How Movement Can Help You Tune Into Your Emotions - with Elaine Macey of 4Motion CIC

Do you keep a lot of feelings bottled up inside of you? Or find it hard to express and release them in ways that feel good? Movement could be the key.

In this episode, Stacie chats with dance and yoga instructor, Elaine Macey, about how mindfully moving the body can help us safely tune in, connect with, and shift our emotions, our thoughts, our breath, and our authentic selves, so that we can take more aligned action each day.

About out Guest
Co-Founder of 4Motion CIC and the 4Motion Online Community. Elaine has extensive experience and a passion for inclusive dance, yoga, fitness and community events. She thrives on teaching, delivering training and facilitating experiences that spark creative ways of moving, learning and engaging with people and nature. Elaine manages the 4Motion Education and Community Programmes, delivers CPD and INSET training for school teachers, teaches our Flow Yoga and SUPYoga classes, manages and delivers our 4Motion Retreats, and works with our wonderful 4Motion Youth Ambassadors to run community projects, performances and youth training. www.4motioncic.com

Transcript

Stacie Clark
Hey, welcome back to the quiet connections podcast. It's me, Stacie  I'm joined today by our good friend, Elaine Macey. Both myself and Hayley have been on coaching courses alongside Elaine, me and her in 2018, when we did our NLP training together. And Hayley and Elaine last year when they did their Blue Health Coaching training.

And I think we can all agree that within those environments deep and beautiful bonds can be forged. And that's certainly true in this case. Elaine is a Co-Founder and Director for 4Motion CIC with a mission to help people stay moving connected and feeling positive through delivering accessible high quality dance, yoga, fitness, and wellbeing classes, workshops, and projects.

In today's episode, Elaine and I chat about the role movement plays in bridging our internal and external experiences to help us feel more deeply into our emotions, to become curious, playful explorers of our own lives, to help release anxiety and tension and breathe life back into our being, and ultimately take aligned action. There's so much to explore here. So let's dive on in.

Hi, Elaine. Thank you so much for joining me this morning. I'm really excited to be having a chat with you. How's your morning been?

Elaine Macey
Hi Stacie. Yeah, it's a real pleasure to be here this morning. And yeah, really, really good start to the day thank you. The blue skies and went out for my run on the coast and got very muddy and then jumped into swim.

So I've kind of all topped up on mother nature and I've got my zing on, so yeah.

Stacie Clark
Oh that Sounds amazing. Perfect way to start the day.

Elaine Macey
I've just done some kitchen dance as well. I like to, but yeah.

Stacie Clark
Lovely, so just to start off with then, if you just want to share a little bit about who you are and what it is that you do?

I know some people might recognize you from the Move Like No One's Watching workshop that you did a couple of weeks ago, which was great. But yeah, if you'd like to just introduce yourself a little, that would be lovely.

Elaine Macey
Thanks, Stacie. Yeah. So, gosh, I, I set up a company 15 years ago called 4Motion. We're a community interest company, and we are on a mission to help as many people as possible stay moving and connected.

And I think that that value that we've held very close to our hearts for the last 15 years has particularly come to life in the last year with obviously the pandemic. So I guess that's me on a, on a, on a Workfront, but, Elaine away from work, you know, I love the ocean. I love nature. I love moving. I love dancing and, and just connecting with people.

So. I enjoy volunteering. I'm also an NLP practitioner and a Blue Health Coach and, yeah, just enjoy making the most of life. And often that involves some form of movement. So,  I guess my personal life and work life sometimes merge together because 4Motion is very physical in what we offer. So, yeah, a bit about me.

Stacie Clark
That's amazing. And I love, like, I always feel like I say this to you when I speak to you,but  I just love your energy. You have such amazing energy that you bring to everything.

So obviously we met, I think it was 2018, which was on the NLP practitioner training and, yeah I feel like we had quite a connection then, and in recent times, like we we've come back together again and it's been so lovely to, to reconnect with you. So yeah. I'm wondering, well, where to start today, like, what do you feel is like the, the thing that feels so true to you right now?

Elaine Macey
That's a really good question. And it's something I've really kind of been diving into, particularly this year.

I'm a bit of a sucker for new year's resolutions. I love the change. I love the closure over of a year and the start of a new one. I spend a lot of time journaling and reflecting and I'm a bit of a goal setter as well.

