The Movement Connection
Written by Lesley Waldron
Lesley Waldron lives just outside of Bristol in an area called the ‘Wild Country’, hence the name of her business, Wild Country Woman. Her mission is to get women moving more outside, to taking their self care seriously. She's a 40 something mum of two who thinks we all need to connect to our inner wild woman occasionally, whether it’s through time spent outside in nature or letting our hair down with friends.
You can follow Lesley on Twitter & Instagram
Human beings are social animals. And being part of a community is an important part of our existence. You could say it’s essential.
But it’s easy to become disconnected. Life is busy. It feels like there’s not much time for anything but survival, or ticking the to-do list. And I think that this can have a knock on impact on our health. In my work in women’s health I create community and connection in order to better support the health and wellness goals of my clients and I also encourage clients to think about where their community and support networks are and how to build them. Exercise is a brilliant way to do this. It can be a connector, with yourself and your body, with others and with a community.
Dance is a great example of this - especially things like Salsa, Ceroc, or Flamenco - you have to be so aware of what you are doing, of what your partners is doing - but when the connection with the music, the movement and your partner is right…it’s magic. And you become part of a wider community of dancers - beyond just your weekly class.
Or it could be martial arts where the mind body connection is so important and powerful. It could be team sports like hockey, netball, football, ultimate frisbee - where you really need to play, move and be part of a team connection to reach your goal. Competition is important here, and not everyone enjoys that, but for some it's a great motivator and being part of a team is a great way of feeling connected into a community.
It could be a class where you move, connect and meet friends. It could be a yoga or pilates class where the connection with your body and breath can be powerful and meditative. Or an outdoor fitness class where you feel yourself get stronger, fitter and have a bit of a laugh along the way. It could be a walk, a run, a bike ride - on your own or with friends. Running communities like ParkRun are hugely social and supportive, as are many local running groups too, you don't have to be super fast to be a part of it. Cycling and walking groups are similar too.
Of course if you add in the outdoors you also add in that connection with nature, with the seasons, (and the weather), which can be so absent sometimes in our busy lives and so important. Just in case we lose it in the future.
If you feel more connected, you feel more confident, less alone, less anxious or fearful. You can go out there and seize your day, feel in control and able to face the challenges that life throws at all of us every day.
But I KNOW it can be hard to get started. I KNOW that there can be countless barriers, of time, cost, interest, motivation.
But there WILL be something out that that works for you and I want to encourage you to find it. The Wild Country Woman team believe exercise should fit into your hectic life and enhance your health in a positive way. It doesn’t have to be uncomfortable and intimidating. It can be fun and life enhancing as well. So, next time the sun shines on your desk at lunchtime head out for a 15 minute walk and let us know how you feel afterwards.
