One of the biggest misconceptions I see about movement is the idea that there's one "right" way to do it.
The right workout. The right routine. The right amount of time. The right level of intensity.
It's easy to believe that if we could just find the perfect plan, we'd finally stay consistent. We wouldn't have to think about it anymore—we'd simply follow it.
But after years of teaching, I've come to believe something very different.
There isn't one right way to move.
There are simply different ways to support your body, and what feels supportive today may not be what you need tomorrow.
The Goal Isn't to Find the Perfect Routine
Many of us have been taught to think of movement as something we either succeed at or fail at. We complete the workout or we skip it. We stay on track or we've "fallen off."
That way of thinking leaves very little room for real life.
Our energy changes. Our schedules change. Some days we wake up feeling energized. Other days we're carrying stress, sleeping poorly, or simply feeling different than we did yesterday.
Instead of expecting ourselves to feel the same every day, what if we allowed our movement to reflect the reality of our lives?
Your Body Is Always Giving You Information
One of the things I love most about movement is that it teaches us to pay attention.
As you move, your body is constantly giving you information. You might notice your shoulders feel tight after a day at the computer. You might realize your balance feels different today, or that you've been sitting for hours and your body is asking for movement. Other days, you may notice you're carrying more fatigue than you realized.
None of those observations are problems to solve.
They're simply information.
The question becomes:
What will you do with that information?
You Always Have a Choice
Our bodies are meant to move.
Movement isn't optional if we want to support our strength, balance, brain health, and overall well-being. It's one of the best ways we can care for ourselves.
What we do have a choice about is how we move.
This is where I think many of us have been led in the wrong direction. We've been taught there's one best workout or one routine we should stick to. If we can't do that plan exactly as written, it can feel like we've failed.
I don't see movement that way.
Once you've noticed what your body is telling you, you have a choice.
Maybe today is the right day for a strength practice. Maybe you've been sitting for hours, and a walk outside is exactly what your body needs. Maybe you're feeling scattered, and a few minutes of breathing and gentle movement will help you reset before moving on with your day.
The goal isn't to avoid movement.
The goal is to choose the kind of movement that best supports you today.
When we stop asking, "What's the perfect workout?" and start asking, "What does my body need right now?" movement becomes easier to return to because it fits our lives instead of competing with them.
Choice Builds Trust
I've noticed this in my own life, too.
There are mornings when I plan to do a longer strength practice, but then I realize my body is asking for something different. Sometimes I choose a walk instead. Other days I spend a few quiet minutes with my breath before I begin.
Making a different choice doesn't mean I've abandoned my plan.
It means I'm paying attention.
Every time we pause and ask, "What would help me today?" we strengthen something that often gets overlooked.
Trust.
Instead of forcing our bodies to follow a plan no matter how we feel, we begin learning to work with them. Sometimes the most supportive choice is to challenge ourselves. Other times it's recognizing that slowing down is exactly what we need.
Over time, those choices change our relationship with movement.
Instead of something we have to force ourselves to do, movement becomes something that fits into our lives and helps us feel more like ourselves.
This Is Why My Approach Looks Different
When I teach movement, I'm not trying to convince everyone to move the same way.
I'm trying to help people discover what works for their body.
Some days that might mean building strength. Other days it might mean improving balance, taking a walk, or spending a few minutes focusing on your breath.
None of those choices are "better" than the others.
What matters is that your movement fits your body and your life today.
That's why I don't believe movement has to look the same every day. When we give ourselves permission to choose what we need, movement becomes something we can return to instead of something we constantly have to start over.
A Different Way to Think About Consistency
For a long time, I thought consistency meant following the same routine no matter what.
Now I think about it differently.
Consistency isn't doing the exact same workout every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
It's continuing to care for yourself, even when what that looks like changes.
One day that might be a twenty-minute strength practice. The next day it might be a walk after dinner. Another day it might be taking a few minutes to breathe before bed.
The activity changes.
The intention doesn't.
You keep returning to what helps you feel your best.
What Will You Choose Today?
The next time you're deciding how to move, try asking yourself a different question.
Instead of asking,
"What's the best workout?"
Ask,
"What would support me today?"
Maybe the answer is strength.
Maybe it's mobility.
Maybe it's balance.
Maybe it's breath.
Whatever you choose, let it come from paying attention rather than pressure.
Because there isn't one right way to move.
There are simply different ways to care for yourself.
And learning to make those choices, day after day, may be one of the most valuable things movement can teach us.
A Gentle Place to Start
If you'd like to experience this approach for yourself, I've put together a free collection of three short practices called Support Your Brain + Body.
Rather than following a rigid plan, these practices invite you to notice what's happening, explore different ways to move, and discover what feels most supportive for your body today.
There's no pressure to do them in a certain order or on a certain schedule. Simply choose the one that feels right for you and begin there.
You can explore them here:
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