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Insights on Being Well


12/13/2025 0 Comments

How do I move more when my work requires me to sit so much?

Okay, so in all honesty, this question comes from me and not a client.

My work requires a lot of sitting.
Zoom meetings.
Writing and computer work.
Reading and studying.
Even my work with clients as a craniosacral therapy practitioner.

And here’s the other honest part: I do not enjoy exercising for the sake of exercising.

I’ve tried many things over the years, and nothing seems to stick. Either I hate it so much that I’m not motivated to be consistent (running. ugh.), or I end up hurting myself and have to stop anyway.

It was somewhat easier when my son was younger. Getting movement into my day felt natural and fun. Shooting hoops in the driveway. Playing a “hand-ball” game we made up. Kicking a soccer ball around our field. It was play...exercise that came with laughter instead of discipline.

These days look different.

Picture of my dogs next to a pond on a recent hike.
​Thankfully, I’m blessed to live on almost three acres of land, with a two-acre field. My husband keeps a small labyrinth mowed in the grass for me, and I’m out there at least twice a day with the dogs. And occasionally we get out for longer hikes.

That's my most favorite kind of movement!

The kind of movement that comes easily for me.
What movements already come easy to you in your life?
Notice how it feels in your body to move without thinking about "exercise" or rules...

What I’m realizing is that I prefer the word movement to exercise.

​Exercise feels like work.
Something with a lot of rules.
Something I have to schedule.
Something that takes time away from things I want to be doing.

Movement, on the other hand, feels like something I can weave into my day.

Let’s be honest...I’m not going to go to a gym. I’m not going to jog down my road. I’m most likely not even going to use the treadmill in our living room that a friend gave us…nor the home gym/cable machine thing folded and taking up space in another room (also given to us by a friend, probably for the same reason. lol.)

So the real question becomes:

How do I find ways to intentionally move more in my daily life?
And yes, maybe even make time for specific movements (exercises 😫) that help strengthen weak muscles and reduce pain and discomfort.

Recently, my spiritual teacher shared the idea of “exercise snacks.” I’m going to tweak that slightly and call them movement snacks.

The idea is simple: when I'm already waiting for something, can I move?

For example, while I’m cooking dinner and waiting for water to boil - instead of looking for something in the cupboard to snack on, could I do a simple movement? A stretch? A yoga pose? A few intentional breaths paired with gentle motion?

How can I move more without committing to an actual exercise routine?

It’s outside my scope of practice to offer exercises to clients, but I imagine some ideas are already coming to mind for you. Maybe you’ve been in physical therapy and have a few simple movements you were given. Maybe you’re familiar with yoga and have a handful of poses you love, or ones you know your body would benefit from practicing.

Image with text: a gentle invitation...where in your day are you already waiting? What might it be like to meet that moment with a small, kind movement...letting it be an act of listening rather than effort?

None of this is meant to replace more formal practices like strength training or cardio. I know those matter. But we all have to start somewhere.

So what if we got creative about incorporating more movement into our lives, especially for those of us whose work or lifestyle keeps us more sedentary?

​This is a relatively new way of thinking for me.
And honestly?
I love it.
​
Happy snacking! 🌟

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11/28/2025 0 Comments

What do you mean by "nourishing resources" and why do you ask me about this on the health history intake form?

I first came across this phrase in Suzanne Scurlock's book Full Body Presence. Although the phrase itself was new to me, I was certainly familiar with the meaning of it. 

​Quite simply, what are the things in your life - activities, people, places - that nourish you...
that feel life-giving…
that nurture you...
that bring you joy...
that help you experience love...
that connect you to a sense of peace…
that “feed” you spiritually, emotionally, energetically, physically? 
Picture of a butterfly on a flower with the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ideally, these are things that are simple and easy to incorporate into your day to day living. As you can probably guess from this favorite quote of mine by Ralph Waldo Emerson, being outside in nature plays a significant role as one of my nourishing resources. But that's certainly not true for everyone!

Take a moment to think about this right now...what are the first three or four things that come to mind for you? Write them down on a post-it note or index card and keep it in a place where you see it often. Add to the list as you think of others.


