If you're like me, you're looking towards 2025 with lots of hopes and ideas. Vacations, work goals, family plans. Perhaps you've even got some physical goals for your body, whether it be running a marathon or just getting out of pain. Each goal has milestones and tactics, but I want to remind you that there is a foundation upon which all of your musculo-skeletal physical health is built, and that is how you hold your body (your posture) and how you use your body (ergonomics). The rest of your goals probably depend on your body working right!

It is difficult to have postural or ergonomic "goals." You can't do 20 "stand up straights" a day and call it good. Improving your posture and ergonomics is a challenge because there are no quick-fixes. That doesn't mean that you won't see or feel results quickly, but they won't "stick" unless you are in it for the long game. I don't mean like a chiropractor saying that you need to come back twice a week forever. Nor am I referring to a commitment to a regular work-out routine. What is required is a change of habits, which is more like an ongoing mindfulness practice.

The good news is that there is lots of research out there about how to change habits, and the key is frequent, gentle repetition. You're not going cold-turkey off of slouching or tucking your pelvis or collapsing your arches. You'll need to understand WHAT is good posture and ergonomics and then CHANGE how you're using your body. To this end, I'm offering a new monthly class series I'm calling "Everyday Ergonomics" one Sunday a month in Boonville. I encourage you to join us on this deep dive adventure focused on creating health postural and ergonomic habits in support of everything you're here on this earth to do!

OF course, assuming you've been unknowingly mis-using your body for many years, you'll also need to unwind the effects of the bad habits on your body (some muscles too short, some too weak, etc) so that you CAN get your body into good posture. For example, your head isn't going to align itself over your body until you lengthen your pectoral muscles and upper trapezius and strengthen a deep muscle called the longus coli. Oh, and untuck your pelvis. Your feet aren't going to have strong arches and weight off your bunions until you realign your hips and strengthen your foot muscles. Etc, etc, etc.

For this, my continuing Monday and Thursday "Stretch, Strengthen, Align" Series' is offered. This Yoga-inspired series involves exercises that help your body lengthen what short and strengthen what's weak so that you can be in alignment! Whereas "Everyday Ergonomics" is more theory, with some exercises, "Stretch, Strengthen, Align" is pretty much just what it's name suggests, plus occasional spurts of theory, because I just can't help myself!

Of course, I'll continue offering therapeutic bodywork, also in support of your alignment, and helpful to getting "unstuck" or dealing with chronic issues.

I hope that was helpful in understanding the "whys" of my different offerings. I look forward to working with you in whatever capacity in 2025!