So how has August been so far for you? On the 4th August I celebrated my 30th anniversary of starting out as a fitness teacher. This is when it all began, my first classes as a freelance teacher, I gave up the real job, and launched my first group exercise classes. August therefore, always represents new beginnings for me. In August I usually plan some time out, this gives me the space and time to think about what I want to do for the JTP family as we head into the start of our new year of classes. 

Part of the planning involves the booking for class dates which involves balancing availability of the venues, school holidays, holidays for teachers, and also consideration for potential problems that may crop up which includes venue maintenance, teacher illnesses and so on. A lot of administration. But these dates are now on the online Calendars (see links at the bottom) so you can have access to them and start thinking about your own holidays and booking in your Catchups. 

In addition to the practical issues of dates for classes, I also use this time to reflect on the past year, and look at what I feel has or hasn’t worked and any changes that I feel are necessary. This will include things like class content, what professional development I need and am interested in, and how much this will help me to help you more. It will also include how my work/life balance is looking, and what I have enjoyed or what I haven’t enjoyed over the last 12 months. 

August is that time, reflection on what has been, and the potential and possibilities of what is to come. 
 

I’m going to talk about the word sustenance this week. When we use this word I think the majority of us are thinking about food and drink — we need sustenance as a source of nourishment, giving us energy and strength. However our life and existence depend on much more than food and drink. 

We probably give this kind of sustenance less priority than food and drink, if we run out of bread or milk, we quickly head to the shops and replenish. If we are feeling tired or sad we don’t tend to respond quickly, in fact we often push it to the back of our minds and try to ignore it. The problem is that if we keep ignoring it, it doesn’t go away, in fact it builds until it affects our health both physical and mental. 

We wouldn’t ignore the lack of food in the house, so why do we ignore the lack of rest and respite? Both are needed for sustenance of our life, and this applies to other areas too. 

What we should also consider is what is actually needed. For example if we go food shopping we don’t fill our shopping trolley with sweets, chocolate, crisps — all things we can eat, but not always the right things. So when we do perhaps feel tired, lacking in energy, overwhelmed — are we really going to serve ourselves well by sitting and watching the latest Netflix hit OR would we be better served getting outside for a walk or doing some exercise. 

It doesn’t mean we can never have the chocolate, or never sit and watch a movie on tv, it just means we need to be more mindful of what we need for the right type of nourishment at any particular time. 

We just need to remember to keep all of our shopping trolleys topped up in order to sustain a happy, balanced life.

So what do you need right now for your sustenance? Do you need to read a book, do you need to start a new hobby, do you need to get a better bed time routine so you sleep better? Have a think about what it is you need to do to nourish your mind and body right now.

Have a lovely weekend.

With love,

Jane xx