What does ‘Strength’ mean to you. I think most people associate strength with muscles, lifting weights, holding planks which I hear a lot when people are wanting to ‘strengthen’ their core, and maybe carrying all the shopping bags in one trip. But strength is beyond muscles and what they can do, it’s also about the mind and how you respond to life’s
wobbles.
In Pilates, we do train physical strength through improving stability, alignment, balance and controlled movement. And these same principles can be applied to mental strength too:
- if things around you feel uncertain, staying grounded is a sign of ‘Stability’
- keeping your thoughts and actions in line with your values is a reflection of ‘Alignment’
- responding with choice rather than reacting on impulse show
‘Control’
So this is emotional/mental strength and one of the best tools for building this kind of ‘whole-body’ strength is mindfulness. When you find yourself noticing your breath, your posture, or the sensations in your body, you are training yourself to be present, even when life is trying to pull you in a hundred different directions. It is this kind of awareness that helps you be more flexible and able to ‘bend without breaking’ — developing your mental
strength.
Here is a mindfulness moment to try:
- stand or sit tall
- focus on your breath and take a slow breath in, feeling your ribcage expand
- as you breathe out, feel your shoulders drop and your jaw soften
- repeat for three breaths, noticing how your body feels more supported from the inside out.
Why does this matter? Well, true strength is more than how many press-ups you can do, it’s about your ability to
adapt, recover, and keep moving when life throws curveballs. Combining physical and mental strength helps you handle life’s wobbles with grace and stability.
So may your strength show not just in how you move, but in how you meet life’s challenges with steadiness and grace.
Have a fabulous week — keep looking, moving and feeling good … And strong!
With love and support,
Jane xxx
