Welcome to this week’s Newsletter.

Are you right in the middle of Christmas … cards, presents, parties, festivities … Carol concerts … nativities, and lots of Christmas Tree services happening locally and beyond. They are lovely — especially if you have young children in your life to take to them — the colourful, bright lights and decorations are fantastic. Anyway I hope you aren’t letting everything overwhelm you, and if it’s feeling a bit like that maybe this week’s Your Whole Self will help, as it’s all about finding those little anchor points of daily life that can bring lightness and brightness to your day. It is about using gratitude, what is it, what it means, why does it affect how we feel, and why is it considered to be good for mental health … read on.

A brief update on me and my health, everything is progressing well. It is still day-to-day, but improving all the time — and I have so much to be grateful for, I don’t know where to begin … but this is definitely helping. Jenny and Mary have been covering classes, and they have both been absolute stars. I also have to say that Keith has been my rock: as Carer, cook, discovering how to use the washing machine, keeping me positive, as well as keeping on top of the admin … he does deserve a medal or as he keeps suggesting ‘financial reimbursement’ … what a cheek!! 

I am also grateful for all the JTP community — my extended family — you have all been so supportive, kind, patient and positive during this time, from cards, messages, flowers and reading little comments in the Facebook group or in the WhatsApp group — it all helps to keep me uplifted — thank you doesn’t seem enough, but I am full of gratitude for all of this.

We are heading into the last week of our Face-to-Face Classes, so it’s time for Christmas jumpers or at least Christmas socks and a break out of the Celebrations… you never know there might be some party games breaking out, certainly there could be Christmas music and fairy lights.

It’s going to be a lovely festive break and Face-to-Face Classes will resume week beginning 5 January 2026!

Online Classes — the good news is that I am planning to do some Live teaching this week. I am taking fairy steps back into the Studio though, so it will be a mix of Live and Recorded sessions. Just check the timetable in the jtp.zone and if you want to join me Live you will see the Zoom link. 

The 3Cs

Remember the 3Cs (Complete Care and Commitment) special workouts available to all JTP members — the recording links are on the jtp.zone website. You will find 6 fresh workouts that target different parts of the body, including a Mindful Movement session (perfect to help when feeling a bit frazzled at this time of year). But if you aren’t a member and would like to purchase this as a standalone programme, it will be £30 and you get the links dropping into your inbox, just reply to this Newsletter for details.

One-to-One Pilates

If you are looking to introduce some One-to-One Pilates into your routine for 2026, Jenny is offering some taster sessions to work with her at her home studio. You can contact her by following the link through our website.

JTP Book Club

I have been getting through quite a few books over the last few weeks, but I have been keeping it light and fluffy, as I couldn’t handle anything too dark or mysterious. 

Firstly my friend (thank you Cara) gifted me Make do and Mend in Applewell by Lilac Mills — this is a Christmas book, and is a lovely simple story, about a family living in Applewell, living through difficult times before Christmas, but how after misunderstandings and coping with changes that life throws at us, everything comes good by Christmas. It is not a challenging read, but if you like a Christmas story that ends well, this is for you.

If you have any other suggestions/recommendations for a Christmas story that is easy to read I’d love to hear of them.

Do you ever return to a book that you enjoyed and would read again and again — mine is The Remains of the Day by Kazoo Ishiguro. I absolutely love this book. Of course it was made into a wonderful film with Anthony Hopkins playing the upstanding, repressed, head Butler — totally devoted to his duties, and Emma Thompson who is the housekeeper, trying but failing to make changes. It is about love and the inability to show that love, devotion to duty without question, in spite of everything happening in the world that surrounds Darlington Hall. It is based in post-war times, but reflects back to times between the two world wars and the happenings at the Hall — but it is the love story that is never fulfilled that grabs me and pulls me back to read, again and again. 

So what is Gratitude all about?

It is one of those words that we hear everywhere: in wellbeing books, podcasts, even on our mugs that we have our favourite cuppa in. 

So what is it? What does it mean? How does it affect how we feel? Why is it considered to be so good for our mental health?

If we strip it back it’s really simple. Gratitude is the practice of noticing the good, noticing what is here, what is helping, what is holding you up, and what is quietly supporting you in the background. It’s not about pretending that everything is perfect or ignoring the difficult days. It is about choosing to acknowledge the moments of light, however small they may be.

What does gratitude mean? I believe that at its heart, gratitude means an awareness:

• awareness of what is working
• awareness of the people who lift us
• awareness of the ordinary moments that are easy to overlook — maybe a hot cup of tea, a kind text message, realising that when you take a breath suddenly the shoulders feel looser, the five minutes you were able to take for yourself.

Gratitude can shift our attention gently, not through force, but through curiosity. 

How does gratitude affect how we feel? 

When we practice gratitude, something subtle starts to happen.

• our nervous system softens
• our breath slows.

We move out of ‘rush mode’ and into something calmer, steadier, more connected. If you can imagine it, it is like giving the mind a warm blanket — a reminder that not everything is hard, not everything is urgent, and not everything needs fixing.

Why is gratitude good for our mental health? 

Recognising gratitude can change our inner landscape. 

• it helps us feel more grounded
• it reduces stress and overwhelm
• it strengthens resilience, particularly on wobbly days
• it trains the mind to recognise moments of safety and joy.

Gratitude doesn’t erase challenges, it simply reminds us that they don’t have to be the whole story. If we then combine gratitude with movement, breathing, or simple moments of stillness, the effects deepen. We start to feel more present, more alive in our bodies, more aware of what is supporting us from the inside out.

I have shared with you all that I keep a gratitude journal, and sometimes I could write down lots and it feels easy, and sometimes it can feel a challenge and I have to think — on those days I think about the little anchor points, such as feeling grateful to get through the day even though I felt tired and exhausted, or I am grateful to be able to see the birds in my garden using the feeder — not massive in the great scheme of things, but moments of awareness, connection, making me feel lighter and bring a smile to my face.

It is worth a try. You don’t necessarily have to write it down, although I like to do this as it is part of being present and have a moment of awareness. 

Try to sprinkle moments of gratitude through your day. Maybe notice one thing each morning or evening, something that brought comfort, made you smile, or helped you feel more like yourself. Gratitude doesn’t have to be big to be powerful, it just has to be noticed. 

As a reflection prompt, what is one small thing you are grateful for today, and how does it make you feel?

Have a good week — keep looking, moving, and feeling good.

With love and support,

Jane xxx