So I guess I've been thinking about the year ahead, but obviously it's been quite hard. What was the pandemic around and restrictions and things. So. It's, what I've learned this year and over the last year is, is to kind of really draw, focus on my own mental, physical health, and wellbeing and, and how I can invest in myself and be the best version to then be able to show up for other people.

Because I guess my, my ultimate passion is, is to help other people find their happy and find their thing and find their dance and find whatever it is they want to find. And so I've got this real, bubbling buzz at the moment that I'm, I'm enjoying my journey and wanting to share that with other people. So I'm just kind of navigating what that might look like and how I can do that through my, my work.

Stacie Clark
Oh, I love that so much. And that feels quite similar to kind of where, where I am at the moment. And actually, I feel like a lot of people have kind of been exploring that over the last year of like, what is actually my, my higher purpose and how do I express that and bring that into my, my everyday living life?

And, and , yeah, and I mean, that's such an it's an interesting thing to explore, isn't it? Because it can feel so intense and confusing at times, but also very liberating and it's scary and exciting all at once. Like how, how has that journey been for you so far?

Elaine Macey
Um, like therapy. I think I voluntarily put myself into my own therapy.

I guess once you you're up for that journey, I'm I, I kinda like it even. It's like a roller coaster. Isn't it? You need to, if you want to go up to the high point, you've got to experience the lows and all the ebb and flow of life. And I've, I've kind of started this year with a real. Energy of like, okay, bring this on Elaine.

It's really unpack your fears, your vulnerabilities. How do I want to show up? How do I want to connect with people? How do I want to nourish my own mind-body being, and it's been a real eye-opener and there's been some dips actually. Yeah. In the last couple of weeks. Facing those fears and really sitting with what they feel like.

And I guess I'm quite a kinesthetic being. So I was noticed last week, I wanted to communicate, say something to someone, but like didn't, and I felt it in my throat. So kind of that linking of like the chakras or how you feel energy in your body. And it just felt like this like lump in my throat. And I was like, Hey, I need to really sit with this.

Now the old Elaine would have just been like. Oh, don't communicate that, that, you know, just ignore it, move on. Whereas the process of sitting with it and, you know, I either do breathing exercises or my yoga or journaling and all of a sudden that sensation went and then I felt quite liberated when I got to communicate what I truly wants to communicate.

And I think that's why the beauty of NLP and the coaching and how movement I believe is a wonderful language to connect with people. So. Yeah, quite a journey.

Stacie Clark
Yeah it sounds like it, and as you were saying that, I was just thinking, as you mentioned that your very kinesthetic so that you feel, I suppose, like everything that you're experiencing within your body. And I was wondering actually how that related to your need for movement and that kind of passion that you have for that?

Elaine Macey
Yeah, I think I've always, I mean, apparently I was quite an energetic child and you know, my parents took me to dance classes when I was very young and was very lucky to be introduced to lots of different forms of dancing and moving or sport.

And, and so that's always been my way of hobbies and enjoyment, how I socially met people, but also how I've learned. Like, you know, I love DIY. I love. Cooking. I love , expressing myself physically. So I think once I, and actually the NLP course a few years ago really allowed me to own that. And that came up again for me this year, where I'm on a, on a coaching course at the moment. And I discovered I'd lost my dance . When I realized that, I mean, when I say I lost my dance mean as in I've stopped dancing as much, but also it's a metaphor of. Elaine you have you lost your way slightly. So when I realized that I felt a real sense of sadness and, I was like, well, Elaine , you know, dance and movement is, is your way of experiencing the world being it trying to run a marathon or teach a class or just dance in your kitchen.

So I've actually really enjoyed, when I know that I've got that lump in my throat, or I'm feeling down on feeling anxious or I'm feeling worried about job or connecting with someone. I will literally put on my favorite music dance around for three minutes and then return to it. And I've noticed from doing that in different environments, that, that shifts my energy and how I communicate.

So it's almost like a self care tool now that I know if I'm in that space, going down the lane and come back.

Stacie Clark
Yeah. That's amazing. What do you think is, is going on with that process then? What do you feel like the movement kind of offers you?

