Why we need Variety

We have all heard the saying: “Variety is the Spice of Life!”

Variety is one of our human primary needs.

The first, and most basic need we all have – our survival mechanism – is “Certainty”. This is our need to avoid pain and ideally, have some comfort and safety in our life.

Our true passion and aliveness is however found in the realm of uncertainty, or variety.

Variety creates excitement for us. That’s what adventure is. It makes us feel alive. And we need surprises in our life, because that’s what helps us grow.

We all strive to meet our need for variety in ways that can be good, neutral or bad for us.

Some people find variety by doing drugs. Others will do it by over-eating. Some may try extreme sports. Others may get variety from a conversation, or by setting a new goal. And still others get variety by having a big problem.

One of my favorite, positive ways to meet my need for variety is through movement.

For example each Nia session consciously invites “Five Movement Sensations”.

The 5 Sensations are: flexibility, agility, mobility, strength and stability (FAMSS).

All of these movement qualities are benefiting us in movement and in life, and together they create a unique and fun experience of variety.

There are a million ways to get variety. The only question is, what is our way, and is it helping or hurting us?

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Form or Freedom?

Do you love Form or Freedom?

When I was younger I rebelled against most rules and longed for more freedom.

Freedom remains one of my highest values.

Over the past years I have been learning about the power of consciously creating structures in my life.

These conscious structures and routines (for example what time I wake up or sleep, what and when I eat etc.) help support my highest desired outcome. They ultimately create more freedom and benefits for me in the long run.

I no longer blindly go against existing or recommended structures, and instead ask myself whether any “guideline” or “rule” would serve my highest interest.

Let’s ask ourselves where we might benefit from creating “new structures” in our life, and which structures might no longer serve us.

I first was drawn to Nia and holistic movement because I felt I could move more freely.

Over time I realised that the choreography (the form/structure of Nia) is specifically designed to help us become more adaptable and resilient.

Nia movement deliberately takes us out of our “habitual movement patterns” and “gently nudges” us to move in “weird or unfamiliar ways” which stimulate “new ways of thinking and feeling”.

We don’t get that if we only dance freely or only to choreography we love!