Is self-worth enough?

We hear a lot about self-worth – how important it is to value yourself, to recognize your worth, and not settle for less than you deserve. I agree. And yet, I keep coming back to a question that is less often asked: What do I bring into the world? What can I offer? How can I become a slightly better version of myself every day?
Sometimes I feel that the modern idea of self-worth has removed the personal responsibility for growth and development. That we are “enough” simply because we exist. And that anyone who doesn’t meet our standards is automatically “not enough.”

What do I bring to the table?

• But I would like to invite you to pause and ask yourself:
• What do I bring into my relationships – with my energy, my words, my actions?
• What kind of vibe am I putting out into the world?
• Do I know how to give – not just demand?
• And how willing am I to become the person I want to attract?

If I want to attract more stability, security, maturity, and depth into my life… what kind of energy needs to live in me? What skills do I need to develop? What kind of person do I need to become – in practice, not just in words?

How you do anything is how you do everything

As a coach, I teach confidence and self-worth, and I believe both are essential. But here’s the thing: they always come hand in hand with real work on yourself, with self-reflection and conscious growth. Confidence and self-worth aren’t just declarations – they’re built in practice, through awareness, actions, and the energy we bring into our lives and relationships.
I believe that every human being has basic worth simply by existing. At the same time, I believe that the quality of the relationships we live doesn’t come from words or declarations, but from who we truly are – in our body, in our reactions, and in what we do every single day.
Self-worth isn’t built with words. It’s built with vibration, energy, and our actions. Because how you do anything is how you do everything.

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Ni osamljen primer. Veliko parov se po nekaj letih zveze začne čustveno oddaljevati. Ne zato, ker bi bilo z odnosom nekaj narobe, temveč zato, ker se z leti spreminjajo potrebe – in načini, kako želimo biti ljubljeni. Sploh pri parih, katerih odnos se je začel v mladosti, ko je bil svet bolj brezskrben in lahkoten.

A občutek praznine ni znak konca. Je klic k spremembi.

Ko krivdo prelagamo na druge, izgubljamo svojo moč

Prva stvar, ki sem želela, da jo klientka razume, je bila, da s tem, ko krivdo preloži na partnerja ali okoliščine (“on se je spremenil”, “on ni več pozoren”), svojo moč daje stran od sebe. To je korak, ki ga večina ljudi težko sprejme. Popolnoma normalno je, da si želimo, da bi se partner spremenil in da bi spet čutili ljubezen. A resnica je, da se sprememba vedno začne pri nas. Ko damo pozornost nase, ne pričakujemo več od drugih, da nas opazijo ali spremenijo. Začnemo videti sebe – svoje občutke, potrebe in meje ter se povežemo s tem, kar se dogaja v nas. Razumemo, da lahko izberemo svoj odziv – ali bomo reagirali iz stare rane ali iz zavedanja. Ta izbira določa, ali ostanemo ujeti v istem krogu ali ustvarimo prostor za rast in novo bližino.

Zato sem klientko povabila, da si prizna, da si je z odločitvami in dejanji ustvarila življenje, kakršno ima, in da ga lahko z novimi odločitvami oblikuje drugače.

Jasnost: česa si sploh želim?

Ko se znajdemo v praznini, pogosto ne vemo več, kaj točno pogrešamo. Zato sva s klientko najprej iskali jasnost. Vprašala sem jo “Česa si v resnici želiš?”
Večina ljudi zelo dobro ve, česa noče, redko pa zna jasno povedati, kaj si želi. In pogosto se jasnost začne prav tam – ko vemo, česa si ne želimo.

Še pomembnejše vprašanje, ki sem ji ga zastavila, je bilo: “Ali si sploh še želita drug drugega?” Ko pride do oddaljenosti, je ključno, da si oba iskreno odgovorita, ali obstaja še želja po drugem, ali ostajata skupaj le iz navade, udobja ali obveznosti. Ta vprašanja so priložnost za iskrenost: Ko si dovolimo pogledati vase brez olepševanja, se sprosti ogromno energije, ki je prej ostajala ujeta v zameri ali tišini.