Elaine Macey
What does it offer me? It's a good question. I'm sitting here. I mean , my immediate my response to that question is to pause and breathe, which is a good thing. Cause sometimes I, I don't know about anyone else, but when life can be hectic busy, I'm just like, and it was on my shoulders come up and I'm not breathing as efficiently or as effectively as I liked.

So I think there's , it allows me to feel , my body and that kind of mind-body duality, that connection that, if I'm in a situation that needs a response requires a response, or I want to give one, then I often sit and breathe first. I'll kind of body scan and go, okay. How is my body feeling? Do you need to high energy,  high energy dance or do you, do you just need to be really still and breathe or do you need to move for a yoga flow or do you need to go and emerge immerse yourself in cold water and, I think, cause I've got all these little movements, things that I enjoy doing, I then select which one is suitable for that kind of that situation and what energy I've got in my body. So I'm not sure if that answers your questions.

Stacie Clark
Yeah. And,  I was just thinking also then, like this, this theme keeps coming up. I think throughout quite a few of the conversations I've been having around, you know, I suppose. Yeah, moving our bodies and, tuning into like our outer environments and stuff like that as a way to help us experience what we're feeling.

And I know for like anyone who's listening, from my own experience and stuff as well, like when we experience like social anxiety or really any kind of form of anxiety are almost like one of those go-to responses is to tense up and to freeze and to not move basically. So I really do feel like there is a really strong connection there between, you know, being able to move our bodies again and get those emotions flowing.

I mean, emotions have motion in them.

Elaine Macey
Totally. And I think that. I know I mentioned it in our, workshop we did together a few weeks ago, this, quote from Joan Skinner, who is, a movement dance practitioner that I've been inspired by and in my training, but she said, awareness is the first step to change.

And I think that's the beauty of movement whatever you choose. And it could be the movement of your breath or just observing your movement as you're sat still, or moving that, bringing your awareness to that. It's just that kind of little first step into that space of like, okay, do I want to change? What do I need to change?

Actually, there's nothing I want to change. But just that, I guess that mindful practice that merges mindfulness and meditation into the physical being in the physical sense. And I just think that's a really powerful tool that if we could just. I mean, I often talk about pressing the pause button, which I find hard because I am quite, you know, I move quite a lot and enjoy talking, but I think the biggest thing at the moment is learning to press pause and to draw your awareness to how you're feeling and your emotions or your stress or whatever it is that's going on.

Stacie Clark
Yeah, you're really, I feel like I'm just contemplating right now, everything that you're saying. There was a question there...

Elaine Macey
Your question actually sparked, regarding the workshop that we did that move like no one's watching. And I really was grateful for you inviting me to doing that because I felt like it really, I stepped out of my comfort zone and I could feel that, and in my nerves and my apprehension and anxiety towards it, but that really surprised me as well.

Cause I've taught dance for over 20 years and like dance is my comfort zone. I'm happy to do that. And I love that, but there was something about it being new. Right. And I really loved how by you inviting me to that presents the challenge to myself, which isn't, I guess another realm of my life is I enjoy endurance stuff and setting challenges and going for that.

But,  I think that where, where I was going with that is that kind of stepping out of your comfort zone and, and initially going Oh no I can't do that and feeding the nerves and the heat. And I'm not, I'm shaking my hands now, but actually if you move into that space and just sit with that for a while and kind of go, you know, This is not so bad. Okay. So I'm going to plan it. Okay. I'm going to plan and share what I'm passionate about and then delivering it and getting feedback that reinforcement that we all need as human beings from our senses or from human beings, it was, it's reinforced this. I want to do it more now and I want to learn more and I want to get better at it.

So just, yeah, that kind of awareness of how your body and your mind respond, but then stepping into it and embracing whatever comes up. So. Hmm.

Stacie Clark
I'm curious as to what part of, delivering that type of workshop felt like it was out of your comfort zone?

Elaine Macey
Hmm. I guess I'm a, like everyone at the moment. I love the energy of real people in real space.

And I'm. I guess how I would interact. Normally there would be lots of contacts and connections in a safe way through the delivery of the kind of dance, like contact improvisation, and, things like that. So actually transferring that on online and having people on screens. And I kind of, there was a bit of doubt of am I going to be able to communicate my energy through a screen?

