Feeling sluggish? Here's how you can reignite your spark to finally get moving again!

The room is getting chilly. I emerge from my cozy reading nook to turn up the thermostat. I return to my cocoon and resume reading my captivating novel. There’s an unwelcome stinkbug crawling up my window right now. It’s way too close for comfort. I capture him in an oversized cup (just to be safe) and I free the little bugger, wishing him a bon voyage as he’s tossed off the balcony. I sit back down. Now my stomach is growling. I head to the fridge to see what I can drum up. Just as I sit back down, I realize the place is getting too warm now. I have to get up again to adjust the thermostat once more…
 
Movement. It’s something we take for granted. It comes so natural to us that we rarely give it a second thought. Perhaps it’s because there really isn’t much to it. We spend our entire lives either moving away from something unpleasant or moving towards something we hope will reward us.  Rarely do we move away from comfort just for the sake of it, with no clear reason.
 
But then along comes this concept of exercise, extracting us from our cozy cocoons just for the sake of moving. If you’re like the rest of us, it can be hard to convince our brains that movement just for the sake of it is a worthy pursuit.
 
Exercise is defined as a physical activity that is planned, structured and includes repetitive movement. And its purpose is often abstract and unseen (i.e. to “get healthy”). Exercise is not always pleasant in the moment and without an initial clear purpose, or gentle nudge to get started, it can be difficult to stick with.

The pioneers of movement
565 million years ago the earth produced its very first restless inhabitants. Prior to this, it’s believed that organisms lived their entire lives mostly in the same spot, without much say regarding whether they’d be carried off by the whims of the earth. But then these pioneering trailblazers came along…and they were just itching to move. They were called the Ediacarans…
 
These funky little tube-like organisms are believed to be some of the very first organisms that actually moved. As primitive as they were, even Ediacarans had discovered their purpose to move! If you’ve ever spent time in any moving body of water, you might be able to relate to them. Currents can be strong and these little guys just wanted to be able to have some control over where they went. They moved so they could find stability, so they could return to safety and so they could avoid being swept away.
 
Fascinating little history lesson here but you may be wondering how any of this relates to us, right? The moral of the story is that it was our environments that gave our ancestors as well as all of the inhabitants of the entire animal kingdom reasons to move. If they wanted to thrive, they’d better learn to move.
 
The problem is, our modern day environment has made it all too easy not to have to move our bodies. Remote controls, automobiles, comfy couches, and food delivery…these are all examples of modern day conveniences that promote sedentary behavior. What’s the point in moving when there’s no obvious need??
 
Well I’m glad you asked. There is a need, albeit not an entirely obvious one. The point of movement is that our bodies are quite literally made to move. Our bodies don’t benefit from lounging around 24/7. A whole host of lifestyle diseases await a body that remains at rest…
 
Our minds need to realign with our bodies in an effort to rediscover a purpose to move. And fortunately we humans have the ability to use foresight to modify our environments. We’re capable of creating our own reasons to move!

Moving with purpose
Part of the reason I find it difficult to exercise on stationary machines is because I just don’t see the point in them. Sure, in the figurative sense, I am moving towards better health. Logically, my brain knows this. But another part of my brain is constantly saying, “but what’s the point if we aren’t getting anywhere?” The payoff of a stationary workout comes later. And the brain prefers to see results now.
 
Our ancestors moved with purpose. They hunted. They gathered. They prepared food. And they ran away so they wouldn’t become food. They didn’t need to demand from their brains the ability to imagine a figurative purpose of movement. They received immediate rewards from their movement. And as they moved through their environments, the landscapes changing around them was probably enough to placate their brains. When they were moving, they were getting somewhere, and getting there for a clear reason.
 
I get it. First it was the Ediacarans and now the cavemen. Who really cares about the cavemen either? We aren’t cavemen so why even compare? Because the reality is, while our environment has changed a lot since our caveman days, our bodies have not kept pace. We’re masquerading as dignified modern day humans but we often find ourselves lost in a world that’s completely outpaced us. There’s a mismatch between what our bodies were accustomed to for so long and the demands of the modern day. But Alas! There is hope.
 
