Change is the only constant in our lives, yet we instinctively resist it. Whether facing health challenges, career shifts, or global disruptions, change often throws us off balance—but what if we could transform this resistance into resilience?
This deeply personal exploration unpacks how our nervous systems and brains are simultaneously hardwired for patterns while possessing remarkable adaptability through neuroplasticity. Drawing on insights from resilience expert Brad Stulberg, neuroscientist Norman Doidge, and mindfulness pioneer Daniel Siegel, we discover how "rugged flexibility" allows us to stay rooted in core values while adapting to changing circumstances.
Using movement as both metaphor and practice, we explore how physical training teaches us valuable lessons about adaptation—the delicate balance of stress and recovery that builds strength, the importance of mindful awareness, and the power of community support in navigating change.
This episode reveals how disorder isn't something to fear but rather the necessary catalyst for growth and evolution. By accepting where we are, staying present through discomfort, practicing patience, and leaning on our communities, we can navigate change with grace and emerge stronger on the other side—perhaps not returning to our old selves but becoming more resilient, compassionate, and connected versions of ourselves.

Some resources used in the creation of this podcast:

Brad Stulberg, Masters of Change: How To Excel When Everything is Changing, Including You, New York, NY, HarperOne.
Brad Stulberg, The Practice of Groundedness; A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds - Not Crushes - Your Soul, 2021, New York, NY, Penguin Random House

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., The Mindful Therapist: A Clinician's Guide to Mindsight and Neural Integration, 2010, New York, NY, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation, 2011, New York, NY, Bantam Books

Norman Doidge, M.D., The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science, 2007, New York, NY, Penguin Books Ltd.

Hans Selye, M.D, Ph.D, D.Sc, F.R.S.C, Stress and the General Adaptation Syndrome, 1950, British Medical Journal.

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Heart of Motion Podcast host Susannah Steers is a Pilates & Integrated Movement Specialist and owner of Moving Spirit Pilates in North Vancouver, BC. She is passionate about movement, about connections and about life.
Through movement teaching, speaking, and facilitating workshops, she supports people in creating movement practices that promote fitness from the inside out. She loves building community, and participating in multi-disciplinary collaborations.

Along with her friend and colleague Gillian McCormick, Susannah also co-hosts The Small Conversations for a Better World podcast – an interview based podcast dedicated to promoting the kind of conversations about health that can spark positive change in individuals, families, communities and across the globe.
Social Media Links:
Moving Spirit Pilates Instagram
Moving Spirit Pilates Facebook
Susannah Steers Instagram