And then when people chose to have their camera on or off and how I navigated that. So there was all these other external things that I wasn't in control of, which made me kind of, well, I need to control it cause I want to be professional and I want to show up, but I want to hopefully engage people and make people feel good.

And yeah. Oh, the unknown stuff we just never know. Right. But actually,  in return that the people that came were almost, they. I became, was it, they were my teachers. I learned so much from them and the experience, which was just huge. And I think also there was an element of me where I'm at in my, I guess, mindset of how I want to move forward in my work is there's a bit of imposter syndrome creeping in because I'm looking at my NLP, my blue health coaching, my experience of teaching dance and yoga and running for motion.

And I'm wanting to merge these together in lots of different modalities and research and space, but I'm not quite sure what that is at the moment. And I saw that one hour workshop as my first trial and error of can I bring coaching? Can I bring NLP into this , can I bring dance? Can I, so it was a bit like, Ooh, I'm not quite sure.

Stacie Clark
It sounds to me like it was. I suppose, exploring something that she felt very genuine and very real and very authentic to you. And actually that in itself can feel very out of our comfort zone a lot of the time.

Elaine Macey
Yeah. Because we expose ourselves in don't we it's like, Oh, wow people can judge me. And, you know, I. I only ever want to be authentic and real in what I offer . And that will mean me, me making silly jokes or giggling and making silly comments in myself. And hopefully that in return just kind of relaxes people. But at the same time, there's an element of being, wanting to be professional and articulate and ensuring that the right , it's, it's a safe place to allow other people to explore what that means for them and their dance. So, yeah.

Stacie Clark
Well, I can, I can say being on the receiving end of that workshop, that I feel like you achieved all of that. And I thought it was amazing. There was one thing in particular within that workshop that really stood out for me and, I can't remember exactly what exercise it was, but I remember I was lying on the floor. I had my eyes closed. And you mentioned something about moving your arms as if they were in honey. And there was something about like the movement that meets like resistance or something. And that felt really, really powerful for me really.

Elaine Macey
Oh, that's nice. Yeah. Nice to hear it's. yeah, I guess again, drawing on Skinner releasing techniques, she uses a lot of visualization, and anatomical exploration.

So,  I guess from the workshop that I delivered, it kind of went from using our senses. So we, first of all, explored space and visually we drew our name with different body parts and. Then we kind of went into the body and the kinesthetic and what that felt like and intersperse it with play of moments, through what I call kitchen dance, or just like kind of freestyle, shake it out.

And,  I just think there's, as, as, as well as children, we come into the world as, as curious explorers. So we were kind of looking at textures and colors and we're kind of balancing on our hands and feet. with our asses in the air and trying to do a downward dog, not knowing it's a downward  dog or rolling on our back, doing happy, baby holding onto our feet.

But as, as adults, we seem to then evolve into this kind of vertical existence of just. You've been satin and not paying. And I think hopefully from the movement workshop, it's about being a curious kid again and playing. And if moving through honey is, is what triggers that, um, thought process. They're great.

But I mean, also the, you mentioned about resistance and I think that's also that it can be playful, but it also can.  Bring up other things that we're holding up in our body, and that can be resistance, obviously that we hold in our breath and our body. And yeah, I just think everyone should be, moving in  honey! There we go stacie like that.

Stacie Clark
Love it. Oh there' so much in what you just said there that  I want to unpack, because I also really strongly believe in this,  thing around like. needing like bringing more play into our lives as adults. I totally agree with you that like, we seem to grow up and at some point, believe that play and exploration and stuff gets left in childhood. I suppose I, in many ways we actually get told that it's childish to be playful.

Elaine Macey
Yes. And it's. Yeah, I totally agree with you. And you know, and this is why I love these connections. If you think about NLP and meeting Hayley on the blue health course and how the universe has brings like-minded people together, and here we are having a chat about movement.

And I just you're so right. I think as adults, we, we forget to be curious and. And through play, you know, we fall over and we make mistakes and therefore we learn and we can, we can go about our play and then fall over again. You know, when a child is learning to walk, we don't all the bumps and the bruises and the falling over and getting back up again is all part of learning to walk and to navigate the world.

So why as adults do we not do that? So, I think, more moving like honey and kitchen dancing is definitely the way forwards.

