092 - Exercise Is NOT the Answer (Movement Is)

[00:00:00] I don't want to ever forget the joy of how it felt to move when I was a kid. I never wanted to overlook movement and mobility just for the sake of strength and traditional performance metrics. Everyone is weird. It's just a matter of how much you're willing to show that and to embrace that. If we can just make a little bit more space for that curiosity and that sense of wonder.

[00:00:27] Thank you for coming back for another episode. If you want to learn how to move better, how to live better and how community and playfulness actually help out your fitness, then listen because you'll get a lot from Coach Kells from Move Flow Fitness. Thank you.

[00:00:48] Welcome everybody to another episode of the Health Movement Podcast. I have an awesome guest with us here today, but before I introduce him, I just want to reiterate that we are not doctors. So before you go changing any program or anything like that, please check with your physician. Alright, now that that's all out of the way today, we're joined by Coach Kells, founder of Strength Flow Fitness, where strength training meets mobility and longevity. Coach, thank you so much for joining me today. Hey, glad to be here.

[00:01:18] So there's a lot I want to ask you here. And this is kind of a selfish episode, if I'm being honest, because I'm 47 myself and I've noticed my mobility is not what it used to be, even though I've been kind of focused on it for a little bit now. What made you get into this focus?

[00:01:40] Oh, well, man, it was just like, throughout the trajectory of my fitness career and journey. I always say that, you know, it's like one door has always led to the next. I've never wanted to just say, like, you know, this is how I work out and nothing ever changes. So I've just always been interested in exploring and expanding.

[00:02:09] And really just like seeing what, you know, how much I can expand my, my fitness. And I never wanted to overlook movement and mobility just for the sake of like strength and traditional performance metrics.

[00:02:27] And, you know, as I was kind of exploring in the fitness industry, this idea of being, being both strong and mobile just really captivated me. And I guess it kind of started with kettlebell training. And that led me to exploring the world of natural movement and primal movements.

[00:02:51] And, you know, it's just really unfolded over, over a couple decades now. And yeah, it's, it's really all been driven by a desire to not just want to not wanting to hit my, you know, fitness goals, but to take care of my body for the long haul.

[00:03:13] So I guess it really just comes down to valuing mobility and seeing that as something that's going to keep me healthy and moving well throughout my lifetime. All right. That, that response led me to like 15 more questions I want to ask you, but I'll just, I'll pick one for right now. So can you explain what primal movements are for people who aren't familiar with it?

[00:03:38] Yeah, absolutely. So I always say like, it's like we have to name things and give things a name, give things a title. But my whole approach to fitness has, has really been about escaping rigid dogma and, and really trying to get outside the box.

[00:04:02] So for me, we're so much of fitness is compartmentalized into these different spaces. Like we have strength training and we have bodybuilding and we have CrossFit and we have yoga and Pilates and powerlifting and like we all these separate things. For me, it was just always about like, how can we, what's the link? What's the common link between all our fitness, all our physical activities and hobbies?

[00:04:28] Um, and that's where this idea of natural movement or primal movement comes in. And the way that I always like to describe it is that no matter what sport you're doing or activity that you're doing, um, no matter what age you are, all of our human movement is comprised of these primal patterns.

[00:04:50] Um, pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging, hinging, stepping, twisting, um, no matter what we're doing there, it's all some expression or combination of these different patterns. So why not, um, why not look at our fitness in those broader terms? And that gives us a little bit more versatility and it starts to be able to bridge the gap between these different, these different boxes or these seemingly, um,

[00:05:20] uh, disparate pieces that we use to, to build our fitness. Um, I love that. It made me, um, I had a guest on a while back, Jesse Wright, who was in charge of player development for the Philadelphia 76ers. And I had asked him at one point, like, should kids be specialized in one sport? And his response was absolutely not.

[00:05:43] And it kind of brings me back to your point there is you don't want one movement or one pattern and that's it, or else your body gets stuck there. So your training has, has focused on incorporating all aspects of, it sounds like everything into a full body holistic approach to mobility and movement and health and longevity and everything. Is that a correct assumption there? Yeah, absolutely.

