Shake it Off

Imagine a picture perfect Lisa Vanderpump-esque scene of a woman pruning her rose bushes, complete with fancy sheers and an oversized wicker basket. ? Now picture the exact opposite and you have me caring for my roses.? Hot, annoyed, lightly bleeding.? Clutching a Target paper bag full of dead flower pieces.? Instead of a nice garden full of rose bushes, picture my one simple potted knockout rose tree.? I love this plant because she is so gorgeous in full bloom, but I also detest her because she is constantly shedding dead flowers and is chock full of thorns.??

For fun let’s call her Lisa.? By the way, she is (of course) hot pink.

The other day while removing her spent petals and old blooms I became increasingly irritated.? My pace was slow.? I was constantly pricked by her many thorns.? In frustration I grabbed her trunk and gave it a good shake.??

The guilt I felt for scaring Lisa (I am sorry Lisa!) faded quickly when, like magic, most of her dead leaves and flower bits quietly released, effortlessly floating to the ground.? This simple shake did 80% of the job for me!??

After the shake, I swear, Lisa looked happier.? Lighter, fresher.? It was as if she was saying to me, “Thank you.? I needed that!”

I quickly cleaned up the debris and started looking around my garden for other plants that might need a good shake.? I found a dwarf raspberry bush, a hydrangea tree, and a few geraniums that looked like they would appreciate my services.? Shake, shake, shake!? Transformed by this instant shake-induced glow up, each plant seemed to smile back at me in a refreshed thanksgiving.? The whole garden was coming alive!??

Shaking is amazing, I thought!? It is more efficient and the plants seem to enjoy it.??

Just then my dog joined me in the garden.? She ran a couple laps of the yard, licked me a few times, rolled in the grass, and then….can you guess it…. she SHAKES!?

Do you know why dogs shake???

(Neither did I, but a quick Google search answered my question).? Turns out it’s not just to dry off after a dip in the lake or a roll in the grass.? Dogs also shake to express and manage emotion.? Most often when they are scared, nervous or excited.? Shaking releases hormones that support emotional regulation and can actually help calm a dog’s nervous system. ? It is an effective way for them to relieve stress from triggers like car rides, thunderstorms or separation.? Who knew?!

This got me thinking.? If plants and animals enjoy a good shake, what about humans?? We often say “shake it off” to encourage someone to let go of something that no longer serves them.? Many of us feel the need to “shake it up” from time to time to become re-energized in our lives.?????

If the mind and body are connected, is it possible that physically shaking might help one truly let go?

While I have never broken out into spontaneous, intentional shaking (well, except when I have been really cold) I am tempted to try it! Thinking about it, there are many activities that are similar to shaking that make me feel good.

Skipping rope.

Running.

Dry brushing.

Dancing (...to Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off,” of course).?

While it is hard to imagine full grown adults shaking like a dog on purpose, I can definitely imagine little kids doing this.? For fun.? For a release.? I remember YouTube videos from when my kids were little about how to “get the wiggles out” by shaking the body around.? I imagine that after even only a few minutes of moving energy around like this, anyone would feel at least a little bit better! Moving energy physically might even untangle something mentally.??

So, as silly as it sounds, maybe the next time I am feeling stuck, scared, overwhelmed, or just want to lighten my mood, I will try to be more like Lisa, the dogs, and the children.??

I’ll jump up and down.

I’ll shimmy and wiggle.

I’ll shake it off!

. . .

What about you?? Would you join me in some silly shaking?? Are there other activities in your life that are similar (and perhaps less ridiculous) that you enjoy?