Stacie Clark
I realize, as you said that the actually play requires action, doesn't it. So in order for us to play, we actually need to be moving our bodies and  doing something to, to do that. So that's connected then with also curiosity and exploring and the way in which like we learn and make our way through this world actually movement becomes a really essential and integral part of that.

Elaine Macey
It really, really does. I love that. Yeah. Curiosity for sure. Isn't it, because if we stop moving, we stopped playing. How do we know how our body can work, how we can connect with other people and ourselves. And I just think, you know, we're, we're alive, we're lived human beings. We've got lived experiences and we've got this amazing tapestry of, of knowledge and, Yeah, range of movement that I think sometimes gets lost as we get older.

So,  you know, even in this conversation now you're helping me navigate that, understanding that actually there is a place for NLP and coaching with movement and, and dance and cold water swimming and walking and nature time. So it's just a really lovely journey to be on and very grateful well for you for these lovely questions. Wonderful.

Stacie Clark
I like to believe that I like every conversation or everything that you have is actually working its way towards something much bigger than just the present moment. So yeah, you're very welcomed for that.

Yeah. I just think this is such a beautiful conversation, actually. And I'm also actually drawing a lot, I think, from, from what we're talking about here,  I was going to ask. What like first steps would you like suggest, like if we take someone who perhaps doesn't feel comfortable with play,  perhaps there's some, I suppose, healing or something that needs to be done there around play and perhaps like has a lot of,  freeze responses and a lot of tension in the body. Like what first steps would you suggest for a person to start? Loosening up some of that and starting to move into more of that, like bringing more movement in, into their lives?

Elaine Macey
Yeah. There's I mean, the first thing that's coming to mind is, is to. To kind of just press pause and breathe. You know, we're all here on this planet because of our breath, you know, it's an involuntary function that we have, but actually the beauty of the breath also is that we can control it as well.

And often when we're in those states of, of anxiety or worry or wherever we're at that the breasts changes and that can manifest into tension, which can manifest into a bad back or, you know, all these other symptoms that might arise in our body. So, I from your question, I'm kind of drawing on an experience I had,  actually one of the reason I came to NLP and I met Lizzi and my, my coach chose,  losing my, my dad.

So the idea of grief and how for a couple of years, I hadn't really dealt with it. I was just, Oh, busy. I'm just going, Oh, I'm loving life and go to another life. And actually I had a hip injury and,  it prevented me from doing an event and. Oh, I was like, Oh, it's an injury injury, but I couldn't work out why.

And that then caused anxiety . I wasn't moving as much that affected my mood and then kind of had a bit of a, uh, tumbleweed, I guess, effects on that on my body and my mood. So. When I then just stopped and was like, do you know, well, just listen to your body. Like, what does your body need right now?

And so I did, I, I kind of dived into my meditation practice, my journaling and. took some really deep breaths and there's lots of different breathing techniques that we can use, but a very simple one is that deep belly breathing, you know, maybe resting your hands on your abdomen and just feel the movement of your breath, breathe in and, let the belly dome and really deepen and lengthen that breath.

And in return that calms our nervous system, it calms our breathing rate it lowers our heart rate, which in turn just kind of gets us in that alpha state of. Okay. So once, once we're in that state, hopefully we're then in a clear space to kind of go, okay, what actions do I need to do? Or how do I want to go about my day?

Or what language do I want to, you know, I am powerful. I am strong. I am worthy. I am, you know, that thing, those kinds of self-taught things like natter away at us and then get lost when we may be in a state of anxiety or worry. So I would say, just find a space that you feel safe in, lying down, sitting down, out in nature in your beds before you wake up, go to sleep and just, and just breathe.

Stacie Clark
Great. Yeah. Yeah. I think, yeah, we underestimate the power of breathing. don't we?

Elaine Macey
Yeah we do we, so do, and it seemed one of I, um, I guess I got top, I call it my feel-good kit, which I try and,  enjoy doing every day. And one of them is to kind of pause and to breathe and, , It's just so powerful and it can release a lot of, a lot of emotions as well, which I guess we need to be open-minded to that.

But once you release that, it can come to wonderful things.

Stacie Clark
How does breathing and movement interact together?