Klientko sem povabila še, naj svojo pozornost usmeri v telo, naj si dovoli čutiti vse: žalost, jezo, sram, strah. Večina ljudi beži od teh občutkov, ker niso prijetni. A prav tam, v neprijetnem, se skriva ključ do spremembe. Ko si dovolimo čutiti, lahko spregovorimo iz ranljivosti, ne iz obramb. In ravno iz ranljivosti nastane globoka povezanost.

Namesto: “Ti nikoli …” ali “Ti vedno …” poskusite z: “Želim si…” “Kaj potrebuješ, da…?”

Tak način pogovora gradi mostove, ne zidov. Ko zamenjamo obtoževanje z radovednostjo in pričakovanja s prisotnostjo, se lahko odnos znova začne – tokrat z več iskrenosti, topline in globine.

Pravi trenutek za pogovor

Klientka je povedala, da partner med resnimi pogovori začne nemirno hoditi po stanovanju in da je z njim “težko” načeti tak pogovor. Povabila sem jo, naj spregovori njegov jezik: Če se partner sprošča v gibanju, naj težje teme odpre med sprehodom ali skupno aktivnostjo. Pomembno je, da se pogovarjata takrat, ko sta oba čustveno dostopna – ne utrujena, ne razdražena.

Dolgotrajni odnosi niso nagrada za nekoč doživeto zaljubljenost, temveč rezultat zavednega dela – poslušanja, razumevanja, potrpežljivosti. Če čutiš, da v tvojem odnosu ni več bližine, to ne pomeni, da je konec. Pomeni, da te tvoje telo in srce vabita, da pogledaš vase. Da ugotoviš, kje si se izgubila – in kje se lahko spet najdeš. Je povabilo, da s partnerjem odnos zgradita na novi, zrelejši ravni.

Ljubezen ni nekaj, kar se zgodi samo od sebe. Je nekaj, kar vsak dan zavestno so-ustvarjamo. Najmočnejši korak, ki ga lahko narediš, pa je, da ponovno stopiš v stik s sabo.

The post Ko v partnerstvu izgine bližina… appeared first on Move with Leia.

She smiled and said something that forever changed the way I see the world: “Money is just one of the many currencies that exist in this world.”

Money is not the only currency

It took me a few seconds to really take that in. Then I grabbed my phone and wrote her words down. What a brilliant thought! Just because society gives the highest value to certain “currencies” — like money, status, and productivity — doesn’t mean they have to be the most important in my life bank. Of course, we need money to live. It provides safety, food, and a roof over our heads. But how many other forms of wealth do we overlook every day? What about the feeling of peace and joy when you wake up? The freedom to choose how and with whom you work? The time you give to your child, your friend, or yourself?
The attention you offer someone by truly listening — without interrupting? The courage to follow your heart, even when you’re afraid? These are the invisible currencies that create inner wealth — the kind no bank can measure, but which contributes most to genuine happiness.

Positive psychology — the branch of psychology that studies what makes people fulfilled and thriving — reminds us that happiness doesn’t come from external circumstances, but from our inner experiences and values. Professor Tal Ben-Shahar, one of the leading voices in this field, says that happiness is not the result of success, but the path that leads to it. When we focus on inner currencies — like gratitude, connection, peace, and freedom — our intrinsic motivation, creativity, and resilience naturally grow. That means we actually function better when we’re not driven solely by financial outcomes, but by a sense of purpose and meaningful connection.

A reflection exercise

Here’s a simple but powerful exercise for you:
Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths. If you wish, place your hands on your heart and feel your breath. Then take a piece of paper and answer honestly:

• If your life were a bank, which currencies would you collect besides money?
• What do you want to feel more of — even if nobody pays you for it?
• What does the word success mean to you?
• Why do you need money, and what does it actually bring you?

When you look at your answers, you’ll quickly see what truly makes you happy — and how much space it currently holds in your life.

Money is a tool, not a goal

Money itself is neither good nor bad — it’s a neutral tool that we fill with our own meaning. If we see it as a means for freedom, creativity, and growth, it can serve us. But if it becomes the goal, we soon find ourselves serving it instead. The real question isn’t “How much money do I need?” but “What do I want to do with my time, energy, and resources?”

When we live in alignment with our inner values, a paradox often happens: money starts to flow more easily — not because we chase it, but because we act from joy, purpose, and creativity instead of scarcity.

