On a recent walk, I moved from fog into sunlight after an hour on the trail.
Part of me was eager to step back into full light — yet it was in that in-between that I discovered a quiet form of contentment.
It sparked an interesting analogy…
We live in a world of extremes.
And we treat ourselves — and our bodies — much the same way.
Either we chase performance and results,
or we hide in stillness and surrender.
But what if balance was never meant to be at either end?
A friend recently told me that she and her husband had started working with a coach.
They’re in their seventies, feeling stronger and happier than ever — I love that.
Then she admitted that sometimes, no matter how much she tries, her body just doesn’t respond.
So I asked her my favourite question:
“Have you tried doing the same movement… with less intensity?”
I find it fascinating how deeply we’ve been conditioned to push.
To believe that less effort means less worth.
That we must strive to deserve.
That “no pain, no gain” still holds as an unquestioned truth.
After more than two decades helping people rebuild a cooperative relationship with their body,
I’ve come to believe this mindset needs a serious rewrite.
True performance — what I call organic performance — is born from fluidity.
From allowing ourselves to feel good, not pressured.
From presence, not tension.
From release, not control.
Next time you catch yourself pushing — physically or mentally —
try this simple experiment:
Lower the intensity,
soften your expectations,
and just observe what happens.
You might find, just like in that foggy light,
that abundance or results don’t always come from chasing an outcome.
Sometimes they emerge from accepting what is —
from the ability to welcome discomfort or imperfection,
and from choosing less… to move on better.
