Erin Brown discusses The Mental Gymnastics of a Contrology Self-Practice

Developing a self-practice is all about taking responsibility for your well-being. Like all elements of a healthy lifestyle (diet, adequate sleep, stress reduction, mental balance, etc.) it is certainly not an easy task. Read Erin's 6 step recommendation to get yourself started.

We all know that anything worth having will likely come with some sort of investment in time, money, or energy. The same is true of a personal Contrology practice. The big investment comes in energy and self-motivation.

But how do we manage to maintain a self-motivated practice when the world is screaming for our attention in a thousand little ways?

You might be tired, or you know you have a handful of people that need a response to something that feels far more important in the moment. Maybe you’re a little hungry, a little sore, sleep deprived, or sad about the state of the world. There are a million reasons NOT to get on your Mat and give yourself a workout.

Those who have a strong self-practice have all the excuses too! I personally have learned a few “tricks” to keep moving when I feel pulled in many directions or simply “don’t feel like it.”

1. Just start. Begin with the footwork on the Reformer, Roll Backs on the Cadillac, or your One Hundred on the Mat. Do something, and you will likely keep going. The hardest part is just starting. So hop to it.
2. Silence the notifications on your phone. This is YOUR time. You deserve a few uninterrupted minutes. Most of the time, it can all wait.
3. Give yourself one concept to focus on. This makes a workout less daunting. Maybe you’d like to explore the role of the seat today. Maybe you want to be hyper-aware of your two-way stretch. You could focus on your breath, the strength of the gut, or your upper back. But just pick one thing at a time.
4. Give yourself a One Repetition or Three Repetition Mat or Reformer. The order and structure are already there, which means you don’t have to invent a workout. Now move through it. Observe. If you have access to other equipment, ask yourself: What other apparatus would be helpful for your body today?
5. Be messy and imperfect. No one is seeing or feeling this but you. It’s okay to be a little messy as long as you’re safe.
6. Begin again. And again. Things happen in life that cause you to fall out of your regularity. You’re human and that’s normal. Start again with a pared-down workout that is appropriate for your body today. If you know where you are going mentally, your body will follow suit eventually. You just need to stop the dread or procrastination and begin again.

I personally have experienced many moments where my motivation has waned and the rest of my life feels outrageously distracting. However, I can’t say that I have ever given myself a Pilates workout and then regretted it. I always feel better, more alive, clearer, and as though  my energy can flow more freely toward whatever comes next.