Elaine Macey
So I it's interesting you say that because I've experienced and have been aware of my breath three times this morning. the first was trying to run up a Hill. Up Cornish coast, which is very muddy and like breathing out of my mouth all over the place.

And actually I'm talking to Phil, who's a blue health coach. I know you've had on recently, in course, you know, we've spoken a lot cause we both like our ultra marathons. And  when we met up recently, he was saying about, you know, using that nasal breath. So there's me trying to conquer this Hill. I'm not very good at running up Hills by the way, to breathe in and out of my nose.

But again, making that connection and awareness of my breath to know that if I can breathe more efficiently, I can then enjoy my run maybe, and then the environment, and I'm not so distracted. And then I got back quickly, put my swimming costume on and jumped in the cold ocean and all of a sudden I'm like Oh . And they became really short and I was like, wow, this is amazing. My breath is on its own little dance journey today. And I guess acknowledging how the cold water triggered that physiological response and then taking control of it, taking deep breaths in through the nose. And I was sighing out through my mouth within about 10 breaths.

I wasn't aware of the cold. I was, I was all of a sudden tapped into nature that the seagulls flying the blue sky, the sunrise, and therefore I was able to be more present in the enjoyment of swimming in the ocean. And then just before talking to you, I,  yeah, dance around my kitchen and. I was taking really deep breaths in and just go sighing it out.

And this idea of letting go let go of any nerves, Elaine, let go. Of anything you feel like you need to script. You're just going to rock up and you're just going to be real. And I, and that's something that I do before talks and stuff anyway. So yeah, in the space of a few hours, The power of the breath has got me through some interesting experiences.

Stacie Clark
I love it. I was also doing the same before I came on, too.

I love the sighing.  I must admit that. I think that's one of my favorite, like intentional breathing things is just to go and just really let it out.

Elaine Macey
Yeah.

Stacie Clark
Along with the shaking obviously

Elaine Macey
Make sure the body is still there and awake. Yeah. Loads of different breathing techniques. I mean, anyone out there that likes cold water  swimming will probably know Wim Hoff technique. And you know, he, he'll, it's a very dynamic way of breathing, but he'll say breathe in, let go. Breathe in let go. And that's great for that environment.

Maybe if you're wanting a more calm a space and I would recommend maybe slowing that down, but just that reminder that the exhalation is getting rid of carbon dioxide, it's getting rid of the waste in our body. And if we match that up with our physiology and our Respiratory  system, you know, we need to get the toxins and the rubbish out of our system to make room for the, the oxygenated energy that comes in. So actually letting go is a, it's a physical attribute, but also a great metaphor for just letting go of, can I say shit? Like just let, go of the shit let go, that go the tension. Let go of all that self-doubt that's going. I'm not enough. I'm not enough, naturally. Yeah. I felt, I find them the breath then becomes empowering and then I'm like, I am enough.

I am enough. And then the breath comes into movement and then we just, hopefully the smiles and creep on off it.

Stacie Clark
Yeah. Uh, that was something you said there about like, The oxygen and all I can think was like, it's breathing life force back into us.

Elaine Macey
Oh, totally. Yeah. And lots of  different philosophies, obviously we, we, we think of the breath as chi as energy and,  and I mean, quite black and white without our breath, we wouldn't be here.

So it's a very simple reality. And again, bringing your awareness, your being that if I don't breathe, I'm not going to be existing as a human as I am right now. So actually, how, how can I use my breath to enhance my energy and help me on my journey to where I want to go and just show up. And I think that's a really powerful connection to make between our breath and our bodies and then our minds as well, which we know in our NLP practice, that's a powerful tool as well.

Stacie Clark
Absolutely. Yeah , it was like, what was just coming up for me then with just, you know, we breathe oxygen into our bodies that then powers our muscles. And actually we have, like, there needs to be an action on the end of that in order to. bring it into balance . I don't know if that's the right term, but. It is that there's something going on there I'm like, it all leads to some form of action or some form of movement.

Elaine Macey
Yeah. And I mean, you're tapping into a bit of a geek when I love anatomy and physiology, so that what you just described just makes me like, Oh yeah, that's so exciting when oxygenated blood breaches, the muscles and the, and the ATP gets released and, you know, the lactic acids release and yeah.

