The truth is... I can't cure my genetic connective tissue disorder. I can't make the chronic pain go away. I can't fix my crooked spine. But I CAN change the way I think and feel about these conditions. and that's both the hardest and easiest realization of all. *** For years (and far moreso in recent months) the pain has been the loudest voice in my mind. It made me sad, ashamed, angry and terrified. It made me question who I am, my identity, my self worth. It made me lie to anyone who asks, "how are you?" It made me short-tempered and morose. It literally changed my personality. It made me avoid and fear activities that I once loved. It made me believe that joy is beyond my reach because everything in my life will always be clouded by pain. Breaking out of this mindset is so, so hard. Especially when it seems like the healing will never really come. At least not in the way I hoped or expected. If you live with chronic pain or illness, then you know the feeling. But feelinga aren't facts. While some parts hurt, other parts don't. While I can't do everything, I can still do a lot of things. While I can't fight the pain, i can accept it with radical compassion. And I can continue to reach for my rope as a means to celebrate what I can do, especially when I observe myself mourning what I've "lost." The movement is the medicine. *** Sequence is Nordic Tailspin by @alpaca.flow and @jump_princess Rope is 2.2lb Kakarot SS by @slushropes Code FLEXY10 gets you a discount at checkout #ropeflowcommunity #ropeflow #EDSAthlete #chronicpain #chronicillness #chronicwellness #justflow #movementmedicine #ehlersdanlossyndrome #movingmeditation #weckmethod #rmtrope #flowrope #TeamSlush #officialslusher #slushropes

Existing in a body with #dynamicdisability is a powerful practice in mindfulness and self-compassion. The #chronicillness in my body makes my capacity for movement (and basic daily functioning) so incredibly variable. Some days, I can move with relative ease and low-level pain. But on flare days, #chronicpain and injury makes everything, even breathing, feel agonizing. (Those are the days when you don't see me in your feed, because i am still too shy to share what the other side of life with #ehlersdanlossyndrome looks like.) It's easy to get mad or feel frustrated at this unpredictable body. My brain wants me to focus on the pain, to mourn the many things I've given up or missed out on, to give up hope of ever feeling consistently "better." I've spent years feeling like I was at war in my own body. I felt betrayed, angry, hateful and humiliated at how quickly it loses capacity. I've lied and said "i'm good" when I'm not more times than i can count. I've hid the symptoms and flares from so many people because I've been gaslit over decades to believe I'm not worthy of care or compassion because my condition isn't "that bad." I've been dealing with these symptoms for decades. But in just these past few months, I've realized how this experience has led me into this new space of self-compassion, of acceptance, of surrender. Yes, there are still many things I can't do, many basic positions that cause pain, many areas of "dysfunction" in the body. But there are also many opportunities for healing, many moments for learning what my body needs on any given day, many chances to celebrate what I can do in the moment, even if the next moment brings a whole different sensation. So in this season of gratitude, I am giving thanks for this body. The joy, the pain, the ups and downs. I'm thankful for all of it, because #NoMudNoLotus. Even though you still hurt, I'm not mad at you anymore, body. I'm just glad you're here. #wellnessjourney #chronicpain #EDSathlete #movementismedicine #ropeflow #ropeflowcommunity #flowmies #rmtrope #weckmethod #getoutside #gratitude #mindfulmovement #freeflow #justflow #flowstate #movingmeditation #mindfulness

#TeamSlush #FridayFlow Theme: footwork Focus: stance switch Rope: Flow Hunter Rope Mace Club from @slushropes I just got this amazing hybrid flow apparatus gifted from my girl Slush. This is my first time ever using a rope mace club, and it truly is an awesome blend of two of my favorite toys -- flow rope and mace. At 2.5lbs, it's much lighter than my #steelmace, but the flexibility of the rope creates a whole new #maceflow sensation and experience. It is really fun (and challenging!) to explore how i can apply both rope and mace patterns using this new toy! Flowmies, you do not need to have a ton of mace or club experience to appreciate and enjoy a rope mace club. However, it does have quite a hefty head, so... swing responsibly! Code BEX10 for a discount at checkout #ropeflowcommunity