The life dividends that truly count

That day spent with my sister gave me more life energy than work ever could. I realized that these simple moments — conversation, closeness, understanding — are what truly fill my life bank. In a world that measures success in numbers, we forget that the greatest wealth is the one that can’t be measured: peace within, a morning smile over coffee, a sense of connection, an honest word.

The post If your life were a bank, what “currencies” would you collect? appeared first on Move with Leia.

There was a time when I danced under neon lights, high on music and adrenaline. In my 20s, I worked as a go-go dancer in busy nightclubs. On the outside, I looked confident. Inside, I was searching for validation, never feeling “enough.” Behind the sequins, I carried self-doubt. Even when I could command a stage, I felt invisible off it. I told myself I was “lucky” to dance, but deep down, I worried my worth was tied to how I looked, not how I felt. No matter what I achieved—in work, friendships, even on stage—it was exhausting to constantly feel like I wasn’t enough.

But slowly, things began to shift. Through movement, through conscious dance, and by choosing to come back to my body again and again, I started to see the lie for what it was:
“I’m not enough” is a thought. Not a truth. 

What I’ve learned over time, both through personal experience and somatic coaching, is that the body doesn’t lie. It communicates in ways words often can’t:

• Collapsed chest
• Tense shoulders
• Avoiding eye contact
• Holding your breath

These are more than habits. They are stored responses—your body trying to keep you safe, often based on old patterns and unprocessed emotion. But here’s the good news: the body is also where reconnection begins. Not by forcing confidence or pretending to be someone you’re not, but by softening, listening, and letting movement bring you home to yourself.

Dancing Alone: My Oldest Escape

Since childhood, I’ve always found comfort in dancing alone in my room. It was my way to escape, to process, to be myself—long before I ever stepped onto a stage. Back then, it was intuitive ritual that helped me feel free. Only recently have I started to give this private dance more structure and intention, letting it become a conscious practice for presence and self-connection.

Movement as Self-Connection (Not a Cure-All)

I’m not a healer or a therapist. I simply use dance to get closer to myself, my body, and the present moment. Movement isn’t about fixing myself or chasing some perfect version of confidence. It’s about meeting myself honestly, just as I am. And here’s something I remind myself often: A fish will never fly through the sky like a bird. But it can be the freest fish in the ocean.

I stopped trying to become something I’m not. I started choosing depth over performance. Presence over perfection. I truly believe that dance and movement—when guided from the heart—is one of the most healing tools for building self-trust and confidence that can’t be faked or erased.

Try This Mirror Breathing & Movement Practice

If you’re curious to reconnect with yourself through movement, here’s a gentle practice you can try at home (watch it here):

Stand in front of a mirror.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly.
Close your eyes and take a few deep, slow breaths — in through your nose, out through your mouth. Let each exhale be a little longer than the inhale.
After about eight breaths, gently open your eyes. Look at yourself — really look.
Then softly say: “I am beautiful. Just as I am — I am enough.”

And then… allow yourself to move.
Circle your shoulders, your head, your hips.
Run your hands over your face, your neck, your scalp. Not to fix anything — just to remind yourself:
You are here.
This body is yours.
And you are whole — exactly as you are.

This may seem simple, but it’s a powerful shift. Speaking to yourself with kindness, while moving and breathing, can begin to dissolve patterns of self-criticism and reconnect you with your worth.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to become someone else to be confident. You don’t need to perform to be loved. You just need to come back to the truth of your body, one breath and one movement at a time.

If this resonates with you, you’re warmly welcome to join one of my online classes or future workshops in Ljubljana. There’s no pressure to be perfect—just an invitation to show up, as you are.

Because that’s already enough.

With love,
Leia

The post “I’m Not Enough” – the Lie I Believed for Too Long appeared first on Move with Leia.

If you love running or have an active hobby like dancing, hiking, or kite surfing, you know how essential it is to stay on your feet. Our busy lifestyles often lead us to spend the week sitting in front of a computer, only to engage in intense physical activities in the afternoons or on the weekends. This kind of lifestyle requires us to be extra cautious. It’s easy to overlook the small yet vital joints like our ankles until they’re compromised. This is where preventative exercises come into play.

