Welcome to this week’s Newsletter. I hope you have had a good week.

I am going to be brutally honest with you, I’ve had a challenging week… internet issues have interrupted the online classes which, to say the least, has been frustrating, time consuming, and stressful. 

I almost don’t want to say anything out loud, but I think we seem to have overcome the problem… Keith says the problem was a faulty doofer. He replaced it with a new doofer, and — lo and behold — the wifi all started working again.

Technology is fantastic and amazing, except when it goes wrong, and it would appear that turning everything off and back on, isn’t enough some times! 

I’ve also been experiencing challenges with movement again this week. My hip and back are rehabbing nicely, but I think as a result I have been putting too much pressure into my knee where I have osteoarthritis. So I am having to rethink things again, I am having to change my priorities in terms of exercise and making lots of adaptations in order to find the balance so I can keep my body functioning. I am planning a video based around the rehab, the set-backs, and the progress I am making with my physical health, and hopefully will be able to share this with you at some point… if you are interested of course.

I have also had to deal with some family news this week, and without sharing too much information, it has reminded me how short life can be and how important it is to grab hold of it by the lapels, go with it, and don’t put things off.

Face-to-Face Classes return to the full timetable this week after the Easter break at all of our venues — Jenny, Mary and I are looking forward to getting back in the room with you all.

Online Classes will continue as normal.

This week I have been working on lifting the weight of the words have to, must do, should do, don’t forget to, and finding something which feels lighter, because life can feel heavy when everything is driven by routine, responsibility and ticking boxes. And after my session with my Mindset Coach we came up with the following four words:

• opportunity
• curious
• wonder
• possibility.

because these words encourage us to loosen our grip a little, to soften, to explore, to notice.

So what do these words do for you?

Well firstly, they don’t necessarily have to be seen as big, dramatic, life-changing words… just soft little reminders that things don’t always have to feel so fixed.

Opportunity — doesn’t have to mean something huge. It might simply be the chance to change something, take a breath, to stretch, to step outside, or to give yourself five minutes that are just for you. It’s often already there — but by using the words we have the opportunity to we start to notice it. 

Curiosity — is a lovely one, because it takes the pressure off. It can remove the fear of anything that could be changing. Instead of needing to get things right, or do things perfectly, it gives encouragement to just explore a little.

• I wonder how this feels…
• I wonder if this might help…
   

It’s amazing how much lighter things feel when we swap judgement, and pre-conceived ideas, for curiosity.

Wonder — can feel like pressing pause for a moment. Wondering how this will feel, what can you feel. Noticing how you feel after a movement for example, or wondering what a difference this could make if you focus on the rhythm of your breath for a change. We might wonder how it would feel if we make a change — nothing fancy, just a gentle appreciation of something a little different.

Possibility — can tie nicely in with Wonder, as it can gently open the door and allow us to move gently away from this is just how it is and instead to maybe it could feel a little different.

These words can lead us to feel a bit more at ease, maybe lead us to take care of ourselves today, even in a small way. These four words are not about adding more to your to do list, they are about easing the pressure and allowing a little more lightness and brightness into your day.

So this week isn’t about doing more, but noticing more — a little more opportunity, a little more curiosity, a little more wonder and a quiet sense of possibility in how you move, feel and live, and simply taking that time for yourself.

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

With love and support,

Jane xxx