“Chi – internal energy – gives us power within.” Words from Mr Han in The Karate kid.
At the time it didn’t mean much to me, but I’ve grown to respect and understand the essence of Chi. Recently watching the movie again with my kids, I found myself trying to explain Chi, energy and flow.
Along our journey we will have days or weeks of immense progress, flow, inspiration and clean eating.
And on others we may wake up feeling like “what’s the point, I suck, I’ll never succeed, why can’t I always be disciplined”.
This ebb and flow in our focus can be exhausting and lead us to losing sight of what our body and mind truly need.
Overtime we become stagnant, sluggish, unmotivated, stiff, all the words we’ve each used at some point. This can lead to chronic pain, mental and physical health challenges – no wonder we go into self destruct mode, develop bad habits, addictions, or feel stuck in behaviours and routines that don’t serve.
65,000 Thoughts
The average person thinks 65,000 thoughts a day.
By the time we hit our 30s, over 90% of those thoughts are the same as the day before!
Our habits, routines and thoughts send us into auto pilot numbing our creative and adventurous spirit just like ‘ground hog day’ we recreate the past repeatedly, our universe shrinks (along with our mind, central nervous system, hormones, function) and becomes stagnant.
It’s at a stand still.
Has anyone else experienced this? When was the last time you really did things differently?
If we understand this cycle we can learn to rescriot this process and learn how to access whatever we need in a sustainable journey to health.
Circulating new energy
Chi is akin to circulation, not just the blood providing oxygen to our muscles and cells.
It’s also when energy is moving freely within us – we get stuff done, we are creative, enthusiastic, and able to rise to any occasion.
There is a sense of being turned on, of aliveness, of being tapped into life. A good vibe! We’re able to learn, expand and grow.
So how do we harness this feeling? We need to get the ‘circulation’ going by circulating new energy into our lives.
Do things differently
It can be as simple as doing things differently – take a different route to work, try a new coffee shop, a new Yogalates class, a new gym, a different book club! Basically, activate your physical and mental circulation by breaking the repetition of your past to create new neuro-pathways with your body and brain.
This way we can grow and learn and feel alive.
I must say, from personal experience, the decision to embark on new things is not always comfortable!
I vividly recall my first high treetops ropes adventure course. It was my birthday and I was super excited to share the day with friends at a beautiful Mornington peninsula location swinging from trees!
It wasn’t until I was eight meters up and about to fly on a trapeze (yes I had a harness) that I realised my acute fear of heights!
I DEFINITELY had an anxiety attack – gutters, sweats, a little incontinence … tears!
It was horrific.
With the support of my friends, I got through it and indeed I felt elated.
My ‘circulation’ was flowing and I felt elated at what I had achieved, along with a lifetime memory.
When we do something new, and perhaps learn something, we are accessing change, a shift.
Actually, we are creating 20,000 new neurons with our nervous system and shifting stagnation at a cellular level.
There are so many ways each day, so many moments that we can feel some ‘magic’ … our body and brain will respond and create positive energy in our lives.
That’s the circulation I am talking bout!
All this being said, it’s impossible (at least in my world) to be on the up and up all of the time.
Ebb & Flow
As I said we all ebb and flow.
It’s the understanding of this that allows us to learn to ‘integrate’ to gently, but purposefully fold both to get a balance.
It’s a lingering state of being in a place where we recognise what is no longer working for us and what we need.
Some examples for me have been staying up late watching mindless TV, pouring that extra glass of wine, prioritising others rather than my own wellbeing, repenting when I feel I haven’t done enough or wasn’t enough.
It’s a powerful eye in the storm that allows us time to reflect and to integrate everything we have learned rather than sitting stagnant or jumping into the next quick fix, next relationship, habit, job, and repeating the same habits.
Some takeaways that have helped me:
- Write down any ways YOU feel stagnant … this may be habits or feelings
- Think of ways you can ‘circulate’ new energy … this may be activities, mindset, variation in habits
- Be aware of the feelings that arise when you are really integrating and notice the shift … stagnating or circulation?
It is so very important for us to have a clear awareness ( if not understanding) of our life patterns. Accept them and take responsibility to consciously create what we want.
There’s no need to be stuck.
For me it’s a work in progress. A daily practice.
Sometimes a minute to minute practice … surfing the wave of circulation, integration and trying not to wipe out into stagnation.
Awareness of these patterns can help us circulate new chi – nurturing energy into our body and mind each day.
In the words of Mr. Han “Being still and doing nothing are two very different things.”