Then our muscles contract. And that is a very basic step-by-step thing that happens in our body to be able to walk, to run, to dance, to, to move our body. We need to, that process happens without us thinking, but I think actually once you tap into that awareness and you may be aware, that's how your body works and you can just heighten it even more and it would just heighten your experience and hopefully feel quite an empowering, um, I was about to say experience again!

Stacie Clark
I repeat words all the time.

Elaine Macey
Dancing like honey and experience. I told you there might have been some waffling.

Stacie Clark
Honey belongs with waffles. So

Elaine Macey
Yes, I love that.

Stacie Clark
No, this has been such an interesting conversation and the word aligned action is what keeps coming up for me that if we can align our breath, then we can align our actions. And then actually we're aligning ourselves with what we're expressing and putting out into the world, which obviously can also be incredibly terrifying and scary, which then probably plays back onto the importance of the, breath again!

Elaine Macey
And that's such a lovely way of. I really liked that I really looked like kind of breath into action. And I think from what you've just described for me and what I'm trying to navigate in my own mind is that how I can lay out what the NLP and the blue health coaching on top of that. Because actually once you press pause, breathe, okay.

II'm in that state of, okay, I'm ready. I want to address something positive or challenging in us. So if we don't have the tools to be able to then move forward in where we want to go, we could then go back to that cycle and then we need to pause again and then we need to breathe and then we'd go back again.

So actually it's kind of personally, I feel like there's a as an element or a layer that where we need to go, okay, well, what language am I hearing? Are there any patterns in that? Are, am I not engaging in all of my senses? Um, and. Yeah. Like, are there any limiting beliefs that are holding me back? Can actually just being able to recognize that and then navigate through it to then kind of go, okay, I've got my breath, I've got my stillness, I've got mine, the language that I'm identifying now I can make an informed choice of how I move forward. So I. Yeah, I'm still kind of working out what that means and how I can share that with people. But I think there's so many powerful things out of all those modalities, it's just, and there's lots of wonderful people out there doing it, so, yeah.

Stacie Clark
Yeah. And I have the feeling that when that all kind of falls into place for you, it's going to be magical. It's definitely going to be amazing. And I can't wait to hear about it.

Elaine Macey
Thank you. Well, thank you. You are helping you and, and quite connections have been part or are part of this journey for me. So I'm really grateful.

Stacie Clark
There was something else that I wanted to ask is just. Oh, yeah, hang on. Let's come back. so , I was gonna ask, like, I, I'm not sure if this has been the same for you, but I know for me,  some of those, like, or most of those, like really deep rooted limiting beliefs and, The stories and stuff that I've been telling about myself.

Like for me, I don't really feel like they live in my mind, but rather like really rooted down in my body, if that makes any sense at all. And like, I know I've done some work with, a number of clients and stuff before where it's like, that's I suppose well, like the same thing has kind of come up. Like it's. Not always in the mind that actually those, their stories and stuff exists, but actually they are being held in the body. And I'm wondering if you've experienced the same at all, or?

Elaine Macey
Yeah. Yeah, something quite strong is coming up for me, which I feel in a safe space to share if that's okay. And it's,  limiting beliefs that I've got at the moment that is,  I'm not enough.

And that's something that has been whirling for a while, but I guess I did, when I discovered it recently, I,  discovered it through my yoga practice and breathing and it was, so it was through the movement of flow. And I was on my tummy, practicing bow, which is this kind of back then posture where I was just completely, I was practicing that and I completely let go.

And I rested my cheek on the side. So it was like I was listening to the ground and all of a sudden it's like, I could hear my heart beating on the, on the pressure of the floor and I could listen to it. Then all of a sudden, I, I then felt my breath and the movement of my breath. And then all of a sudden out of nowhere, tears started flowing and I was like, wow, where's this going to Elaine?

And I kind of was like blind sighted by it. But at the same time, there was a sadness because well, then came up with this. You're not enough. And,  And for me, it was the contact of the floor, the weight of my body, the sound of my breath and my heart rate that triggered that release. And so I think it's real, it's reaffirmed the power of the breath and the movement, and that could be anything. It could be your walk or,  it doesn't have to be yoga or dancing, but finding your way of moving that allows you to connect with that and to really listen to it. And when it. It was almost like he was telling me. And then afterwards I was like, actually, no, and they're like, danced it out and then it shifted in it.