[00:06:12] And it's obviously like we, we, we can't do everything and we're not all meant to do all the things, but by opening up that scope of movement, um, I think it helps. And when we open up the scope of movement and we also look at like, well, what are you into? How do you like to move? Um, what really, what, what really lights you up? Um, and like start build your fitness around those activities.

[00:06:43] Take a look at like how you want to move. What's the big picture of your fitness and, and the life that you want to live. And instead of just following these kind of traditional prescriptions around exercise and fitness and diet, um, what if we start to individualize the approach and realize you have so many different options for how you move your body,

[00:07:07] but let's cover these, these, these, uh, major bases, be strong enough, be mobile enough, be balanced and coordinated enough, be skillful in your movement, and then gear these things towards, you know, what's actually meaningful to you as an individual. I love that. That's perfect. Um, so what lights you up? If that was what we're trying to individualize things, what's, what's, what gets you going with,

[00:07:36] with your fitness? What are you excited about? Uh, I, I guess it's just like, I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm in my mid forties now. Um, but I'm just forever a kid. I'm always going to have that, that kind of big kid energy. So I love bringing like a playful, creative energy to my workouts. I love to work hard. I love to lift weights.

[00:08:03] I love to challenge myself in different ways, but I'm always going to do that in a way that has like, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, and like a playful energy behind it. Um, I look back at all the different sports and activities that I did in my childhood. And I would want to maintain a connection to a lot of those movements, not necessarily everything,

[00:08:29] but I don't want to, um, I don't want to ever forget the, the, the joy of how it felt to move when I was a kid. So I still, I still hang on to that. And I say that because like, I don't want my workouts to just be this never ending pursuit of the next goal or the next peak. I want to stay inspired.

[00:08:55] I want to enjoy this and also see growth and also see improvement. Um, but it's not always about chasing the next peak for me. It's not always about the next goal or the next achievement. It's really about the process. And for me, that process is about how much fun can I have? How rich can I make this? How much, much joy and, um, and, and connection can I have to movement?

[00:09:24] Um, cause life is short. You, you strike me as someone who's still a kid at heart, which I think is the best, best way to live. Uh, completely the best way to live. I, uh, I teach 10 and 11 year olds and I, I had mentioned this prior while ago, but looking at kids at recess and what they do, they don't need anything.

[00:09:48] They just play, they run around, they swing on bars, they make up random games and they just, they just move. And I think as we get older, we lose that. And it's more sit on the couch, read the paper, not the paper anymore, but they used, people used to read the paper, these very sedentary activities. And then people complain that they can't do what they used to do when they were younger.

[00:10:15] And it's because they stopped doing those things that they used to do when they were younger. And the body has now adapted to a much more sedentary life. Um, how do you get somebody, let's say somebody in their forties comes to you and they haven't done anything in 15, 20 years. How do you get them started along this path? Hmm.

[00:10:38] Um, I, first and foremost, like what needs to be in places is the mindset and, um, and, and, and seeing the value in getting back to some of these,

[00:10:53] is getting back to movement over exercise and, and, and, and helping people get out of this mindset of rigid fixed exercise is really where it has to start. And I can't, I can't give that to anyone. I've learned that the hard way over the years. Um, there has to be some kind of, of, of point of entry.

[00:11:19] The door has to be cracked open where the individual says, what I've been doing isn't serving me. I, I, I want to try something different. Um, but when that opportunity exists, where I like to start people is by getting back to kind of the, the, you could think of it as like the developmental blueprint that mother nature guides. And that's what it leads us through as kids in our movement development.

[00:11:47] Um, which is why so much of my content is geared towards, uh, these primal ground-based movements, getting people back, um, you know, out of chairs and, um, down to ground level and getting moving in some of these very primitive ways that everyone has a frame of reference for, um, because that's how they moved as kids.

[00:12:13] And if you look at different cultures, if you go back, um, generations back into the ages, or you look at more like indigenous cultures, you see people moving in these, uh, more primal ways, uh, have more of a connection to movement based off of practicality and necessity. And, you know, we just try getting back to that.

