Think handstands, headstands and lots of ‘upside down’ movement! Inversions require strength, yet allow one to see things from a different perspective. Inversions represent change, resulting from determination, balance and overcoming fear. (They also usually result in a lot of laughter!)
OK so this year I jumped on the gratitude and goals bandwagon to bring in a New Year. Usually this time of year is filled with family visiting due to living in a beach holiday destination – joyful but busy. And so my New Year reflection (and detox!) usually kicks off around Feb 1 as the last visitor leaves.
However, this year was unusually quiet and meant I could actually see what it felt like to be one of ‘those people’ that journals, sets goals, and actually sees sunrise on New Year Day (yes I did!). And to be honest – it was AMAZING!!!
ONE WORD!
Just when I thought I had it all together with my journaling, meditating, reflecting on a year that passed and dreaming of a year to come, I was challenged to come up with ONE WORD for my year ahead! I had written pages of dreams, hopes, visions…but one word? Simplicity like this does not come easily for me! (Hence why I’m still waiting to get my tattoo…every time I think of something deep to ink on myself, it ends up being an essay! That’s another new year resolution for another day!).
INVERSION
We brought the New Year in with some beautiful friends – playing cricket, surfing, swimming in the creek and enjoying a delicious espresso martini (did I mention that the detox starts in Feb?). I had this ‘one word’ dilemma haunting me in the back of my mind, so I delved into a ‘what are your dreams, goals, visions?’ conversation with our friends. Kids and adults alike had varied responses. “To give up school & become professional soccer players”, replied both our 9-year-old boys (predictable). “To give up chocolate”, replied both of our husbands (beer was not mentioned surprisingly?!). But my girlfriend’s response was “to do an inversion”.
Boom! There it was! My word! INVERSION! I loved how it sounded instantly (say it 5 times – it rolls off the tongue with silky smoothness – it’s the combo of ‘v’ with ‘s’ I’m sure!)
When my friend said it, she was talking about inversions in the physical sense – think handstands, headstands and yoga inversions. Admittedly, she was inspired when, at our Christmas Party, we bedazzled everyone with our perfectly executed round offs (we still have it!) and reminisced about our cross fit days of hand stand push ups and walking handstands. And so, her 2019 goal was to master these inversions!
“Inversions require strength, yet allow for a different perspective. They represent change, resulting from determination, balance and overcoming fear. They are all about heart above head. And usually result in a lot of laughter!”
To me this word represents so much – philosophically speaking. Inversions require strength, yet allow one to see things from a different perspective (upside down – literally!). They represent change, resulting from determination, balance and overcoming fear (i.e. the fear of falling on your head!). In a yogic sense – inversions are all about having your heart above your head – being in tune with instinct, using instinct as a guide and getting out of one’s head which can so often be debilitating, limiting and paralysing. And generally speaking, inversions result in a lot of laughter – not taking self too seriously! (My trusty F45 partner and I had to do wheelbarrow inversions this morning which resulted in more laughter than exercise!)
“How can I change my usual thought patterns from ones that cause me worry to ones that serve me? How can I turn these situations upside down?”
I’ve already started to use it. Yesterday when I had my annual end of festive season panic about cash flow as I reluctantly checked the bank accounts to see what damage the endless eating out and carefree holiday lifestyle has done, I thought ‘inversion’ and asked myself, ‘in this moment how can I look at things differently?’ How can I change my usual thought patterns from ones that cause me worry to ones that serve me? How can I turn this situation upside down? I instantly felt better! And then did a handstand (kidding…I was in the car!)
“I wrote INVERSION in the sand – it brought me immediately into the moment”
I used it the other morning after a beautiful surf. It was 6am and we were at the Pass in Byron and the waves were green and amazing! I caught two cracking, to the shore, long ones. Then, out of nowhere, 1 million surfers turned up! Obviously, they got the same memo that we did, however slept in 30 minutes longer than us! I’m not so good in wave crowds – not a master of the board yet and can’t handle the tension of being in the way of a pro on a wave. So, I got out…and ‘INVERSION-ed’ it. Usually I’d be hurrying my friend to get out or feeling like I ‘should’ go back in because I’m missing out (‘should’ and FOMO – terrible combinations). But instead I wrote INVERSION in the sand and it brought me immediately into the moment. I noticed a hot air balloon in the distance sailing up into the sky next to Mount Warning. I noticed two young boys totally carving it up in the surf while their proud Dad ‘cheered’ from the beach. I just sat on the shore for over an hour and felt so much stillness and joy just ‘being’ rather than worrying about ‘should’ and what others might think of me or expected of me. I literally would’ve done a handstand there and then if my swimmers weren’t giving me such a wedgie!
IN • MY • VERSION
Inversion is made up of two words – IN & VERSION. In 2019 – I’m making the commitment to be all IN! What VERSION do I want to be? How do I want to show up? I’m all IN and showing up in • MY • version!
GET YOUR HANDSTAND ON!
So, get your handstands happening, get your heart up above your head and use your strength physically, emotionally and spiritually to see each moment from a different perspective and embrace the change that you want for your VERSION of 2019.
What’s your word for 2019?
Wanting help with INVERSIONS, in the philosophical sense, this year? Are you thinking about looking at health and wellness from a different perspective? Or hoping for a changed approach to health, diet, lifestyle? To help with this, book in for a Nutritional Medicine consult.