Ellen Barrett Let's Move!

Ever Since 2020…

It always goes back to empowered wellness. Movement – which I think is a life-changing component – is still just one component. There are a myriad of components, big and small, obvious and not-so-obvious, from getting proper sunlight, to having solid relationships, to making sure nutrition levels are strong. So many things can contribute to a healthy life – the list really does go on and on.  Since 2020,  I’ve become a bit of a “plant lady” and...

Ellen Barrett Mindful Movement

Your Workout’s Job

If you take note of how you typically move during an average day, not including your workout, you’ll find it to be mostly done in the sagittal plane. Walking is in the sagittal plane. Sitting down and up from a chair is in the sagittal plane. The action of riding a bike is in the sagittal plane. The spine does tend to engage in more movement variety, like twisting (transverse plane) and side bending (frontal...

Ten Toes In Ellen Barrett Blog

Ten Toes In

Every once in a while an athlete really catches my eye, and without knowing any of their legendary plays or stats, I’ll ask, “Hey, who’s that?” I tend to hone in on body language, form, breathing, and other things like that. Not knowing much about the sport helps me look beyond the sport and simply see the art of the athlete.  One such athlete – a true artist – is a football player on the Kansas...

Ellen Barrett Blog

Off the Mat, Inside the Closet

My message to you today is – get organized.  Or if you are already pretty organized, take your organization to the next level. Your well-being and your home organization are more connected than you think. I’ve found that getting your stuff organized can propel your sense of well-being to new heights.  I recently got a closet system installed in my hallway/walk-thru closet/dressing area. It’s between the laundry room and my bedroom, so I now have an abundance of...

Ellen Barrett "let's move!"

Tap Into Truth

Ever since I read, “The body is a sacred garment. It’s your first and last garment. It’s what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor,” I’ve been intrigued with Martha Graham, the famous American dancer/choreographer (and the author of the quote). I just learned that Martha Graham created not just dances, but also her very own, very specific, body conditioning method. I’d describe it as...

The Secret

Energy begets energy. What gives you energy? We often think our “fuel” is food, and that is true of course, but in a more esoteric sense, breathe, sleep, water, certain people and events, and the right kind of movement all give us energy. They all give back.  All movement is not created equal. I mentioned “the right kind of movement” not just “movement” because some movement depletes us. Some movement takes away. What’s the difference? It’ll vary...

The energy of right now

The Energy of Right Now

I went on my usual sunrise dog walk this am and I slowed it down a bit and meandered, really taking in the energy of right now. The leaves have almost completely left the trees. The farmers have harvested their last crop of hay. I hear the geese on the move overhead.  My favorite purple and yellow wildflowers are no longer sprinkled into the landscape. It smells like November. These observations don’t make me happy...

The Golden Ticket

I’m not a Fitbit person. I’m not an Applewatch person. I’m not a heart rate monitor person. I’m a check in with yourself person. Some people love the data these devices ofter, and you may be one of them. That’s all good. Different strokes for different folks! High tech and au naturale can co-exist. What I want to emphasize however – no matter what “outside” info you gather during your workout – you already possess a built-in...

Change With the Seasons

Seasons change. Right now, wherever you are on Earth, there is a shift. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, we’re leaving summer and entering autumn. When we think season change, our minds go to weather change, wardrobe change, schedule change. Lots of change outside of us. There’s energetic change within us too. Personally, as I approach autumn in New England, USA, I feel a little more ambitious. Like the squirrels, I feel an urgency to get things...

Knee-Friendly Workouts

If you’ve ever experienced knee pain, you know we use our knees a lot! If the simple act of standing up from a seated position hurts, how are we supposed to workout? Well, knees always need TLC, not just when you feel pain, and painful workouts are always a big no in my book, but we can still keep moving even when our knees limit us. The key is to feel out what you can do without pain. This will be...