[00:12:36] Um, and, you know, it, it, it's not about, um, you know, we live in modern times and it's not about, you know, rejecting all of these modern conveniences, but it is understanding that the fact that we have cars and we have chairs and modern footwear. And all of these aspects of our culture that kind of deprive us of movement.

[00:13:04] Um, it's recognizing, um, it's, it's first and foremost, recognizing that the limitations there and figuring out how we can create more, bring back more movement into the fabric of our everyday lifestyle.

[00:13:47] I like that. Change your nutrition facts, change your movement, make a purpose of taking the stairs and not the elevator or little things like that, that, that go a long way into living a more mobile life. Um, and I think, you know, I think to people as they get older, wanting to play with their grandkids and you see people try to get down on the ground to play with, with an infant or one year old or a two year old, and it's a struggle.

[00:14:15] And that doesn't have to be the case. And it honestly, it shouldn't be. Um, so I, I think changing that lifestyle is a huge, huge piece of it. Um, in terms of, you had mentioned nutrition, uh, a little while back there, what, what's your nutrition like? You strike me as somebody who isn't, isn't frequenting McDonald's too often and having a box of donuts for breakfast. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:14:44] I, um, I, I believe that nutrition is a really, um, it, it, it should in its essence be very simple and intuitive. Um, there's a lot of, I believe there's also a lot of landmines out there in, um, uh, regarding diet and nutrition.

[00:15:02] Um, there's all these processed foods and there's also just unlimited information that makes the picture of clean eating very complicated. So, um, I've been health, a health conscious individual for, um, many decades now.

[00:15:26] Um, I feel like I've had my phases where I've done tracking and I've run different experiments and all that's getting brought me to a point of being able to manage my nutrition very intuitively. So these days I don't track anything. Um, but I do, um, I do make, I don't know, 90, 95% of, of my own meals. Uh, I focus on whole food nutrition.

[00:15:56] I get the highest quality ingredients that I are available to me. And I just bring a lot of mindfulness and intentionality to, to how I eat. And that's really as simple as, as I keep it. Um, I feel like in today's age, especially there's, you look at, you look at health, let alone all these other aspects of life. Um, there's just so much information out there. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed and get bogged down by minutia.

[00:16:26] And I feel like that is incredibly counterproductive. So we have to find ways to make these, um, these aspects of our life as, uh, as intuitive as we possibly can tailored to us as individuals. And, um, and to just keep ourselves from, um, from missing the forest for the trees, so to speak. Yes. Oh, I agree. I saw this.

[00:16:55] Um, there was a reel, somebody put together about the power of marketing and he wanted to rebrand Pepsi to make it sound healthy. And the beverage didn't change. It was still a normal Pepsi, but he went through, it was on a black can and had the Pepsi logo in white. And then it said, because the number one ingredient is water, he wrote like hydration plus and gluten free and natural ingredients. And they were able to add all these things that weren't lies.

[00:17:24] They were all accurate to a point, but it's the way it was delivered. And the message that was given that I think a lot of people, um, trust. And it's unfortunately they're being taken advantage of. So the, the knowledge out there is, is difficult to weed through sometimes, um, with, you know, the marketers are smart. They got their jobs for a reason because they're good at what they do.

[00:17:48] Um, but we just have to, you know, we have to try our best to, to help people out wherever possible. And I think that piece of it is huge. Um, what's a workout look like for you? If you have 30 minutes, what's a, just one of your most recent things that you've done? What would that look like? It really depends on the day.

[00:18:13] Um, I guess just to like segue off your last point, you know, it's so easy for us to be manipulated by information and, and, and marketing. Um, because there isn't a lot of emphasis on developing and honing our own intuition. So, um, you know, we could say that like common sense is at an all time low.

[00:18:40] Um, I just feel like we're just not guided to listen to our internal cues. We're guided to listen to external voices. And that makes us very susceptible to misinformation, um, and clever marketing. And so my whole approach to movement is about fostering that intuition.

[00:19:03] It's about not just following the program, but have a plan set in place, but let your body kind of have the, the, the, the, uh, be in the driver's seat, have the final say of, of like what's going to be in the best interest, um, on any given day. So, you know, to like, what's, what, how am I working out? What's a 30 minute workout look like on any given day?

