That was the week that was !!!

I want to hand out a mix of apologies and thank you’s in this week’s Newsletter.

Firstly apologies, we have experienced a few problems with our venues this week, from interruptions to classes, but also being notified at short notice that we will not be able to use one of our venues over the summer. Those of you who attend classes with Mary at Rosebery Street Medical Centre will have all received an email to explain that due to refurbishment, the centre will be closed for several weeks during June, July and August. If you booked Catchups in those classes you will also have been notified. Currently we are working out the best way forward — and we have tried other venues but at short notice that is proving difficult — obviously we will keep you as informed as we can and will notify you of any changes.

Secondly, a big thank you to all of YOU, the JTP family, the love and support you have shown me this week in classes has been second to none, I really appreciate it and it has made a difference. Briefly, while Keith and I were out on Monday morning, me teaching at Quorn and Keith doing some shopping, our home was burgled. We were only out of the house for just over 2 hours. It has left me shaken up, and so the understanding of every one this week has been great, as I know I haven’t been firing on all cylinders and have definitely dropped some of the plates I am usually able to keep spinning.

So THANK YOU for being there.

This week I am showing a Side Lift (Side Bend) this exercise is aimed at working into the obliques that make up the side ‘walls’ of your abdominal corset.

We have internal obliques — close to the spine — and external obliques — surface muscles. Really important for stability and strength, and also for mobility of the spine. I demonstrate several alternatives. Work appropriately for your body, and keep away from pain.

If you work up to 8 repetitions on each side you will start to make the difference to your strength and your mobility, but also feel more stability.

I’m working on my resilience this week — dictionary definition:

1. The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness
2. The ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity

I have always felt that my resilience is pretty good, in that I tend to get on and do things, and deal with things. I’m not sure I would use toughness but certainly I am generally able to recover and work my way through. But the burglary this week has truly dented my ability to ‘spring back into shape’.

But it’s the weekend now, and tomorrow is Monday, a new week, and I am not going to let last week’s incident get the better of me.

So my bounce back starts here and now as I write this Newsletter. In the words of Andy Warhol: You have to be willing to get happy about nothing. As one of the JTP family said to me after class, I need to take care of myself.

This got me thinking that we should all start treating our self-care like a savings account. Sometimes we have to withdraw large amounts from our account for emergencies, but unless we are adding small amounts regularly into that account we won’t have anything there ready for the next big emergency withdrawal. The small amounts of self-care that we do regularly add up and carry us through those times.

Those small things can be as simple as watching a tv show that we love, that makes us laugh, cry or just smile OR it can be doing something for someone else which brings connection with other people. It could be doing something creative — I know lots of the JTP family play a musical instrument, or get crafty, painting, sewing, knitting OR it could be trying something new. It could be taking time out for ourselves, grabbing a nap in the middle of the day, having a luxurious bath — although it’s been a bit hot for this one. Then diarise it — write it down — it doesn’t have to be daily, maybe 3 or 4 things that can be included in your week.

We are making small investments into our self-care savings account, and then when/if that ‘rainy day’ happens we are prepared, we don’t have depleted funds, so we can deal and manage with whatever comes our way.