…Reflecting on micro-practices, floor time and restoring energy by stacey james mcadoo….
Healing in real time is rarely a straight line. For me, it’s a continuous series of gentle, daily experiments. Beyond my never-have-I-ever adventures and stepping fully into my plant-mom era, I’m constantly seeking simple ways to evolve into the best version of myself.
Sometimes, evolution looks like picking up a paintbrush. A few months ago, I refreshed my living room by painting an accent wall in my son Norel’s favorite color. Now, every time I walk through the front door, I get this immediate, visual reminder of what his love feels like…vibrant, warm, and grounding. Other times, evolution means literally building new space. I recently added an enclosed patio in the backyard, turning it into a personal sanctuary filled with 15 of my favorite plants and a few mindfulness tools.
Those changes were beautiful, but the real shift came when I took an honest look at where my daily energy was actually going.
Inside Still Standing: The Practice, our focus last month was on energy management: noticing what drains us, reflecting on what restores us, and making actual plans to protect our peace. That work led me to experiment with daily micro-practices (tiny commitments lasting anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes).
And that is how I rediscovered the simple magic of lying flat on my back.
I’ve always loved Savasana, aka Corpse Pose, in yoga. It’s always been my favorite posture, especially on days when my back aches from carrying the physical and mental weight of a full week (which is almost always). I’ve written before about how taking that pose out of the studio (especially into the pool!) shifted things for me, but taking it outdoors onto the patio floor is a whole different level.
When I lie flat on the ground, my body weight distributes evenly, instantly taking the pressure off my tired spine and that tight tension in my shoulders. Safe inside my enclosed patio, surrounded by fresh air and nature sounds, my nervous system gets an immediate memo: I am safe to relax. Looking straight up at the sky through the trees gives my eyes (and my brain) a much-needed break from constant screen time. Science backs this up, too; experts often highlight how floor time triggers a physical and mental reset. I’ve found that surrendering to gravity outdoors just speeds up that relief.
Healing doesn’t demand an hour-long routine or a massive lifestyle overhaul. Most of the time, it starts with micro-moments of intentional stillness.
If you’re ready to reclaim a bit of your own energy this week, try these two steps:
- Do a Quick Energy Audit: Spend two minutes noticing which environments or habits leave you feeling restored, and which ones leave you running on empty.
- Commit to One Micro-Reset: Pick a single 20-second to two-minute practice today. Step barefoot onto the grass, take three slow breaths by an open window, or lie flat in Savasana on your porch floor to let your back unwind and your mind settle.
Give yourself permission to pause, listen to your body, and create space for joy right where you are. You might just be a two-minute breath away from feeling whole again.
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Stacey McAdoo, the 2019 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, has dedicated over twenty years to advocating for traditionally underrepresented students and educators. Her relationship-based approach to education is featured in the award-winning Arkansas PBS docuseries Closing the Opportunity Gap and her specialized course, Coaching Self-Expression: Go-In Poet.
As the founder of the Writeous Poets (a spoken word and youth advocacy collective) and an expert professional development facilitator, Stacey designs transformative sessions centered on arts integration, equity, and empowerment. She currently serves as a professor at Reach University and the national Managing Director of Learning & Development for Teach Plus. Additionally, she is the host of the A Mile In My Shoes: The Walk & Talk Podcast and the founder of Still Standing: The Practice, a community for resilient women who, to the world’s astonishment and surprise, continue to stand and thrive despite life’s most unimaginable challenges.
Still Stacey 