[00:19:32] I mean, it really depends on the, the status of my energy levels, my mood, what else is going on in my day. Um, I advocate for taking a very intuitive approach. Um, and I think a lot of people would, would kind of look at me sideways for that and do, um, because, oh, you have to have a plan and you have to be working towards goals.

[00:19:54] And if you're not, you're just guessing and you're just, you're just spinning your, spinning your gears and you're not actually making any progress. Um, to which I would say, you know, it's just like, well, how did you come to settle on the goals that you decided were so important? And what do you do when the plan changes?

[00:20:14] So, um, I think it's really important to make sure that we're checking in with what's going on internally and making sure that we are choosing how we move based on like what our needs are. Um, and recognize how those needs evolve.

[00:20:41] So some days my energy levels might be a little bit lower and it's a good day for just getting on the ground, staying with body weight movement, stretching, um, exploring these, uh, primal movement patterns without a lot of intensity, but just focusing more on the form, the execution. And, um, and using them as a way to communicate with my body.

[00:21:07] I say these practices are like having an ongoing dialogue or conversation with your body. Another day I might be feeling, um, higher energy levels. Um, and I might be amped up for some kettlebell training or some, um, some, some, some kind of training that has a little bit more intensity behind it. Um, and that's good too. But at the end of the day, it's always going to be rooted in, um, in these primal movement patterns.

[00:21:37] Um, I'm not using machines. I'm not doing too much isolation work. Um, but I am taking the time to, um, to decide, am I focusing more on the mobility end of the spectrum or am I focusing more on the strength end of the spectrum?

[00:21:56] Is it more of a restorative, um, type of movement day or am I, um, geared more towards the, you know, push myself, challenge myself performance end of the spectrum? So this is how, how I, I kind of, um, differentiate and, and make those distinctions within my own work.

[00:22:17] Now that I, I imagine took a long time for you to hone that, that ability to really listen to your body and know what you are able to do at any given time or what you need. Um, that's going to be very difficult for somebody who's brand new to all of this. So is this where your coaching comes in, where you can kind of guide them along that path? In a way, I don't think it's really all that difficult.

[00:22:46] Again, I just think it's competing with a lot of external noise. Um, again, where you, you know, you mentioned like kids going out and watching kids move. Um, that's the, that's the start of it. You know, that's the, that's, that's a point in life when, you know, um, kids are guided a little bit more by their intuition. And if they were continuing to follow that path, that becomes sharpened.

[00:23:15] And through experience, that intuition, um, kind of alchemizes with that experience. It turns to wisdom years down the road. It's just a natural pathway. Yeah. It just gets interrupted. We, we interrupt that when we say that everything has to happen according to certain rules. Um, we just kind of get away from listening to our own inner voice.

[00:23:40] So where I come in is I just, I start to get people to pay a little bit closer attention to that inner voice and how to reconcile it with some of the external voices out there. I think it would be really fun if we had like random kid games where it was, I don't know, you're in Milwaukee where, you know, in the city at 1230 on a Tuesday, it's an adult game of tag and you have 10 minutes to play or something stupid like that.

[00:24:10] That just gets people out and moving for a different sort of purpose and a different level of fun. I don't know how well it would go over and the number of hamstring pulls you'd have in an afternoon, but it would still be, you know, it'd be fun to, to get people back to that, that. That's a childhood sort of passion that we had to just, to just run and interact in that kind of setting would be fun. Well, I would say from experience, that would be very messy. There, there would be pulls, there would be injuries.

[00:24:40] And this idea of getting adults back to play is it, it's a lot harder than it seems again, because adults are in a certain mindset when they hear the word, oh, you just have to play again. And what ends up, what adults end up doing is imitating what they think kids are doing. And that's not actually it.

[00:25:04] So what we do try to do here locally, making, building community and having, having the chance to get adults back into a more playful mindset is we have kind of group training sessions, but we don't make it a class. We don't make it a thing where there's someone at the head of the room instructing everyone what to do.

[00:25:29] We kind of get together and everyone brings their toys or their, their items that they want to work with. And we just kind of get together in a circle and hang out and we teach and learn from each other. And we explore different ways of moving outside the box of exercise.

