Sage Movement, Redmond, WA (2025)

12/08/2025

You Rest Isn’t Optional (Especially Now)

Life does accelerate at times. And when it does your body needs an essential practice to stay regulated, hydrated, resilient and clear.

That practice is recovery. And one such space you can practice recovery is with yoga.

Recovery means you get to reclaim something that was lost.

Recovery isn’t what you do once everything else is finished.
It’s what helps your body thrive, even with everything you’re doing right now.

If you work long hours.
If you stand or move all day.
If you exercise or train for a sport.
If meditation feels too still or too quiet.
If your body feels tight, stiff, or depleted.
If you’re tired, foggy, or stretched thin.

Yoga is one of the simplest places to start.

A gentle stretch creates real physiological change:
tissue hydration
increased circulation
greater pliability
connective tissue resilience

You settle into one shape.
You pause.
You breathe.
Your awareness turns inward.

This is how your tissues shift from rigid to adaptable.
This is how your nervous system recalibrates.
This is how your body finds space again.

You presence with yourself isn’t optional.
It’s essential.
Having a clear, accessible way to start is within reach.

And, hey, you'll leave smiling taking all that clarity, feeling more YOU as you step out into your week.

12/03/2025

How we live is just as important as what we do. It's having the ideas, thoughts, and feelings and then saying YES & WORKING towards what uplifts others and ourselves.

In studying Yoga, we come across the simple and profound. For example, we have the personal principles of Yamas & Niyamas (which include)...

nonviolence | truthfulness | not stealing | moderation & a conscious use of energy | not hoarding | seeing purity within ourselves | contentment/acceptance | self and spiritual discipline | self study & the study of the legacy of spiritual truths | surrender to things beyond myself, to the Higher Power that I didn't create but am a part of

The Yamas and Niyamas are historically the first two parts, also knowns as 'limbs', of an 8-limbed path of yoga. They're simple, powerful principles to guide how we treat others and care for ourselves, and move forward with clarity and peace.

It's not just what I say but what I do. And it's not just what I do, but how I do it.

With great compassion and love, people are fed and aren't going hungry.

Upholding the dignity of others, neighbors, people immigrating or seeking refuge and people far away, is when people's lives are centered.

When I speak towards myself with truth and mercy, I am able to hold both great joy and great sorrow - and it's all welcome and accepted.

Through diligent practice, we can feel less lonely. We can connect deeply to nature. We can powerfully create. And we can surrender.

I hope this time of year, both the ending of and the beginning of things, finds you in the middle of working through hopefulness. Finding your way, established, with all sincerity. I hope you have fun, find contentment and find yourself doing acts of great compassion, because you love and are loved deeply.

11/24/2025

It's that time of year....

The holidays and end of year work deadlines leave you rushing around, feeling pulled in every direction.

Recovery practices like Yin, Restorative, and Myofascial Release help you reset your nervous system, soften tension, and return to your life feeling clear instead of overwhelmed.

You don't need to earn this rest either. It's yours to do anytime, and just about anywhere.

Give yourself 10-90 minutes, close the door and RECOVER. :)

Choose one today—even ten minutes is enough to make a real difference.

These are 3 of some of my favorite ways to rest!

What's your favorite?

11/11/2025

The best part about a steady, enjoyable practice is when it spills out into your entire day, week, year ... lifetime!

Steadiness and joy are not opposites. When you build structure into your yoga, you make space for comfort, creativity, and play.

Maybe it’s three deep breaths before you begin.
Maybe it’s your favorite candle burning while in Savasana.
Maybe it’s the sunlight on your mat (...and having your dog there - bliss!)

Keep your rituals simple, repeatable, yours.
That’s the heart of sthira-sukham asanam: steadiness + ease.

→ Read my blog post Habits, Routines, and Rituals for a deeper look at how structure supports presence. https://sagemovement.co/habits-routines-and-rituals/
→ Download Your Yoga Class Guide to help you get started creating your own meaningful rhythm of practice. https://sagemovement.co/resources/

10/28/2025

How you move between moments matters.
Between poses, between breaths, between thoughts—
that’s where awareness begins.