Why Ankle Strengthening is Important

The importance of having a resilient body cannot be overstated. Regular exercise isn’t just about feeling good; it actually helps our bones grow longer and stronger. Scientifically speaking, weight-bearing and resistance exercises stimulate bone formation, increasing bone density and reducing the risk of fractures. This is crucial for maintaining an active lifestyle, especially as we age. The mobility of our ankles can be taken for granted until it’s suddenly taken away. Ankle stretching and strengthening can go a long way in preventing accidents, maintaining proper walking mechanics, and preventing the weakening of knee and hip muscles.

Exercises for Better Balance and Ankle Strengthening

To help my colleague, I created a short guided ankle and foot workout that can be easily followed at home. These exercises are also especially great for those who rely heavily on their feet and ankles, like dancers and runners. You can access the video here – it is free of charge:

Incorporating These Exercises

Integrating ankle exercises into your daily routine is a smart move if you want to stay active and healthy. They help build stronger ankles and contribute to overall balance and stability, which are essential in preventing falls and other injuries. By making ankle exercises a regular part of your daily routine, you’re taking an important step toward enhancing your performance in any physical activity you love. Remember, taking care of your body today means you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite activities for years to come.

Prevention requires so little energy but can help save so much of your precious time and the lifestyle you love.

The post Ankle Exercises for Strength and Flexibility appeared first on Move with Leia.

True, we are not animals, but our bodies are often stiff and inflexible after (a night of) rest. Morning exercise helps wake up our muscles and joints, increase blood circulation, and prepare the body for activity, especially if that activity involves an 8-hour desk job.

Why Did I Start Exercising in the Mornings

I started my morning exercises 10 years ago, initially due to back problems. At the time, it was a necessity, and I am sure I would have quickly given up the habit if I didn’t believe it would help alleviate my pain. What started as an obligation became a routine and eventually a way of life. Over the years, I became passionate about safe movement.

As I achieved excellent results with morning exercise, I began to delve into the theory and research what exercises are most suitable for increasing flexibility and mobility. Alongside my education, I developed my own sequence of exercises that are optimal for (my) body. I have compiled them in the video “Essential Morning Exercises,” which you can access for free here.

4 Reasons for Morning Exercising

If pain is not enough motivation for you to start exercising (and I sincerely hope you’re not there yet), let these 4 reasons motivate you:

Reason #1:

As mentioned at the beginning: after a night of rest, our bodies are stiff and inflexible. Exercises wake up our muscles and joints, increases blood circulation, and prepare the body for the active part of the day.

Reason #2:

Regular morning exercises prevent stiffness and reduce the risk of injury. A stiff body adopts a forced posture, muscles begin losing flexibility, and by the time you are thirty, you can barely bend down to the floor, your back hurts, and it’s hard for you to get up from a chair.

Reason #3:

Morning exercises increase energy levels and improve focus. Physical activity releases endorphins, which improve mood and reduce stress. This helps us start the day more energetically and empowered.

Reason #4:

With regular morning exercises, we maintain or even increase muscle mass, thereby strengthening our bones and joints, improving posture, balance, and overall health. This is the recipe for being able to hike, ski, dance, etc., even at 70 years old. 😉

There are even more reasons, I’ve covered only the key ones. The choice of how you live your life is always yours. We usually wait for some pain or illness before we start changing our habits. But why wait? Anyone can find 20 minutes 4-5 times a week, and all you need is a flat floor and enough space to lie down and stretch your arms and legs.

If you have any additional questions or need help and motivation, I am here for you.🤗

You can listen to this blog post here.

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My Personal Journey with Back Pain

Years ago, after an unsupportive diagnosis from a specialist doctor about the herniated disc in my lower back, I had two options:

• To stop dancing and wait for the situation to worsen enough to undergo surgery, or
• To continue dancing and find alternative ways for healing.

Taking Control of My Health

I decided to take my life into my own hands. I sought ways to eliminate the pain and the negative consequences of dancing and my otherwise mostly sedentary life. Along the way, I discovered and educated myself in various exercises that strengthened my body, made it more flexible, and thus reduced the pain.

Discovering Passive Stretching

What happens when there’s pain in your body is that the body adopts a forced posture, leading to stiffness. In my case, particularly, the hamstring and chest muscles began losing flexibility. Classical stretching didn’t help in the long run.

I came across passive stretching, based on yoga concepts. I tried it out and noticed that my body was quickly becoming more flexible and pliable. I was thrilled with the results! After the exercises, I felt wonderful, my body began to miraculously unlock, and the pain decreased. I’ve learned that greater mobility and flexibility are key to a more enjoyable, pain-free everyday life. That’s why I attended the Flexibility Coach™ teacher program and obtained a license.