[00:25:49] And we get adults back into this, this mindset of ease and playfulness by making it more of a social experience than one that's about, again, like that's so focused on hitting the goals or, or competing. And honestly, that's what this show is all about to help people improve their health in ways that's sustainable, but also enjoyable.

[00:26:13] If you're finding value in this show, please consider subscribing, liking, commenting, you know, all the usual things, but it really does help the show out and help me to continue to bring incredible guests like Coach Kells to you every week. So thank you. And if you need help with any coaching coach Kells is available, you can reach out to him or to me, just check the link in the description. And now back to the show.

[00:26:39] That's, that sounds awesome. How did people learn about when that's meeting or how to get involved with something like that? And to build it up just very organically. It started out with just a few of us weirdos. And then when you're a weirdo, you know, other weirdos, you know, other people who might open to, to, to, you know, trying something new and it just grows very organically.

[00:27:06] It's very grassroots. And it's, you know, just kind of like invite friends. And now we have all these tools via social media to kind of organize. And so it just happens very organically. You invite people to come have a, have an experience and, you know, and say, Hey, we're, we're, we're meeting at this place at this time and try to keep that consistent. And it just naturally grows from that, from that consistency.

[00:27:36] So if people follow you on social media and they're in your area, then, then will those times pop up or is this more of a, um, uh, non, not, um, I can't think of the word, not specified sort of time and place. Well, I'm always, you know, it's, it's, yeah, absolutely. But I'm always encouraging people like with social media, it's like we're, we're spread out all over the world.

[00:28:03] And so when I'm showcasing what we do locally, it's really, it, if, if there are people around me that are seeing that sure, come hang out. You know, we're, we're, we're growing our, our numbers and, you know, we're building a community and you're welcome to come join.

[00:28:21] But I think more important than that is saying, like, if you're someone locally who is into, um, these alternative forms of movement, then start, start setting something up in your community. Start inviting people to come hang out and you'll be surprised at how quickly and organically that can grow, um, just in your own neighborhood.

[00:28:45] And so we've got these digital communities to connect us over distances, but then also you can, hopefully it empowers the individual to kind of be the beacon in their own community. Um, to, to invite people to step outside the box and do something, do something different in their world. I love that you said weirdos too. The, the weird ones are the more fun ones. I don't, normal people bore me. Give me, give me weird. Give me quirky. Those are the people that I enjoy spending time with.

[00:29:15] You'll learn a lot more. And then those people are usually far more authentic as well. People get too worried about, I don't want to be cast out as, as being different or weird or anything like that. And that's, that's where the good stuff is. That's where the gold is. So I really like that. I'm glad that you say that because I, I don't just, that's not just an offhand word that I'm using.

[00:29:37] It, it, it, it's really, you know, traditionally we can kind of think of that word weirdo as a negative, but this is like kind of rebranding that word. Right. And I think at the end of the day, everyone is weird. It's just a matter of how much you're willing to show that and to embrace that. That weirdness is our, our uniqueness, our authenticity.

[00:30:03] And it's when you allow it to be seen, you, you welcome it in other people and we create stronger, stronger bonds. And so when we're all too tight and too trying to be normal, quote unquote normal, we, we, we aren't really allowing that authenticity to flow.

[00:30:27] And it, it's, it's largely what keeps people in the box and doing things according to the rules and by the books. And we miss out on a lot of opportunities. So I'm very calculated about using that word to kind of rebrand weirdo as something that is a positive and something that should be embraced because at the end of the day, like we're all weird.

[00:30:51] It's just about like owning your, your brand of weirdness and, and, and hopefully like connecting with other people who share that. I, I absolutely love that. I've been teaching now 20, this is year 23 or 24. It's been a long time. And I have one of my students is this year. You should be considered a weirdo. And I could not enjoy being around this student more than it. It's so refreshing.

[00:31:21] And she told me what she's like, Mr. Oh, I think kids think I'm weird. And I'm like, no, like they appreciate who you are. You're just the only one showing everybody like this is you and you don't care. And it's, I try to get that across to the kids. Just be yourself. Those are the people, the ones that are truly themselves are the ones who people enjoy being around the most. It's the ones who are trying to fit into some ridiculous box. And I get it.

