Let Go and Get Tall

Let Go and Get Tall

Tension. We carry it in our bodies involuntarily AND voluntarily.Today’s stress inflicts tension before we even know it. And we tense up because we’ve been told it’s good for us – ‘Tuck your butt under! Suck in your gut! Lift up your chest!’ The trouble is, all of these commands prevent you from enjoying a strong, tall, natural, relaxed posture.Just relax and let go of your stomach and you’ll automatically begin to undo this tension. You can do it NOW, no matter where you are reading this. If you feel a bit dumpy when you let go of your gut, like your stomach is sticking out, then begin to change the shape of your belly by shifting your posture and stretching up the spine. By doing this simple move you will begin to shift your entire spine and this will result in a taller appearance as tension releases.It’s the tension or what physical therapists call “guarding patterns” in the body that contributes to pain. This is also why it’s hard to stand up straight or get your head back over your shoulders. The body wants to pull you forward because of the habitual tension around your spine. That habit started a long time ago due to our lifestyle of computer sitting, texting and staring at our cell phones. To shift out of this it may feel odd at first because you may not feel like you’re doing much when you stretch up the spine. Over time as you repeat this you begin to notice when your slumping sets back in, your shoulders creep up to your ears and head shifts forward.As you feel this old pattern return, you can STOP and Get Tall Again!

WATCH me give you examples here!

How to do it:

1. Let go of the stomach.

2. Press your head up into a something like a small towel or beany-bag.

3. You will feel the stomach area draw in from the upward stretch. Re-relax your chest and abdominal area and repeat the stretch again.

4. Now walk tall into your kitchen or wherever you need to go and notice the difference in how it feels to be aware of what is happening INSIDE of you than OUTSIDE of you.

5. Do this daily and notice how your gut gets smaller by just shifting your structure and relaxing your body. You may notice that tension begins to melt away as well.