Sharing My Knowledge with the Core Vibe

The exercises and knowledge I gained from this training, I now share with you, my beautiful soul:

• You can join me completely FREE for a 5-Day Mobility & Flexibility Challenge, or
• You can participate in a 2-week online program, The Core Vibe.

What is the Core Vibe?

The Core Vibe program is a system of exercises designed to help you improve your mobility, flexibility, and reduce the feeling of tightness. The program lasts 14 days and will take only 15 minutes a day! In it, I combined yoga and dance principles that will help you transform your flexibility and reduce stress.

What You Will Gain from the Core Vibe Program:

• You will improve your flexibility, mobility, and posture.
• Releasing tension in areas of your body where you hold stress is another benefit.
• Additionally, you will increase mobility and flexibility in your shoulders, back, hips, and hamstrings.
• The exercises will help you listen to your body, meet and overcome its limits.
• You will relax and relieve stress through the exercises.

Staying in a passive stretch is a great way to start communicating with your body, observing it, and understanding how you can support it. It’s a great opportunity to offer it love, attention, and energy. Your body is like a vehicle that runs on love. Fill it with positive energy, and it will serve you well!

Areas that You Will Address:

1. Shoulders: The chest is a common area of restriction. In our modern way of life, we spend most of the day hunched, working at our desks, bent over a computer or mobile phone. As a consequence, our shoulders and spine get rounded, the chest muscles become tighter, which eventually may cause upper back pain and impact our breathing. Shoulder opener exercises will open the chest and correct your posture.
2. Hips: Hip mobility needs to be addressed because hip tightness is a very common issue since most of us spend a majority of the day sitting. The ability to rotate efficiently at the hip joint is crucial for overall health since your hips drive many of your daily movements. Hip-opening poses will help you increase your hip mobility.
3. Back: Many of us harbor tension and stress throughout our bodies, especially in our backs, resulting in pain. These back opener poses will help you relieve back pain.
4. Hamstrings: Hamstring muscles are very important for your spinal strength and mobility. They play a key role in many daily activities such as walking, running, jumping, picking things up from the floor, tying your shoes… They stabilize the knee joint, as well as maintain hip and torso positioning. Hamstring injuries are relatively common, often due to muscle tightness. Therefore, it is very important to stretch your hamstrings regularly, which is exactly what these exercises will do for you.
5. Full Body: Addresses and stretches different parts of your body at the same time. Relaxes your body and relieves stress.

Here is my key takeaway after 10 years of exercising: Exercises are not a magic wand that would miraculously heal my back, but a lifelong investment that would accompany me every day. Exercising became part of my daily routine and today, I am grateful for them because with age (and wisdom), I see that they are a step towards a more vital life. And I invite you to join me on this path ❤️

The post The Core Vibe Program appeared first on Move with Leia.

Early Years

Since I can remember, I have danced. When the situation at home prevented me from training, I would lock myself in my room and create choreographies. It was my escape from the world, from the difficult situation at home. When I closed my eyes, surrendered to movement and music, I felt at peace. Joyful. I was no longer afraid of anything; I gave myself permission to be whoever I wanted, without anyone yelling at me or telling me how to behave… As a student, I finally got a chance to dance again and I buried myself in dance like a hungry cat that hadn’t eaten for days. I danced everything I could afford, and the dance school became my second home. However, the heavy feelings stayed with me: that I wasn’t good enough, that no one saw or noticed me, the exhausting constant comparison with others, seeking attention and validation outside myself, bitterness at failures and rejections, frustration when dance moves didn’t flow… the list is endless. I lived in a tiring cycle of criticism, dissatisfaction, and complaining. Does this sound familiar?

Back Pain & Transformation

Until the back pain, I was constantly feeling, became so intense that I had to STOP and start thinking about my life. After an unsupportive diagnosis from a specialist doctor about the herniated disc in my lower back, I had two choices:

• to stop dancing and wait for the situation to worsen enough to undergo surgery, or
• to continue dancing and find alternative ways for healing.

This time I chose dance, took life into my own hands, sought alternatives, and found myself on a path of personal transformation along the way. Along with physical work and treatments, I was forced to challenge all the beliefs I had about dance and about myself.