Then it felt empowering. So. Yeah, it was quite powerful , moment to cry, dance, laugh. I feel release.

Stacie Clark
Thank you so much for sharing that. And I've experienced something similar as well before. in fact, actually just a couple of months ago, I was upstairs and I put some music on and I just started dancing around and then. Before the end of the song, I found myself like on the floor, crying my eyes out and was just like, dang. Like I think I was like banging the floor or something whilst crying while singing a long. And I was like, I have no idea what's going on right now, but this is great. So releasing, and I think sometimes you just got to flow with it and just let it come up and come out. And then yeah, it feels so good afterwards.

Elaine Macey
Like liberating, isn't it? It's just all of a sudden, like you can move your joints more or you can just, I call it my zing. I can't, I definitely feel that after getting into the cold water, but you just feel alive. Like we're, we're alive, we're here. Like we only get one go there.

It's like, let's just make the most of it. And I just feel really, really passionate about that. And so when I hear when I'm here and I'm seeing you tell that story in it and you've come alive in your gestures and it's really, yeah. Powerful to hear. So, yes,

Stacie Clark
I've really, really enjoyed this chat and I think we'll start kind of wrapping al though. Again, I think we could probably continue talking for at least an hour yeah. So kind of start bringing it to a close. Um, if you had a message to send back to your younger self, what would that be?

Elaine Macey
That's a good one I am enough. I'm more than enough and,  keep dancing, keep dancing and sharing your dance with others. Yeah. Yeah. Keep dancing. Kepp sharing. I feel like I, yeah, I want to share more dance, whatever that could be a metaphor on or physically dancing. But, yeah, I, Elaine, you've got a gifted dance. Keep sharing that with people.

Stacie Clark
Oh, yeah. I love it so much when we call the things that excite us gifts because that's really what they are, aren't they like they are gifts and a gift is to be shared. So, yeah.

And if you had some final words of kindness to extend to our community, what would you like to say?

Elaine Macey
That you're all awesome. And that, I guess if there's  if I could share maybe my,  feel good kit so I don't know if that is of any help to anyone, but on a every day, even if, if I'm having a dip or needing energy, I kind of, for things to move, nourish, connect and pause.

And,  move, however you want to move, nourish your body. And so, however you want to do that through food maybe or reading, connect with other people. we all know how was thinking. You're doing such a wonderful job with the podcast, connecting with others, and then just press pause and breathe. Just.

Just, um, yeah, embrace your breath. And,  I like to spike Milligan once said smiling is effectious infectious. So hopefully we can smile from that and then just keep spreading the smiles and more people feel great. So, yeah,

Stacie Clark
I felt myself like breathing in your words then when you were speaking. Like permission

Elaine Macey
Yeah permission to be awesome Stacie. to move. However you want to move.

Stacie Clark
I feel like I'm going to go do some kitchen dancing after this. So thank you so, so much for coming on and sharing it's been, yeah, it's always such a pleasure to connect with you. So. Yeah, thank you.

Elaine Macey
You're an absolutely, you know, just ray of sunshine and full of positivity and, um, I'm just in awe these podcasts and what you're doing out community.

Stacie Clark
So we actually continue chatting for a little while after the interview ended and there was so much more that came up, but sadly, I'd hit stop recording by that point, but I'd like to just share the general message that came up for us both afterwards. And it's been something that we both seem to be exploring recently and it's all around purpose.

And here's what it is. Purpose is not what you do. Your purpose is who you are. Who you truly are, your authentic self beneath all the conditioning, all the societal expectations and pressures to act a certain way, or be assessed in person, or have certain things your purpose feeds into. And there's expressed through all areas of life.

And it can be expressed throughout the smallest of actions and in a variety of ways. And just, as we kept saying, within our chat, it has movement. Purpose has movement. It moves you physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. It moves others. And ultimately with time it moves society. So we'd like to leave you with this, what small movement can you make today? And every day that feels fulfilling?

If you enjoyed today's episode and you can find out more about Elaine and 4Motion by visiting 4MotionCIC.com  that's four as in the number four 4MotionCIC.com 

Tune in again next week. And in the meantime, stay connected.