We often focus on the big shapes of practice—how deep, how strong, how long—
but how we move from one place to another tells the real story.

That in-between is where control, grace, and confidence are built.
It’s also where we can pause and ask:

What’s happening in my body?
Where is my mind?
How does it feel to be here, doing this?

Transitions are teachers.
They remind us that strength and stillness are not opposites—they coexist.

As we move from October’s resilient strength into November’s structure & awareness,
let this be your invitation to slow down, breathe between movements,
and notice what’s changing beneath the surface.

Because the space between effort and ease
is where you meet yourself again.

“In the pause between breaths, the whole of yoga is revealed.” (adaptation of Yoga Sūtras 2.49-53)

Here's to beautiful changes for you.
— Michelle

10/22/2025

When she first came to me, she thought strength meant all sorts of things, but none of them was making sense for her body, mind & schedule.

Exercising became a hardship - trying to do everything “right” pushing to hard. Then giving up because it's too much. Over and over she would begin and stop.

Exercise was not working well for her.

But what actually changed everything was this —

Awareness and building trust with herself.

Asking: Where am I today? How do I feel? What time to do I have?

Knowing: My body is resilient. My body is constantly communicating with me. I can listen to my body. I can calm my mind and just reach for what makes sense for me for today. Even though I may not be able to do something today doesn't mean it will be that way tomorrow.

That’s the real transformation: strength that comes from self-trust.

Now, she listens. She adapts.
She moves with awareness instead of pressure.
And in that, she’s found a deeper kind of strength — the kind that lasts.

Resilient strength means you’re capable of:
• Beginning again, anytime
• Building strength and mindfulness in equal measure
• Rebuilding with care
• Progressing without pressure
• Moving with presence

If you’re ready to experience this type of strength —
the kind that meets you where you are and grows with you —
my new e-guide, “5 Essentials for Strength & Exercise Success Beyond the Gym,” will help you begin.

You’re capable.
Let’s start building your resilient strength — your way.

10/16/2025

You don’t need to chase the next trend or feel like you’re constantly starting over again.

For years, I’ve watched people pour energy into the latest workout plan—only to end up stuck, sore, or simply burnt out.

One client came to me in that place—exhausted from “doing all the right things.”

She didn’t need another program.

She needed to come back to the essentials of mindful exercise— listening to her body, refining recovery, rebuilding confidence.

A few months later, she wasn’t chasing cookie cutter exercise anymore.

She felt it—strong when lifting groceries, present in her workouts, steady when life got chaotic. She could tell what her body needed each day and had the tools to respond.

That’s what happens when you reconnect to the essential foundations of mindful movement.

If you’re ready to go from exhausted or over it, to confident in what to do and how to move for your body and schedule—
my new e-guide, “5 Essentials for Strength & Exercise Success Beyond the Gym,” will show you how.

Inside, you’ll learn how to combine the fundamentals of exercise with mindfulness and recovery—so you can feel strong, capable, and consistent.

Comment "essentials" and I'll DM you all the info.

Rebuild strength. Renew energy. Move with clarity.

10/15/2025

My new guide drops tomorrow, October 16th!

Here's why I wrote it:
Most workout programs skip the essentials that make progress sustainable—stabilizing strength, recovery, and mindset.

My new guide, 5 Essentials for Strength & Exercise Success Beyond the Gym, is here to support you for these essentials.

I’ve distilled what I’ve taught clients for more than ten years into one clear, actionable guide designed to help you rebuild, return strong, and stay consistent—without burnout.

Everything you need to reconnect to your body and build or rebuild your strength starts here.

Doors open tomorrow, October 16! Jump on my mailing list to be the first to have access to it.

10/15/2025

We’ve all been there. You want to stop haphazard, last minute, boring exercise routines and move beyond the endless cycle of starts and stops.

You want to expand our repertoire of strength-building (not just bicep curls folks) and experience progress in our own time, which is often limited.

You also want to feel good in your body, move well and feel motivated to build fitness and stay consistent.

BUT you don’t know how to begin - or, worse, you don’t have the confidence.

My new guide, "5 Essentials for Strength & Exercise Success Beyond the Gym" is here to support this.

And no, it's not too much to ask to feel good in your body and mind.