There's just something about this mace. It's beautiful, and it's powerful. It's often humbling. But there's an element of fluid strength that keeps drawing me back. *** This #steelmaceflow is inspired by the Sentinel Flow from @flowmadesimple ... Same landmarks, slightly different transitions and weight shifts. The original Sentinel Flow is really beautiful, but there's so much joy in taking a flow and making it your own. #justflow #steelmace #Maceflow

The secret to regulating your nervous system? It's here, in #flowstate. And it's easier to access than you think. You don't need to sit like a statue to have a transcendent experience. And you don't need to be a master of your craft to find #freeflow. You just need to pick up a toy that looks fun, put on a song that speaks to you, and start moving in a way that feels joyful and organic. Let this be your sign to explore a flow state practice today. #steelmaceflow #unconventionalfitness #steelmace

First (and last) attempt at #ropeflow in a long skirt. This is what we refer to around my house as a "tactical disadvantage." I see other flowmies doing it successfully, me not so much. 🤣 Rope is Huacaya by @slushropes Code BEX10 gets you a discount at checkout #ropeflowcommunity #teamslush #freethefails

#TeamSlush #FridayFlow Theme: footwork Focus: traveling/locomotion Rope: infinity braid RMT rope by @thedavidweck from @slushropes (CODE BEX10 GETS YOU A DISCOUNT AT CHECKOUT) Which of these traveling moves is your favorite? #ropeflowcommunity #ropeflow

More stable, more able. Stability training might not sound super sexy, but it's legitimately so fun -- and rewarding -- when we get outside the box and incorporate novel movement. Hypermobile bodies like mine need stabilization work, but we crave novelty -- why shouldn't we get to have both? And there's the added benefit of increasing our movement capacity and longevity. Train better, feel better, live better. #Hypermobility #hEDS #hypermobileehlersdanlossyndrome #correctiveexercisespecialist #movementismedicine

This month's #TeamSlush theme is footwork, and this week's #FridayFlow challenge is to incorporate this step-pivot footwork into any rope flow pattern. Two options☆ For newer flowmies: Two consecutive 180degree step-back pivots on the same foot For more seasoned flowmies: Two consecutive 180degree step-back pivots on the same foot AND Two consecutive 180degree step-foward pivots on the OTHER foot The joy of #ropeflow footwork like this is that you can match it to essentially any rope flow pattern with a bit of thought and exploration! I welcome you to give it a try! Rope is 2.2lb Kakarot SS by @slushropes Code BEX10 gets you a discount at checkout #ropeflowcommunity

N E U R O P L A S T I C I T Y When we train our body and our mind symbiotically, we can quite literally re-map our brains by building new neural pathways. Too often, conventional fitness insists that we have to train the body not just separately, but in opposition to the mind. The "Push Through" mentality is so prevalent that we forget there's any other way. But what if i told you that you don't need to stress your body to the max to build athleticism and feel powerful? What if you could work out in a way that makes your body, mind and nervous system more resilient and closely attuned? What if your training felt less like a punishment and more like a party? This is the premise behind Somatic Strength, my new mindful and joyful approach to small group fitness training. Six-week series starts up soon! If you're ready to start moving in a way that truly makes you feel good from the inside out, send me a dm! #unconventionalfitness #somaticstrength #lungematrix #movementismedicine #steelmace

#TeamSlush #FridayFlow Theme: outside the box Focus: wall plane paradiddle Pattern: overhead windmill to clock arms with 180 pivot, repeat other side! (A great shoulder strengthener, and a good excuse to work on the non-dominant side windmill, something i know many of us shy away from) Rope: Huacaya by @slushropes Code BEX10 gets you a discount at checkout #ropeflowcommunity #ropeflow

Early #TeamSlush #FridayFlow (rain won't stop me edition) Focus: outside the box Pattern: wall-plane / east-west paradiddle Challenge by @slushflows This was a really enjoyable challenge for me. I love a good single-single-double sequence and enjoyed the invitation to explore new ways to incorporate this rhythm into different patterns. This one i call whip-a-diddle: -high whip in -center swing -low whip in -behind the back pass and 180 pivot Repeat on the other side! Stay tuned, I will post my favorite 2H wall-plane paradiddle tomorrow. #ropeflow #ropeflowcommunity