What You Do Today: Making a Practice

We are so amazingly fortunate to live in a world where a near-limitless array of practices, methods, therapies, programs, and medicines can have a profound effect on setting us in the right direction when we need it. Or are we? We have such a plethora of choices and tools at our disposal that can have a lifesaving effect (both figuratively and literally) for our bodies, minds, and souls–that we may be training ourselves to constantly be looking outward for answers that need some looking inward. Or, we may have amazing breakthrough experiences in therapy, a great session with a personal trainer, or an amazing weekly yoga class that seems to have a near-magical effect on us. But as amazing and essential as having these experiences are–eventually the quality of your life will be measured by what you do today.

For example–ayahuasca, the South American psychoactive tea, has gained a lot of popularity recently for the profound spiritual experiences that many have while hallucinating after its ingestion. But, there are growing numbers of ardent promoters of ayahuasca that feel the life-changing effects wearing off after a few months.  What then? More ayahuasca? A similar phenomenon can be felt after a great, breakthrough therapy session. You leave, walking on air–feeling like something really great has happened.  And then tomorrow comes… When it comes to training, we have had the extraordinary experience of training with Champion Olympic Weightlifter Tim Kring here in Denmark. In the midst of a session, we can be coached into doing some amazing things that we couldn’t necessarily do again without daily practice on our own. 

Nicloe LePera (The Holistic Psychologist) puts this experience into practice in her book “How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, Create Your Self.” She was a psychologist who worked in the conventional way, usually seeing patients once a week. But she became frustrated with the process when all her clients hit a wall with their progress. It inspired her to create a more holistic approach that focused on daily practices–breathwork, meditation, cold water immersion, movement, and journaling. She realized what really matters is what you do today.

This is why we love the concept of high frequency training and microworkouts so much. Making movement a working part of your day, by doing these four small workouts throughout the day, has a profound effect on your life. It becomes “a practice.” While we heartily recommend seeking out experts and teachers of all kinds to learn and hone new skills–the only way to make them a working part of the mind, body, and soul is to incorporate them into a daily practice. 

We humans usually know what we need to be doing to take good care of ourselves. We have encountered different methods and activities in our lives that we know work well for us. The problem is, we usually don’t stick to them.  So, take a little time and write a list of self-care activities that you know work for you.  Do a bit of each one today.  Tomorrow, do the same. Build a practice. It matters what you do today.

Until next time

Scott and Lennart