1. sitting
-ki flows naturally when we’re relaxed. we are relaxed when our skeletal system is doing the work of supporting our bodyweight. correct posture is necessary for our skeletal system to do it’s job. how can we approach correct posture in daily life. simply don’t lean back in our chairs, this will have the effect of bringing the spine into better alignment and allow ki to flow.
2. speaking
- smile while you answer the phone, especially if you don’t feel like it. as rob williams explains in the biology of perception, the body is a biofeedback device. if you smile when you don’t feel like it the change in the muscles will be reflected in the subconscious. a smile is a way of putting out positive energy, so even if you don’t feel it on the surface, the person you are speaking with will pick up the positive intent behind it – and the change produced by the physical difference in the shape of the mouth makes the difference audible too.
3. drinking
- no, not what you might expect for december 
as it gets colder we have the tendency to want more hot drinks. unfortunately for many of us that means caffeinated tea and coffee. caffeine actually has a dehydrating effect on the body as it’s a diuretic. so we need to make sure we’re drinking enough water or herbal teas - if the body’s dehydrated then it is stressed, as we mentioned in point 1 ki flows when the body is relaxed. therefore, to keep ki flowing well we need to stay hydrated. this is especially true if your diet consists of a lot of baked and salty foods.
4. eating
- ki is energy. much of our energy comes from food “burned” in the body by oxygen. the better the food we put into our bodies the better the energy we will get out. see above for our tips on eating right for the beginning of winter.
5. breathing
- oxygen is the other half of the ki/food equation. of course we have to breathe, but how many conscious, full, deep breaths do you take each day? they are best done outside in nature in the early morning to get the full effect, but if that’s not possible in your situation then even a micro-break while sitting at your desk will improve ki flow and productivity. take your eyes off the computer screen. sit straight (see point 1 ) . first exhale completely with a whoosh sound… and a bit more. breathe in through the nose for a count of 7 allowing the belly to expand first (loosening the belt will help this) then the back and chest. hold for a count of four. slowly exhale through a relaxed mouth for a count of 7. do this three times. now how do you feel?