This guide has you covered. Giving you 5 essentials that I have taken my clients through for over a decade. Let me help you with the next phase of your fitness journey.

Guide drops October 16th! Join my mailing list to be the first to get access.

10/13/2025

Most people think progress means doing more—but real strength starts with doing what matters.

Extremes fizzle out. Injury can discourage. But when you focus on what’s realistic for you, you make steady progress — and avoid the exhausting cycle of stopping and restarting.

You can show up, work hard, and still feel like something’s off — fatigue, pain, or no real progress to show for your effort.
It’s rarely about motivation. It’s about getting clear on what it is you're looking for. That impacts your approach. (Why you don't need to push harder!)

Most random workouts skip the essentials that make strength and fitness sustainable: stabilizing work, recovery, and mindset are a few of those pieces. This is what creates balance, prevents burnout, and allows your body to adapt over time.

That’s why I created "5 Essentials for Strength & Exercise Success Beyond the Gym" — a short, powerful guide built from over a decade of helping clients rebuild, return strong, and find real movement practices for the long haul.

This guide is for you if you’re:
— starting again after injury, pain, or fatigue
— stuck in rigid routines that don’t feel right anymore
— truly bored with exercise
— ready to build strength and fitness that actually lasts

Inside, you’ll find 5 essentials most people miss when beginning, returning to, or rebuilding their fitness — each blending science, mindfulness, and practical action.

This isn’t about doing more or wearing yourself down.
It’s about doing what matters — with clarity, presence, and a long-term relationship to exercise that feels good in your body.

Guide drops **October 16**

10/11/2025

I’ve watched so many people jump into the hardest workouts, thinking that’s what progress looks like. But the fizzle-out is so real.

Getting really clear — instead of really intense and rigid — is what makes strength and exercise sustainable. Getting clear on why you want to exercise. Then figuring out how to get there kindly, skillfully, compassionately and for the long-haul.

I'm all for challenging ourselves to new fitness heights! It's so fun and so rewarding But if you venture always into extreme workouts, the burnout is real. You end up doing nothing.

I've got something coming next week. A guide that is built on essentials that are often overlooked with exercise. These skills will help you rebuild and return to exercise with balance and purpose.

Because the work that lasts isn’t found in a quick body-melt challenge — it’s built in the mindful, consistent choices you make today and everyday.

Stay tuned!

10/01/2025

When it comes to exercise, the hardest challenge isn’t always the workout, treadmill or dumbbell — it’s the voice in your head.

It’s an inner critic that says:
“It’s too late for me.”
“If I don’t do it perfectly, it doesn’t count.”
“My body just can’t.”

Let’s look at how mental agility can work for you…

You don’t need to silence those thoughts, but you can reframe them.

Here are some common self-defeating thoughts and some emotions behind them:

“I’m injured or in pain… exercise feels unsafe.” (I’m afraid, disappointed)
“Restarting seems impossible.” (I have overwhelm)
“My dumb body can’t do a plank.” (I distrust my body)
“If it’s not perfect, it doesn’t count.” (I’ve failed)
“Strength training isn’t for me.” (I don’t belong)

So pause & connect to your circumstances. Your honest truth for today. Then listen to what your voice of compassion - your inner teacher and coach - have to say:

“This doesn’t feel right today — I’ll try a variation.” (I’m creating space for myself)
“It’s not too late. I start where I am.” (I can begin again)
“I can grow strength through steady effort.” (I am capable)
“Perfection isn’t the point — any movement helps.” (Discipline doesn’t mean rigidity!)
I can exercise how I would like to. (I belong)

Reframe the thoughts, with honesty, and the intention behind them.

Being honest and compassionate with yourself is how you can begin to become your best teacher and coach.

That combination builds resilience, makes workouts more sustainable, and helps you show up consistently — without perfection or giving up hanging over your head.

Next time you're about to exercise, practice this:

Notice → Pause → Reframe.

Let your inner teacher and coach shine for you.

Sage Movement

12/08/2025

12/03/2025

11/24/2025

11/11/2025

10/28/2025

10/22/2025

10/16/2025

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10/13/2025

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10/01/2025

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