Present

Today, a few years later, I can say that dance is my greatest teacher and tool for personal growth and transformation. Through it, I learned to be present and to focus on myself. In this presence, I practiced accepting myself and the way I move. I learned to listen to my body and establish a connection with it. I learned how to pick myself up when I fall. Through dance, I practiced patience and a growth mindset. I realized everything is a learnable skill; we are not fixed or predetermined beings. I also learned that there is always room for improvement and that it’s much more rewarding to focus on the journey rather than the appearance or the goal. When I truly surrendered to dance, I experienced profound changes in my perception of myself and the world around me. ❤️ Dance helped me overcome fears, express myself, release suppressed emotions from my body, develop confidence, connect with my body, and discover new sides of myself. And this is what I can give you, my beautiful soul: I want to share with you everything I have learned through dance about life. I believe that everything is in the mind and that life in its fullness begins when you choose yourself every single day. Therefore, I invite you to join my world and become the change you wish to see in the world. I am here to gently push you when needed and catch you before you fall. ❤️

The post About Leia P. – Move with Leia appeared first on Move with Leia.

Emotions

Our life is a cycle: there’s no exhale without inhale, no night without day, no rain without sunshine; and we experience a range of emotions, each contributing to the richness of life. Our feelings are like our best friend: you truly get to know them when you spend a lot of time together, have honest conversations, allow yourselves to be vulnerable with each other.
The same goes for feelings: if you truly want to understand them, you need to spend some time in their company. How will you understand what the feeling of sadness or loneliness is trying to tell you if you keep running away from it? And how can you truly accept and love yourself if you deny half of yourself?

Here is an insight that changed my perspective of feelings and emotions: When a person has an emotional reaction, a chemical process begins in the body that lasts about 90 seconds. This means that we have 90 seconds to observe the emotion, feel it, and then see it disappear. After this time, any remaining emotional response is just the choice to stay in that emotional loop. It is our thoughts that are re-stimulating the wiring that results in us having this physiological response over and over again.

Exercise to Feel Emotions

Here’s an exercise that you can do the next time you feel any uncomfortable emotions: find a quiet space where you can be completely alone and undisturbed for at least half an hour. Play some meditative music, close your eyes, and allow your body to start swaying to its rhythm. In your mind, scan your body and feel where you sense the uncomfortable emotion – place your hands there and just allow yourself to get to know that feeling better. No analysis, no conclusions, just be in allowing, remain curious. Imagine this is your best friend whom you want to understand so you can help her/him. E-motion is energy in motion so allow your body to transform it into an energy that freely leaves your body. Don’t interrupt the process, just be present and breathe. When you feel better, you can stop and relax.

Will this ‘unpleasant’ feeling return? Most probably. It will keep coming back until you understand and accept it. The more you practice presence and releasing, the less intense it will become, and the easier the letting go process will be. And someday you’ll reach a point where you realize the feeling is no longer there…

Let me know if you did the exercise and what it did for you. 💖

(Prefer listening instead? Click here for the audio.)

The post How to Embrace and Release Uncomfortable Emotions appeared first on Move with Leia.

In today’s post, I want to share with you the steps that helped me in the past. Partly to remember them if the situation arises again in the future, but mainly to help you if you’re dealing with a back pain. (Especially if you are not too keen on medicine, surgeries, painkillers, etc.)

Step #1: MOVEMENT

I began with targeting exercises to strengthen and stretch my body simultaneously. We are so neglectful and ignorant of our bodies. We expect superpowers from them, yet we do nothing in return. You have a headache, you take a pill. You’re feeling unwell, but you keep working and medicate yourself. You experience pain and you visit the doctor for an injection, and once the pain subsides, resume your activities as if nothing happened.

