physiology).

Need some help with your joint health? Simply reply to this email and we can set up an appointment.

One other fun opportunity coming up is an in person workshop.

You heard it right. In person at Yoga Within in Edmonton.

The workshop is Feeling your yoga: Bringing more awareness to your practice and will be on Saturday June 11 from 9-11 am. Space is limited so register early if you want to work in person with me!​

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

Ask yourself these questions below.

​Pause between each and reflect on what question you gravitate towards.

Is it the why or the what question?

Which question gave you more information about yourself?

Over this past week, I've been playing with both of these questions and here is what I found for myself...


The why question is a need to fix something.

The what question is more expansive and gives me more information on what is possible.

The why question is looking at one single aspect of me and potentially a problem. For example, an issue with a specific part of my body or my ability to do something. The why question is laser focused.

Compared to the what question, it has a wider and zoomed out view that can provide many options and may show me my capacity for these options.

The why question could stand out as very one dimensional and may almost tell you nothing of substance. The answers that come with the what question are greater and more expansive of the context.

The more I worked through these questions I started to feel the pull of a negative, fixed mindset versus a positive, growth mindset. Do you feel that?


You may guess that I gravitated towards the what question. It wasn't instant. As I took time with the questions, I started to shift my perspective. I'm a lover of data and research and those are usually the answers I want from asking the why question. Yet, the what question gave me so much more.

I am not saying I will give up the why question.

Heck no!

You know that I love the "why do you move" question. It helps you find purpose in your physical activity and exercise.

However, this week it might be time to ask yourself the "what is happening" question. In any and all areas of life. And see what answers you come up with for yourself.

Stay well and happy moving,

Lisa