How Mastering a Headstand Improved My Writing

Turning upside down to turn yourself around

This summer, I mastered my first headstand and braved my writing fears.

I’m not a fitness guru or physically extraordinary, but I’ve been pushing myself to try harder in the realm of exercise and defy 50 and middle age. Despite being clumsy, uncoordinated, and filled with self-doubt, I knew it was time to stop procrastinating and take the steps to better my health. I was overwhelmed with the exhaustion of parenting, working my day job, and everyday living chaos. I was frustrated and lacked self-esteem, but I needed to start somewhere to boost my confidence, increase my energy, and get back on the road with writing and reduce my anxiety and fear of sharing my stories.

Exercising was the key.

At the beginning of last year, I set out a practical exercise plan and embarked on a personal fitness journey. Along with exercising daily and writing about my daily progress on Facebook, I try to master something new each month. Sometimes it’s increasing my daily step count by 1,000 steps, drinking two liters of water daily, or resist eating cookies, chips, or jujubes whenever I’m craving junk food.

Other months it might be doing 25 daily push-ups for 25 days to raise awareness for mental health, increasing the number of consecutive cartwheels I can do, or mastering a yoga pose — such as headstand.

I never imagined I could do a headstand.

Or be reckless or brave enough to attempt one, but over the past year and a half, I built up core strength through regular exercise and yoga practice, which enabled me to attempt yoga inversion.

The headstand is self-empowering.

Maybe it’s because of the blood rushing to my brain, or the strength of my core suspended midair, or my toes pointing up toward the sky that invigorates me. Self-empowerment is taking control of my own life, setting goals, and making positive choices. It requires me to keep practicing the things I’m trying to improve, following through and building perseverance until it becomes part of my lifestyle.

I practice headstand every day.

Like with anything practiced daily, I become better and stronger with time, which instills confidence in other areas of my life, such as writing. No matter how many stories I write, I’m scared to put a new story out there and share it with others, but it gets easier each time I do.

Headstand puts me on top of this world — upside down.

Whenever I do one, a sense of power and confidence overwhelms me. Headstand (sirsasana) relieves stress, increases focus and blood flow to the head, scalp, and eyes. It strengthens arms, shoulders, and core and makes my skin glow. It can also improve digestion, flush out the adrenal glands and decrease fluid build-up in the legs, ankles, and feet. Sirsasana frees my mind by turning my head upside-down, slows my movement, and opens up space to breathe.

Headstand gives me a different perspective, self-assurance, and an energy boost.

This empowers me whenever I’m struggling or doubting my own capabilities as a writer. I started my exercise journey by walking my first 10,000 steps and gradually challenged myself to walk further. I pushed myself to do various exercises to strengthen my core, limbs, and cardio endurance. My body was prepared for that headstand when I attempted it.

Whenever I land back on my bare feet from a headstand, a calm high vibrates through my body. At that moment, my fear disappears, and I have the courage to take on the world or tackle my next writing project.

Whenever I begin writing a story, I don’t know how the beginning, middle, and end will turn out, but I know that I need to start typing to get it going, to keep it going until I’m in “the writing flow” and it becomes a daily routine. I’ll write, edit, delete, write some more, repeat the process every day until my story has an ending, and then work on the next project.

Writing and exercising are my spiritual innate partners.

They are both arduous processes, but I can’t survive or thrive without either. When I’m feeling blocked, anxious, negative, or afraid to write, sometimes I take a coffee break, tackle household chores for a distraction, or go for a brisk walk or workout. But I’ve learned this summer that turning upside down can turn myself around, and I choose headstand to shift my perspective.

When I land, the words and creativity rush back. I’m grounded — feet on the floor, fearless, renewed with clarity, a sense of purpose, and I write.

About the Writer: Mary Chang is an award-winning short story fiction writer, published memoir article writer, and blogger striving to become a better human, parent & writer. Her stories are inspired by exercise, humor & people. Fueled by cartwheels (and headstands!) Read her blog at www.marychangstorywriter.com.

You can read her most popular Medium stories here.