Monday Motivation - September 2nd
Hello, hello...
A pretty mixed one today to get y’all into the groove for autumn! Just basically a rundown of everything I’m liking, loving, finding interesting and inspiring at the moment. I hope you enjoy!
Recently I rediscovered the joys (and challenges) of minimalist shoes. Gone are the days when sporting a pair of barefoot shoes would result in looks of horror and dismay as you loped down the high street – enter Vivo Barefoot shoes. They now do shoes for everyone, including kids – or as I like to think of them, shoes for growing brains. These allow feet to move more naturally and supply the brain with more sensory information. I'm rocking these in the gym and for short runs at the moment.
Continuing the barefoot theme, I came across this guy, Tony Riddle, on Rich Roll's podcast. Tony is a “Natural Life-Stylist” who helps people bring more nature into their modern life through movement. Tony is also a big fan of barefoot running – in fact, he's running the length of the UK shoeless starting Sept 1st!
One of the key things he recommends is learning to do a proper squat, as it's a great form of mobility for most of the body; he calls it rewilding. Try this: every 20 minutes hold on to the edge of your desk and gently sit back down towards your heals and very gently bounce a few times. Then walk the length of your office (and maybe grab a glass of water, too).
Tony also recommends getting a peace lily to improve air quality at your desk. Bonus points: they're also pretty hard to kill.
Speaking of desks, we get that sitting at a desk all day isn't great, but how can we set it up so at least it isn't a total disaster? Well, watch this expert sort it out really easily. You're welcome.
Other things I’m really into at the moment…
Music: I'm listening to Wasuremono. Trust me, these guys are great. I've had their debut album, Are You OK?, on repeat for the past month.
TV: I'm watching Years and Years on the BBC. Woah. It is FULL ON. Set in the UK in the near future, it's a somewhat-scary look at where society could be headed. This six-part series stars Emma Thompson playing a Trump-ish leader with all the trimmings. Hold on tight!
Foam rolling: Do it while you watch TV (preferably during Years and Years – you’ll need a tension release after watching it) and use this.
Clothing: Here’s a truly eco-friendly t-shirt – it’s partially made with algae (yep, really) and biodegrades in soil or compost in 12 weeks.
It’s all about finding little things you can do regularly that will add up to positive change. :)
Peace out,
Luke X