We address the pain but not its root causes. If we treated our bodies like cars, never servicing them, filling them with poor fuel, and driving them relentlessly on rough roads, they would soon fail us. I decided on regular body servicing instead😊

A) MORNING EXERCISES:

To start, I found some wonderful exercises addressing imbalances in my body. I performed them regularly, initially EVERY day, later 4-5 times a week. At first, it took me 45 minutes every day, meaning I had to wake up at 6 am instead of 7 am to get to work on time. At first it was incredibly challenging. Many times, I dragged myself out of bed like a zombie, with anger and hatred towards the whole world and myself. Over time, I realized that exercises were not a magic wand that would miraculously heal my back, allowing me to live “happily ever after”, but a lifelong investment that would accompany me. Whether I liked it or not, they became part of my daily routine if I wanted to live with less pain. Today, I am grateful for them because with age (and wisdom), I see that they are a step towards a more vital life and will support my dance and other hobbies for years to come. I recorded a my morning exercises, and you can find here for free: 

B) CORE-STRENGTHENING EXERCISES:

The most important realization was the need to address the core muscles, which represent our frame. They are responsible for allowing us to stand, walk, sit, and so on. The more we strengthen these muscles, the stronger our bones become, the more support we provide to our skeleton, the less pain we experience, and the more active life we can lead (even in old age!). In this video, I have gathered exercises specifically designed to relieve back pain.

Along the journey of exploring and alleviating pain, I stumbled upon another wonderful treasure trove of knowledge: pilates. The founder, Joseph Pilates, developed the exercises in the early 20th century with the aim of relieving pain and developing a more vital body. Dancers discovered the exercises, using them to heal their injuries and spread pilates worldwide. I became Certified Pilates Instructor and began using it in my work. You can find the video addressing the muscles of your core here.

C) STRETCHING EXERCISES:

In addition to morning exercises and strength-building exercises for the core muscles, I started stretching. What happens when there’s pain is that the body adopts a forced posture, leading to stiffness. In my case, particularly, the hamstring and chest muscles began losing flexibility. Classical stretching didn’t help in the long run, and in my exploration, I came across passive stretching, based on yoga concepts. I buried myself in study, cursed all poses after 1 minute, quickly noticed that my body was becoming more flexible and pliable. I accomplished a Flexibility Coach™ teacher training program and recorded exercises in the form of a free five-day online challenge, which you can sign up for here.

Step #2: SELF-WORK

I rolled up my sleeves and dove into the toughest task in the world: myself. We accumulate a lot of old grudges, unsupportive beliefs, pent-up emotions, worries, and stress in our bodies. Since I wasn’t a fan of self-help & personal growth books in the past, I didn’t have much information on how to reframe my mind, so I turned to a psychotherapist. I visited her once a week for two years straight. We addressed many things and peeled the past out of my body, yet I still felt like we only touched the tip of the iceberg. With her help, I gained a strong foundation for further self-exploration, leading me through numerous programs, coaching, therapies, and eventually to meditation. To touch the depths and address the subconscious, it is not enough to work only with the mind. I took away another hour of sleep and started intense meditations, initially lasting an hour or more; today, I also use shorter ones 😊

Step #3: SUPPORTING THE BODY

To this day I try to support my body with quality food (unprocessed, plant-based; I removed most dairy products, meat, and eggs). But in reality, I learned that HOW you eat is more important than WHAT you eat. Because you can eat the healthiest meal in the world, but if you accompany it with low-vibrational emotions, the meal will turn into low-vibrational energy.

One more thing I support my body with: magnesium. I seek out pure powder (magnesium citrate, which doesn’t kill my spirit with a bad taste) and drink it once a day. This is by far the best support for my muscles and bones.

I started communicating with my body, observing it. I ask it how I can support it. I’ve begun to connect with it, offering it love, attention, and energy. I’ve started appreciating it, becoming grateful for it, praising it, and showing it affection daily. The most surprising thing was that I established the strongest connection with it through dancing. Why surprising? Because I’ve been dancing my whole life, but it was only recently that I started using dance as a therapeutic technique to accept my body and myself. I no longer judge myself for how I dance; instead, I focus on how dance feels when I connect with my body… It’s one of the most important things you can do. Your body is like a vehicle that runs on love. Fill it with positive energy, and it will serve you well!

Summary

After ten intense years of self-work, when theory finally became practice, I understand that working on myself has become my way of life, which will accompany me until the end. What was the key realization I encountered on my journey of exploration that forever marked me? That I am completely responsible for my life and that as I decide it to be, so it shall be.

Here is tough love for you: stop shifting responsibility onto others, complaining, seeking quick fixes, and reasons for pain outside of yourself. It’s time to take control of your life, reclaim your power, take action, and put your body in motion. Everything is possible if you decide to change. All the tools are available to you – just grab them in your hands.

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