[00:31:49] We all have insecurities and we, it's easier to fit in than to stand out. But God, so much more refreshing when people are just themselves. And that's when you get to learn everybody else's different perspectives and point of view. And that's when, that's when you have fun. That's when you can really appreciate the day to day. So I love that you're trying to rebrand that. That's, that's really important. I think. I think. Ah, I love it. I love it. Thank you, coach. I appreciate that.

[00:32:18] So what, what, um, what's next for you? Do you, I know you mentioned goals a lot and things along that line, but it sounds like you just, you have a very open mind in, in wherever all of this is taking you is kind of where you want to go. As opposed to, I need to do this by then, or I need to do this by that. Yeah. Um, I, I found fitness at a pretty early age.

[00:32:47] Um, I was overweight as a kid and started working out, uh, I think after my freshman year of high school. And it's just something that I've done since then. Um, and that's a long time to, to, to be doing fitness things. So I really, um, I really view it as a journey and I have no plans of stopping.

[00:33:15] There's no end point to this. So, um, yeah, I do kind of take it as it comes and I, I, I try to welcome different, um, different opportunities in different seasons. Um, my fitness journey looks a lot different and has different priorities, um, now than in my twenties.

[00:33:39] Um, so it's what really, what really lights me up is continuing to learn. Um, and striking a balance between continuing to learn new methods and then also really dig in and get deep into, um, into a certain level of mastery of those methods.

[00:34:03] Um, at the end of the day, it's, I'm always a, not everyone's going to be like this, but I'm a, I'm very much a process oriented person. The quality of how I do things and the process with which I approach anything in my life means more to me than the end result. And that's really just how I'm wired and how that's, that's, um, I try to make more space for that in our world.

[00:34:33] That is a little bit more goal oriented and being that I've been on this journey for a very long time. It's, um, you know, I've, I've, I've set goals, I've hit goals. And I've also gotten to a point of kind of becoming exhausted by that process of constantly chasing the next goal and not having any time to truly enjoy where I'm at presently.

[00:35:02] Um, and that's one of that. I think that's kind of a cultural phenomenon. We're always like seeking more, um, more success, more achievement, more wealth. And when is there time to enjoy? And, and the, the constant through all this is like time keeps passing, keep getting older. The older I get, the faster my perception of time, um, seems to pass.

[00:35:31] And I want things, I want life to slow down. I want to be able to stop and take stock of what is truly meaningful and important and not be overly distracted by what's going to happen in the future. But keep an eye on that. Um, but also stay firmly grounded in the present and enjoy this season of life as it's happening because it goes by quick. It does.

[00:36:00] You strike me, uh, as a very grateful person. Um, is this something gratitude? Is that something you practice consciously or have you just, that's now who you are where you can take the time to reflect and be grateful? Hmm. Yeah. I think it's just kind of who I am and who I've become. Um, I am it movement for me.

[00:36:27] And this journey has been not solely confined to my physical development.

[00:36:40] I want my fitness, my practice of movement to be a positive force that, that, that, you know, promotes happiness and wellbeing, um, and resilience throughout my life.

[00:36:57] Um, so I, I, I am very grateful to, um, to be healthy and to be strong and to have the opportunity to feel so much, much passion for my work and so much joy in my movements.

[00:37:14] And, and, and, and movement has really just been this vehicle for, um, for some of these concepts, like, like gratitude, like, uh, personal development and growth and, um, being able to enhance my relationships.

[00:37:33] So it is this practice in my life that is, is, is, is never just confined to physicality, but what I learned from movements and the, the lessons that crop up in all of this, um, I try to squeeze as much juice out of those as possible. Um, and, and let that goodness overflow throughout my life. That's that's sorry.

[00:38:01] I'm just, you, you're making me think with, with your response and I, um, I appreciate that outlook in that, that, that viewpoint on life. Cause I think that is often missed where, you know, you blink in six weeks go by and you can't remember a single thing that happened because you're just on autopilot and you're trying to go to work and pay the bills and do all these things. And you're missing the, the small wonders that happen every day.

