As a certified Orthopedic Exercise Specialist, I regularly emphasize to my clients the importance of maintaining a strong core. It is essential for overall health and wellness to work major muscles including pelvic floor muscles, transverses abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae and diaphragm. The stronger these muscles are the more active and agile we can be as we advance in years; promising a more enjoyable, higher quality of life.
As a certified Mind/Body Specialist, I also highlight the pros of practicing daily efforts to maintain a strong core. But in this case, the core is not about strengthening abdominal and back muscles but instead relates to the centered, calm and balanced state of both the mind and emotions.
The effects of the pandemic, as well as the political upheaval we have all been experiencing has definitely taken a toll on most people’s ability to “feel” in control – let alone peaceful.
In less trying times, it is rather easy to relax into a shallow pool of mind-numbing apathy. There is no sense of urgency to practice mindfulness, awareness or meditation relaxation techniques. But using the example of the abdominal core muscles – ignoring them for years and then expecting to go kayaking or paddle boarding and keep up with the youngsters is of course, shortsighted and rather delusional.
The same holds true for our mental state. It is in the “smooth sailing” times that we need to practice for the tumultuous ocean surges. If I am going to stay afloat and keep my head above water, my mind must be exercised and practiced in intentionally living in the eye of the storm when there is no threatening winds.
So how do I strengthen my mental core? Start with taking an honest look at your thoughts and the stability of your emotions. How often do you feel triggered? How often are your thoughts not helpful or positive? Asking these types of questions can act as a reality check on where you are and why you may need to pay more attention to your state of mind.
I want to center myself, now what? One of the easiest ways to get started is to download a meditation app such as Head Space or Calm. These are great tools for anyone wishing to learn how to center and practice meditation.
For me personally, sitting quietly in nature with no judgement, just observing all the sights and sounds of my surroundings; is the most calming, relaxing way to practice strengthening the core of my deeper self.
Whatever you choose, you will be happy to learn that even the smallest effort can result in significant rewards for your mental well-being.
Namaste my friends, enjoy the exploration.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
