3 Ways to Reset Yourself

Collection: Tools & Techniques

A few weeks ago I was invited to do a workshop for People Dancing UK, an organisation for inclusive community dance. The theme was all about preparing for autumn. Scroll down for a YouTube video with 7 delicious reset movements!

Reset & Resilience

Take a moment to feel into the word “reset.” What does it stir in you? Perhaps it conjures the image of rebooting your computer or refreshing an electronic device—restoring it to its optimal state, free from clutter, bugs, and unwanted files.

Now, let’s explore the word “resilience.” What comes to mind for you when you hear it? Many of us think of resilience as a tough outer layer, but did you know that the root of the word tells a different story?

Resilience comes from the Latin "resilire," which means "to leap back" or "rebound." Like a sponge that regains its shape after being squeezed. Over time, resilience took on a metaphorical meaning, referring to our ability to recover from challenges.

So this means that resilience and reset are closely connected: both refer to a return to an original state. In today’s world, we often become "dented" by life's pressures—whether it’s work, relationships, or our own expectations. But the truth is, we all have a core, our original form, that is always present and waiting for us to return to.

But this metaphor introduces an important question: What is your original shape?

Step 1: Reflection

Take some time to reflect on your original shape. If you take out external (and internal!) pressures and expectations, who are you at the core of your being? And can you give yourself regular time, even if it is just 5 minutes a day, to 'spring back' into the shape that most authentically expresses you? You can meditate, put on some music, gaze out the window and connect with the season. Clarissa Pinkola Estes calls this 'returning to your soul home'. We all need this from time to time - or more regularly!

Step 2: Embodied Exploration

1. Tuning In with a moment of calm and a few deep breaths. How do you feel right now in this moment?

2. Find a shape to express how you feel about the coming months. Without thinking too much, let your body move how it feels about the period until Christmas. Are you excited, or daunted, feel joyful or stressed? What shape expresses this?

3. Explore Your Original Shape like in the first reflection above. Instead of thinking or writing about it in words, now find a repetitive movement or a still shape that expresses your original form. Just let your inner wisdom speak through your body.

4. Change Fluidly Between 2 and 3, bringing the resilience of your original shape into the months ahead of you, and feel how you can resource yourself time and time again by returning to your true nature.

5. Write down what you experienced to distill the wisdom gifts of your body even further.
   

Step 3: Movement Routine for Resilience Reset

Head over to YouTube for 7 simple flowing movements to balance your energy and connect with your body's natural rhythms. These restorative techniques help calm an overactive mind, support emotional balance, and foster a sense of grounded vitality. Perfect for when you need a quick reset, or to build resilience in moments of stress or transition.

Wave breathing ~ Spinal cord breathing ~ Mixing Yin and Yang ~ Repulsing the monkey ~ Embracing the tree ~ Grasping the bird's tail ~ Wrist cross flow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoDCOzPvWHI

The small print...

The featured image is a photograph of the information board of the Spring of Barenton in the ancient forest of Brocéliande in Brittany, France.