100 Words: Socks on, Socks off

How I perceive the movement I do has a powerful impact on my health. In Ellen Langer’s study of hotel housekeepers, those that saw the work they did as exercise got markedly healthier.

The movements these housekeepers did at work increased their fitness – but only when they saw themselves as exercising while they vacuumed and made beds.

Functional fitness can work both ways: the exercise in our practice can make everyday movements easier, and the everyday movements we do can make our practice richer and deeper.

Experiment with seeing every movement as a choice for more health and well-being.