If you aren’t very active today, don’t be so quick to blame yourself. It’s only natural to seek a clear purpose before wasting energy on doing something. So let’s find that purpose! We can apply the basic principles of movement motivation to our everyday exercise habits. We can do this by both identifying a figurative purpose to move and a literal purpose.
 
Figuring out your figuratives
It’s easier to lose sight of the abstract than the literal. Make your reasons to move more visible. Some people do this by using vision boards, listening to inspirational podcasts or by simply reminding themselves of their “WHY” daily.
 
Think deep here. Ask yourself what you are moving towards. Are you moving towards better health? If so, what exactly does better health mean to you? Do you want to be stronger? Faster? More energetic? Are you moving towards the ability to complete a race? To keep up with your children or grandchildren?
 
Now ask yourself what are you moving away from? Illness? Low-energy days? Needless suffering? Obesity? Whatever it is, imagine that it’s no different than a lion chasing you on a savannah! Move away from it as if your life depends on it…because it does!

Examples of movement with purpose
Exercise and physical movement doesn’t have to be a mindless painful slog. There are plenty of fun, motivating ways to get in a little added movement each day. Here are just a few:

• Join a walking club
• Work in a garden
• Dance
• Play Wii video games
• Engage in sports
• Sign up for charity races or walks
• Complete household chores
• Take up roller skating
• Go rock climbing
• Practice yoga or tai chi
• Bicycle to your destination
• Go for a swim

 
What is holding you back?
Do you have a fear of moving forward? Is it fear of pain caused by movement? Fear of failing, or getting lost along the way? Fear of the unknown? Whatever it is that is paralyzing you from taking that first step…let it go! (Quick disclaimer: if you have any medical concerns that may be stopping you, first get cleared by your physician to ensure you can safely get moving!). But once you’ve decided you want to pursue forward momentum, you just begin.
 
You do this by making sure that what you are running towards and away from is truly aligned with what you value. Don’t move for someone else. Throw other people’s expectations and pressure out the window! You know you’re truly ready to get moving when you are doing this for yourself. Make it something you want to do. Be patient with the process. And most importantly of all, enjoy the process and see the purpose in it.
 
My own experience
In my case, I exercise because I am moving towards a stronger, more energetic body. I’m doing the best I can to have as high a quality of life as possible. That’s what I’m figuratively moving towards.
 
In the most literal sense, I incorporate purposeful physical movement into my daily routine. I move towards what I find beautiful in nature. I find paths that are appealing to me. Sometimes this path might even be the parking lot at my job! On workdays I challenge myself to take 5,000 steps before noon. My purpose is clear but it doesn’t need to be complicated!
 
When I go for a walk, I also have a starting point and an end point in mind. It’s usually a loop so I don’t feel like I’m wasting my time backtracking. On weekends I visit trails that I haven’t explored before. I bring my camera so I can capture some awesome nature shots whenever the opportunity arises. This motivates me to keep going, to see what awaits my lens at the next bend. I walk to the grocery store or I’ll park farther away to “gather” my food. If you’re creative enough, there are so many ways to make your movement seem more purposeful.
 
As a health coach and nurse, I am very much aware of the consequences of living a sedentary life. For this reason, more often than not, my workouts are even more motivated by what I am moving away from. In a figurative sense, I am not moving but am running, bolting even, away from diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and premature death. In a literal sense, I am grateful that I don’t have much to move away from, physically. It’s been a while since I’ve been chased by a hungry lion!
 
Takeaway
Our modern environment has created a life of ease. But a sedentary life can slowly kill us. Resist the temptation to remain still. Find reasons that are worthwhile to you, to get moving. You’ll never move if you don’t see a point in doing so. Discover your reasons for moving, make them obvious and get moving. If even the Ediacarans were capable of finding their WHY, so can we!!