[00:38:30] You know, it could be a sunset or it could be a smile from your kids or even a stranger or kind word, or just, just so much about life is truly a blessing and wonderful that we get caught up in, in the day to day. We, we don't even see it. And it's not that anybody's a bad person or anything in that regard. It's just, you get caught up in the day to day.

[00:38:56] And then, you know, like you said, time goes by fast and, you know, I'm 47 now. So it, it, when I was younger, 47 seemed ancient. I still feel like I'm 12 years old, 16 years old, whatever it happens to be. My, my mind hasn't really changed, but it just, in the blink of an eye, it goes by.

[00:39:15] So, you, you know, being able to, to not force yourself to take time to appreciate it, but to just develop that sense of overall appreciation and gratitude and just sense of enjoyment for the moment, as opposed to always looking down the road as to what's coming next. I think is incredibly important.

[00:39:40] I think the, the gratitude is, it comes along by extension of constant curiosity. Um, just continuing to see the world with a sense of, a sense of wonder. Um, see the world through, uh, as childlike eyes as I can possess at 43 years old. Um, and that becomes harder.

[00:40:09] That becomes harder because we all have baggage. We all become more cynical as we get older. Our, um, the, the, the scope of the world becomes smaller. Um, but we can, if we can do what we can to keep staying curious about the little things around us. Um, you, you, there's so many little wonders that are always happening around us.

[00:40:36] Um, but so many things that we take for granted, just as commonplace that we overlook, um, because we are so busy, because we have, you know, things to do. Um, but if we can just make a little bit more space for that curiosity and that sense of wonder, I think it really creates more room and that grat, that gratitude just naturally flows. Um, so, and maybe a lot of people find that through becoming parents, at least for a time.

[00:41:06] Um, but I think it's something that we, we, um, actively need to cultivate. Uh, so things don't just become, again, normal or routine or commonplace, but we can just, you know, stay curious and stay in wonder. Um, and that's why like exploring movement is just like a very tangible, very, very tangible way to do that.

[00:41:32] Um, and, you know, we're also getting the benefit of, um, uh, of exercise and, and promoting physical health. Um, so we're stacking these different benefits physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, um, and even spiritually within, within, uh, uh, uh, a practice. And so then I think we start to like dissolve the, the boxes in our life and, and it becomes a little bit more holistic.

[00:42:01] We start to see the interconnection. Um, and hopefully life starts to, to fall into a little bit more of a, of a harmony and a flow. It's amazing when you put that out there into the world, it has this, this habit of, of coming back as well. And, and whatever you believe spiritually, religiously, whatever it happens to be, I, I've definitely seen it.

[00:42:26] But the more good you put out there, the more good comes back and it has a way of finding, finding itself. Um, so it's, it's a good, a good habit to practice and, and to just enjoy those little things. Um, I, I, I want to thank you so much for coming on. I don't want to steal too much of your time coach, but, um, how can people follow you or, or get in touch with you? What's the best way to do that?

[00:42:53] Uh, as social media, as, as we do these days, uh, strength flow fitness on Instagram and on YouTube. Those are the two places where I am the most active, especially Instagram. Um, I try to be really receptive to messages and conversation. Uh, I would say call me old school, but I feel like social media is an opportunity for us to connect and to build community.

[00:43:18] So I do try to, um, try to, to be accessible to questions and conversation because, um, you know, if, if anything is kind of emerged from our, our conversation here is that it's not just black and white, cut or dry, but this is all about like navigating our own personal journey and, um, embracing our individuality and uniqueness on that journey.

[00:43:46] And so I think that's programs and classes and, and these resources that kind of show you the way they're, they're helpful, but it's also, we also need each other to be able to like share, express and, and, kick ideas around. And I think that's what really helps us, helps us grow, um, mutually. Right. That's awesome. I agree with that. I'll put all that stuff in the show notes.

[00:44:13] Everybody, please reach out to coach Kelsey's, as you can tell an incredible man with an incredible perspective on life. Um, thank you all for taking the time to listen to the show. Thank you coach for hopping on with me. And, uh, I just want to make sure everybody stays weird as you are and enjoy every moment of it. Perfect. Perfect. Thanks so much for having me on.