10DAY KICKSTART: DAY 8 GRACE

GRACE (noun): simple elegance or refinement of movement

Grace is a mix of self-awareness and serenity, in action. Some people seem to, naturally, have loads of it. Others need to call it in. There is someone alluring about grace and I think grace turns ordinary movement into a thing of beauty.  

How can we cultivate more grace? It’s easier than you think. All it takes is to move calmly and pay attention. I think “hyper” is the polar opposite of grace, so getting centered is the biggest precursor to grace. And that’s good news! Because, we can easily center ourselves by, first, simply breathing into the present moment, and, second, intentionally aligning the body so energy flows without obstruction. (That’s the “plumb line effect”…ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over heels.)

Our workout today is a 45minute mix of Ballet-like moves with an undertone of cardio pep – Grace & Gusto. This workout seems to hinge on awareness of one’s breathing and alignment. It provides a thorough workout, all while promoting grace. 

It’s DAY 8! Eight days in a row of saying yes to movement – way to go. We are almost at the finish line. Let’s go all the way, with grace. 

DAY 8 OFF-THE-MAT ACTION STEP: Remember the old-fashioned modeling school exercise where women placed a book on top of their heads? They did that to align the head and shoulders – usually to bring the ears back and the chin level. It was effective then and it’s effective now. Grab a medium-sized hard covered book. Balance it on your head as you walk around your home. Aim for a whole minute!You’ll pinpoint the proper head-to-shoulder alignment and it will make way for more grace.