You may well have heard of the term ‘practice makes perfect’, but what about permanent?
Whether we are practising a musical instrument, playing a sport, making food… practice indeed makes us better, if not perfect.
Do you remember learning to drive a car? It all seemed so much, changing gears, indicating, constantly looking in the mirrors, and to show my age – dealing with the choke! But now it is automatic. In fact I bet there are many times when you get into your car and arrive at the other end not really recalling any of your journey.
Our practising has become permanent and automatic!
We can extend this to how we think, what we eat, how we act / interact / react, and how we use our bodies. So – as you are reading this blog, where are you?
- Are you inside or outside?
- Are you moving or being still?
- Are you on your own or in company?
- Are you sitting, standing, lying?
- Are you using a desk top computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone?
Just some simple questions to get you thinking about how you are automatically using your body. I can guarantee that this is your “normal” way of using your body – so what have you noticed?
- If you are standing – how are you standing? Are both feet on the floor? Is your weight evenly balanced between them?
- If you are sitting, how are you sitting? Where are you sitting? In an office chair or sofa?
- Are both your feet on the floor or is one leg crossed over the other… or are your feet tucked up underneath you to one side?
- How are you looking at your device? What position is your head? Are you holding it to one side? Are you looking down?
- How are you holding your device? Which hand? Which finger(s) do you use to swipe the screen or use the buttons?
If we are automatically doing something we are effectively practising it all the time, reinforcing the permanence, without us being aware! We also know that if we regularly do something (research says approx. 66 days) if will become a habit.
So take a moment and look, become aware of how you are using your body.
- How are you sitting at your desk at work?
- How are you resting during an evening?
- If you are using tools do you always use them in the same hand and use the body in the same direction?
How does it feel if you were to use your body in the opposite or a different way? Go on give it a try! Not as comfortable, not as easy to use… so what do you go and do? Yes, you continue with the olds patterns, the ones that are easy and come automatically
So be careful what you want to become permanent!