Welcome to this week’s Newsletter.

We have been on a break this week, and although at the start of the week we were in Sunderland with Keith’s family for his Mam’s funeral, we decided to tag a couple of nights on the end of the week and headed to the coast — Whitby. 

I think this was a good move for Keith giving him some time just to be, walking along the beach, paddling in the sea and welcoming the fresh sea air into his lungs. Perhaps the best medicine at the moment.

JTP Book Club

In other news, it’s the beginning of the month so we are talking books … what have you been reading? I currently have a couple of books on the go, which I read depending on my mood! 

• My Friends by Fredrik Backman — he wrote A Man called Ove which was turned into a film with Tom Hanks (A Man Called Otto). I am hooked and enjoying what I’ve read so far
• A Path Through the Jungle: A Psychological Health and Wellbeing Programme to: Develop Robustness and Resilience by Prof. Steve Peters — he is the creator of the Chimp Management mind model. This is a book to dip into if you are interested in how our minds, thoughts, feelings, lead to our actions and behaviour. I love everything to do with wellbeing, our mental health and how we develop our thinking and the effects this has on the way we live our lives, so this is right up my street. The Chimp Management mind model is also something used to help a lot of elite sports men and women — Chris Hoy and Andy Murray for example — so I am currently filling my boots with this
• The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer — Keith and I are listening to this as an audiobook — we are both big fans of Bob and his unique sense of humour, and we are loving this book. It’s read by Bob himself which makes it even better. It is a mystery, with a disappearance, possibly murder, and unusual characters, given different voices by Bob in the audiobook.

A quick note about The Salt Path which was a recommendation by one of the JTP family, and I’m sure lots of us have picked this up to read, and maybe even gone to see the film version (I’ve yet to see this). 

Much controversy has been across the news with this story, so I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. We did have a little chat about it before one of our online classes and it seems everyone has a different opinion. I enjoyed reading the book — but do I feel differently having heard everything in the news about Ray and Moth? I suppose I do, I still found it a good story and enjoyed reading it, but maybe I do feel different about whether or not it is ‘real’ and the circumstances that led to their journey. 

Let me know your thoughts.

Most Face-to-Face Classes are back:

• Old Woodhouse — Mondays and Fridays with Jane
• Rosebery Street, Loughborough — Wednesdays with Mary

We are currently opening up some spaces in our Beginners/Returners class on Wednesday mornings at 10.30am with Mary in our Loughborough venue. If you know of anyone who is looking to introduce Pilates into their lives, or wishing to return after a break, please pass our details on — they can contact us via the email address: office@janethomaspilates.co.uk

If you are currently on the waiting list for spaces in one of our other classes, some spaces are beginning to open up so we could be contacting you directly with information.

Online Classes live return this week from Monday 4 August. I will be sending out a survey regarding Online Classes over the next few weeks, so please look out for this so you can give me your opinion and feedback.

I’m still trying to please teacher …

You’d think that after 30 years of teaching myself, running a business, and creating endless content, I’d be completely immune to the need for external validation, wouldn’t you?

Well, this week I discovered this isn’t quite the full story. 

The other day, I posted something on social media — just one of those little posts that comes from the heart. Nothing flashy. But then… one of the fitness professionals I really admire liked it. And not just liked it — she commented that she loved it.

Cue my inner child doing a full-on cartwheel (which, let’s face it, I can’t do anymore without several props and a hot bath afterwards). But there she was — my small, eager inner student — absolutely glowing because “the teacher” noticed her work.

It hit me in that moment: that child-like desire to be seen, to be praised, to hear Well done... it doesn’t always go away with age, does it? We may be growing older, growing wiser, growing more comfortable in our skin (on a good day)... but some part of us still lights up when we get that gold star.

And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

I see it in my classes too. Whether it’s someone who’s just nailed their roll up for the first time without clenching everything in sight, or someone who’s simply made it to class on a tough, challenging day, and moved — there’s this glimmer of Did you see me? Did I do okay?

We still want to please the teacher.

Maybe it’s not about needing approval, but about connection. Being recognised. Being part of something. Feeling seen for our efforts, however small they might feel.

And let’s face it — life is full of grown-up responsibilities, but when we step onto that mat, there’s a lovely return to learning, trying, wiggling about and figuring things out. Just like we did as children.

So maybe instead of trying to squash that childlike quality, we could celebrate it. I say embrace it, let yourself enjoy the praise. Bask in that little glow when someone says, Well done. And if you’re in my classes, know this: I see you. I’m always watching for that moment — the lightbulb, the wobble, the brave having a go, being present — and I am silently (and sometimes not-so-silently) cheering you on.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to post something else and hope another internet hero gives me a gold star… 😉

With love and support,

Jane xxx