Home›Newsletter›Issue 19
Not Everything is an Emergency
Be Like Dolly
By Jianna Bustamante, DPTWhole Health Weekly
Happy Friday and Happy Newsletter Day!
This week’s newsletter is coming to you from vacation, which feels pretty fitting considering some of the conversations we’ve been having lately.
Sometimes getting away from your normal routine reminds you how hard it can actually be to slow down. We get so used to doing, solving, working, training, planning, and moving on to the next thing that doing less can almost feel uncomfortable.
So this week, we’re talking about slowing down our reactions, controlling what we can control, enjoying some time away, and taking a little inspiration from Dolly Parton.
Let’s get into it.
Weekly perspective
Not Everything is an Emergency
Something goes wrong and it’s easy for our brains to immediately make it bigger than it needs to be. We get frustrated, anxious, angry, or start thinking about everything that could go wrong next.
One of the biggest points Gary and Peter talked about this week was learning to create a little space between feeling something and reacting to it. You’re allowed to be frustrated. You’re allowed to be stressed. But you don’t have to immediately do something with that feeling.
Give yourself a second and ask: Is anyone actually in danger? What can I control right now? What can I do to make this situation better? Will this even matter a week from now?
Most of the time, there’s a solution. And getting more worked up usually doesn’t help you find it any faster.
The goal isn’t to never get stressed. It’s to get better at noticing when you are, giving yourself a second, and choosing your response instead of letting the reaction take over.
As Gary likes to say, this too shall pass.
Exercise of the week
Hip Airplane
What is it?
The hip airplane is a single leg balance and hip control exercise. You hinge on one leg and slowly rotate your pelvis open and closed while maintaining control through the standing hip.
Why is it beneficial?
It challenges hip stability, balance, coordination, and your ability to control rotation. Instead of simply stretching or strengthening the hip, you’re teaching it to control your body while you move.
Who’s it for?
Runners, athletes, lifters, and anyone looking to improve single leg stability and hip control. If balance is challenging, start with one hand lightly supported on a wall or rack.
How to Perform It
- Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your knee.
- Hinge forward at your hip while keeping your back long.
- Keep your standing foot planted firmly into the floor.
- Slowly rotate your pelvis open without losing your balance.
- Reverse the movement and rotate your pelvis back toward the floor.
- Move slowly and stay in control throughout the entire rep.
Pro Tip
Don’t worry about how far you can rotate. Control beats range. If you’re wobbling all over the place, shorten the movement or use some support.
Common Mistake
Turning the exercise into a giant torso rotation. The movement should come primarily from controlling the hip and pelvis, not just twisting your upper body.
Healthy tip of the week
Healthy tip of the week
Be Like Dolly
With the passing of Dolly Parton this week, I found myself thinking about why so many people loved her.
Obviously, there was the music. But I think it was bigger than that.
She was unapologetically herself. She worked incredibly hard. She didn’t seem to take herself too seriously. She gave back. She made people laugh. And underneath all of the rhinestones, big hair, and one liners, there seemed to be a pretty simple way of looking at life.
One of my favorite Dolly quotes is:
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
Another:
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.”
And maybe the one we could all use a little more often:
“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”
That last one especially feels important.
Health isn’t only your workouts, your nutrition, your sleep score, or how many steps you took today.
It’s also whether you’re actually enjoying the life all of those things are supposed to help you live.
Spend time with people you love. Laugh at yourself. Do something simply because you enjoy it. Help somebody when you can. Wear the ridiculous outfit if it makes you happy.
And don’t spend so much time trying to become who you think you’re supposed to be that you forget to enjoy who you already are.
This week, Be like Dolly.
Make a life, not just a living.
This week in the clinic
Out of Office
I’m actually on vacation this week, so instead of telling you what’s happening inside the clinic, I’ll give you a little look at what I’ve been up to outside of it. I’ve been enjoying some much needed family time with my fiancée and his family.
Of course, marathon training doesn’t exactly take vacations, so I’ve been keeping up with my scheduled runs and crushed a 12 mile long run along the coast of Narragansett, Rhode Island. Not a bad place to get the miles in!
I’ve also had some time for one of my more hidden hobbies: watercolor painting.
I love watercolor because it forces me to challenge my perfectionist mentality.
My brother in law is a very talented artist, and he always reminds me:
You can’t control the water. The more you try to control it, the more frustrated you’ll get.
Which, when you think about it, is a pretty good lesson for a lot more than painting.
Sometimes you have to stop trying to make everything perfect and just see where it goes.
Enjoy a couple of my beach paintings!
Upcoming Events
- Prenatal Yoga + Pelvic Health Evening
- Tuesday, September 22, 5:30-7pm
- Location: Whole Health Solutions
- Stay tuned for more info!
- Fall GrotonFest
- Saturday, September 26, 10am-4pm
- Location: Legion Field Common
Jianna mentioned this week's Different Life podcast episode. Want to hear it?
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