Blog / April 28th, 2022
Our bodies, our life
Welcome to another month with our wellbeing theme ‘our bodies, our life’ focusing on our physical selves. With our getting out in the Spring weather, warm and sunny, windy and wet or otherwise, do we ever, for example, think about how our bodies function in different temperatures? Are we a hot weather lizard or a cooler weather frog? And how much time do you spend sitting down rather than on your feet?
As I write this I notice today is ‘On Your Feet Day’ and although by the time this is made public the day will have passed, you might find some of their tips useful to balance your work life. I am at my standing desk this morning but will be sitting down later. They encourage standing time and time sitting throughout your day. You may have that movement built into your day, for example, if you are a teacher, but if not, why not check out their site here: https://onyourfeetday.com/
For those of you who have active interests like guiding or running, you might find this a fascinating article from Michael Mosley, with his new ‘Just One Thing’ series and giving us a completely new angle on that root vegetable that stains our chopping board pink, the humble beetroot.
We can also pick up all sorts of ideas for our lives as volunteers from the Girlguiding programme; have you seen any of the UMAs that the Rangers use? From using body language to influence others positively ‘Resist this’, to harnessing the power of non-verbal language and improving how to work well in teams ‘Don’t say it, display it’.
In ‘Resist this’ the aim of the activity is to filter out the influence of others around you, to go with your ‘gut’ reaction, as making independent decisions within a group can be difficult. It describes an interactive game that involves physical expression, like jumping into a circle or jumping out. It aims to help with listening skills, trusting your instincts and resisting the influence of others.
With ‘Don’t say it, display it’ the activity aims to look at low and high-power poses and how they can affect conflict. It explores body language by trying it out to harness a relaxed and assertive physical experience ready to handle pressure and conflict situations. Talking about how it feels helps incorporate an understanding of how we communicate non-verbally.
There are lots of similar activities for all levels, Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers.
Wishing you all an energetic month, setting an example and holding the space for your unit, embodying your interest in and dedication to your girls and to Girlguiding.