Hello friends,
Welcome to another post from The 3Min Club, where each week (or so), you’ll receive 3Ms (movement, mindfulness, mantra) from me to do in 3 minutes. No matter where we are right now, taking the right actions is the key to live better positive lives.
As some of you may know, a month ago I had a saga with my lower back where I wrote a post about it here.
I’m eternally grateful to share that I’ve been feeling so much better. Though I am not quite back at my usual top ”Simone Biles” form yet, the feeling of having much more energy every morning when I wake up, not having to struggle with brushing my teeth or getting up from the floor, is just so much worth celebrating.
This brings me to a point in this post — on how our perspectives can shape how we show up every day in life.
Sometimes we are so caught up with our own worries and troubles, that we don’t appreciate what we have around us. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying we should wear rose-colored glasses and ignore certain troubles in our lives, nor should we be apathetic about the real issues at the national and global front.
Rather if we can just stop and take stock of what is happening in our personal lives, reflecting on what we have, and how far we have come along, it’s pretty awesome to notice how that kind of perspective can shift our attention for the day.
The words we think in our heads and the words we use in conversations have the same impact too. I’ll be first to admit I don’t always speak and think the best words to myself and with others too, affecting my relationships with myself and the people I dated and loved. (I know I have a part to play with the breaking of my past relationships.)
I truly believe in the power of our words which influence the direction of our attention and the actions we take.
Take for example, of recent, I’ve been saying to myself this year, "I CAN OVERCOME THIS CHALLENGE”. What’s wrong with this statement, Yan, you may ask?
At first glance, this statement doesn’t sound so too bad, but if we really connect with the phrase, notice how that feels a lot of resistance emitting.
While I generally support and love the merits of diligence, discipline, and dedication, but when we face too much resistance consistently, our subconscious mind starts to perceive it as this big wall that requires too much energy to get through or past it.
Our body is designed to conserve energy to survive. When it realizes a task requires way too much energy, it will seek alternative ways to survive. One way to do that is by not facing the wall completely. That’s when our body and mind will either fall back to previously acquired habits that give some kind of reward or will seek out new actions that may make us feel good.
This is also why when we want to cultivate new habits or actions, it often can be an uphill task.
So what can we do about this, Yan?
Flip the statement to an active form. From the statement above, try this instead - “I' AM EXPERIENCING A GREAT GROWTH OPPORTUNITY NOW.”
(Which by the way is our mantra for today’s 1-minute action)
Repeat that statement again. Do you feel and hear the difference? Do you see a different visual too?
Flipping the words “challenge” to “growth opportunity” makes such a huge difference in how it shifts our minds and focus.
For me, when I learned to recite that mantra as I go about my one-minute movement, totally put me in a state of less resistance and a positive flow state.
So for today, do something that lifts your thought energy through the power of your words.
I invite you to get moving with me with today’s 3M in 3 minutes.
Yours,
Yan
For each M, set a timer for 1 minute each.
For the First Minute,
1) Movement - Reverse Bent-Leg Rocking Bridge
This is such a powerful and great movement to do throughout the day, especially if you’ve been sitting down so much. It is pretty much a great dynamic exercise to mobilize all the muscles and the connecting fascia of your front and back lines.
For the next Second Minute
2) Mantra - “I’m Experiencing A Great Growth Opportunity Now”
Start a timer for 1-minute. Repeat the above statement, either silently in your head or out loud.
Do this with slow and deep breaths or whatever feels comfortable for you. Repeat until 1 minute is up.
For the 3rd Minute
3) Mindfulness - Alternate Nostril Breathing
Let’s bring today’s mindfulness practice back to our breathing.
(Note: This is not connected to any spiritual or religious practice.)
For the next one minute, find a place where you are comfortable and away from any distractions.
Sit comfortably either on a chair or on a floor with a cushion.
Straighten your spine, back, and neck.
(Think top of head reaching towards the sky, your feet or sit-bones reaching downwards to the ground, depending on if you are sitting on a chair or floor.)INHALE DEEPLY to begin.
With your right hand in front of your face, press your thumb on your right nostril and EXHALE slowly through your left nostril. And INHALE again completely through your left nostril.
Now, press your ring finger (4th finger) on your left nostril, release your thumb, and EXHALE slowly through your right nostril. INHALE again completely through your right nostril.
Press your right thumb again on your right nostril, release your ring finger and EXHALE from your left nostril completely. INHALE again on the same left nostril.
Continue this breathing exercise on the right nostril and alternate between both sides.
Repeat this inhalation-exhalation exercise a few times until one minute is up.
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Other things I wrote for you:
Start Right On Your Action Plans By Asking Yourself These 5 Questions First (Article)
How I Mobilize My Body Daily Towards Graceful Aging
(5 ways to start your own mobilization science-backed program)
Announcing New Segment:
In the upcoming posts, there’s a new segment where I’ll feature interesting newsletters, writers, artists, and other relevant content to the 3Ms. Because taking the right actions is the key to better positive living.
Appreciate your good hearts.
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Leave a comment or question too.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a great week ahead.
Yours,
Yan