Here are some of mine - hiking, being out in nature, walking and playing with our dogs in our field, playing a board or card game with my husband and my son, meditation and prayer, enjoying my morning cup of coffee while I read, listening to music, sitting in the back yard listening to and watching the birds, enjoying a campfire with my husband…

I ask about your nourishing resources on my health history intake form for two reasons:
  1. To encourage you to think about the simple things you have access to in your daily life that can support you on your healing journey. The things that you enjoy and find comfort in, that offer you a reset point. When you're aware of what nourishes you, it makes it easier to "choose nourishing resources moment to moment, no matter the situation" (Suzanne Scurlock).
  2. To help me gain a fuller understanding of you and your life, beyond your physical ailments and concerns. Your symptoms may be anywhere from mild to more challenging, but they do not define you. My hope is to be able to encourage you to choose your nourishing resources, moment to moment, so that you can continue your healing journey between our sessions.
The work we do together is truly a collaboration. At its heart, healing isn't something that is 'done' to you. It's something we participate in together and it unfolds over time. I support that process, but I don't push or force it. My role is not to "fix" anything, but to support your system in finding a new balance. And to invite you to turn to what brings you joy and connects you to love, so that you can show up from a place grounded in peace and gentle strength as you walk through even the difficult circumstances in life.

Thank you for trusting me to walk with you on your journey. 🌟
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8/22/2025 0 Comments

When you meditate, do you focus on your breath or do you repeat a mantra?

This was a question I was asked recently by one of my clients on the table. The short answer is... 
YES
Sometimes I focus on my breath. Sometimes I use a "mantra" in the form of an idea from my spiritual practice. Sometimes I do both. Sometimes I use another technique that works for me. But I think the real question being asked is...
 How do I deal with the incessant mind chatter that occurs when I try to sit in stillness?
Just to be clear, I am not an expert on meditation. I am, however, an expert of my own experience in cultivating a meditation practice. 25 years ago I started with a practice of sitting in stillness for 5 minutes. That was all I could seem to tolerate at the time! My practice has evolved since then and here are a few things I've learned for myself along the way...
  • My mind wanders. It is what it is. Rather than get frustrated about it, which leads to me wanting to give up, I make it part of the practice - a practice of noticing. Oh, there goes my mind again, doing it what it does...and now I'll bring my attention back to my breath (or back to my idea for the day)...Oops! There goes my silly mind again, doing that thinking thing it does. Let me come back to my practice. Let your thoughts simply be like clouds moving across the sky of your mind. 

  • The point of meditation is not to get it done in some perfect way, but to let it be a practice. It's like building a muscle, just like we would with learning to play an instrument or a sport. Let it be about the journey, not the destination. Practice. Notice. Watch what unfolds. Let it evolve. Let go of judgment and expectation. Let go of trying to get somewhere. 

  • Find ways to navigate around the blocks that seem to come up. When I first started my practice, it was inevitable that my mind would remember something important as soon as I started to come to a quiet place within myself. And then I would get stuck there, perseverating on it, worried I'd forget it. I started keeping a paper and pen next to me so I could quickly jot it down and then return to my practice. After a while, as my practice evolved, I didn't need this anymore.
​
  • It's okay to find what works for you. There are many different styles of meditation, but what it comes down to at the end of the day is what works for you to make it a consistent practice...
If music is helpful, create a playlist. If you prefer complete silence, try earplugs. If it's difficult for you to sit up, try lying down. If it's challenging for you to be physically still, try a walking meditation. Try things on. See what you connect with.
​It doesn't need to look like anyone else's way. Find 
your way and stay open to it changing as your practice evolves.

If you've been wanting to start a meditation practice, here are some resources I've found helpful:
  • Palouse Mindfulness offers an online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course. It's self-guided and completely free.
  • Insight Timer is a meditation app that offers a variety of guided meditations and meditation music to support your practice.
  • You may want to look into spiritual practices like Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Sufi Remembrance, and meditation practices from A Course in Miracles. (These are simply practices I'm familiar with, but there are many more from various spiritual traditions.)
  • And a couple PDFs that I created:
    • 5 Simple Tips for Beginning a Meditation Practice
    • Mindfulness Practices
Most importantly, practice patience and gentleness with yourself.
Peaceful practicing! 🌟
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    Christina Manuilow

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