Exercise – Getting My Just Desserts

I have written in recent blogs about my quest to find clothing to accommodate my new shape and flatter my new curves.

You may have noticed that I have very tactically avoided the very delicate subject of exercise and diet, other than the odd reference to Prosecco and salad.

I have noticed!

For the record, I have been one of those annoying people that has glided through life eating all of the wrong things in excess and never putting on a pound.

I’ve also glided through life as a bit of a fair weather exerciser.

So really you could call say that I am getting my just desserts.

And that is of course where the problem starts.  With the desserts.

But I’ve had my moment and it’s time to give something back.

To shape up or ship out.

The problem I have, quite simply, is that I do not like exercising and I do love eating.  And generally I love eating all of the wrong things.

So in my cosy little corner, I have continued to do all of the naughty things very well.

I’ve always had an interesting relationship with exercise.  Interesting in so far as I’ve never really found an activity that has interested me.  Don’t get me wrong I’ve loved a lot of the classes that I’ve done over the years but probably not enough to continue ad infinitum.

And it’s the keeping going that has been the sticking point.  I am very easily able to find a million things I would rather be doing and a further million as to why I shouldn’t be exercising.

I have never been a person that has enjoyed exercising.  I have waited my whole life to experiencing the ‘high’ that people speak of from running but it seems to have just run straight by me – literally.

I guess I’ve always assumed that everyone else is enjoying their efforts and that is why they do it.  So I suppose I’ve always been a bit embarrassed to admit that I don’t enjoy it.  A bit uncool even.  Because whenever I see people showing up either by running or going to a class, I assume that are enjoying themselves and experiencing the ‘high’ of which people speak.

If I had a flag with me, I’d wave them on.

My current loves are Yoga and Walking.  Exercise of course but not the toning, fat burning, pulse racing kind of thing that perhaps I now need.

It was somewhat timely that I noticed an advert for bloggers to participate in a free private coaching session in return for an honest review with Samantha Hadfield, Fit & Flourish, Body Transformation Expert.

Wonderful, I thought.  This ties in perfectly with my series around body changes for the 40+ woman.

I had no idea what to expect from this Transformation Session but I guess in my little heart, I probably had high hopes that I was going to return home sylph like having dropped two dresses all toned and lovely.  In an hour!

See what I mean about my ideology around exercise.

So off I went to meet the lovely Samantha at her new location in Covent Garden.

Samantha is a Body Transformation Expert who helps women who are fed up with feeling fed up, tired of feeling tired, have tried everything and nothing has worked and who just want to do something to transform their bodies once and for all.  The key is to provide women with the tools and knowledge to not only reach out to their body, health and fitness goals but to also maintain their new body for life.

We talked about me, my hopes, my pitfalls and we went through the usual tests and checks to establish my body metrics.

I was weighed on proper scales and not the set that I move around the room until I get my desired weight.  How cruel!

We also did a brief fitness assessment to establish where I was at with my fitness levels.

And then the results.

And I needed to hear the results.  Because actually, deep down in my trainers and in my cosy little eating place, I knew that it was time for some action.

And this is where someone like Samantha comes in.  Because it’s all about accountability.  About knowing that someone is going to hold you to your commitment.  Knowing that when you can’t be bothered, there is someone waiting for you to turn up and help you to achieve your goals.

It was also music to my ears to know that actually most people DON’T enjoy exercise.  This was a revelation to me and it made me feel so normal I wanted to hug this wonderful lady.

Samantha went on to talk about the different exercises she introduces to her clients and how they tend to work in groups.  The main focus being on having fun.  Because actually no one wants to be doing exercise but it is necessary and it does take us to the place we want to be.

We also talked about food.  Again, I love it eat but do I spend time considering what I am eating?  No I don’t.  Again, not unusual.

We then went through a mini training session which I have to say I did thoroughly enjoy.  I also found it difficult which is testament to my current level of fitness. And I ached the next day so I really felt that it had done some good.

There was just time left in my session to set some goals which was a great focus for me.  I talked about what I didn’t want to have to do anymore – keep buying larger clothes and what I did want to do – feel comfortable and get back to wearing the things that I wanted to.  To be able to look in the mirror and say ‘yep, I’m happy with that’.

Unfortunately, I am unable to participate in a regular programme with Samantha because the location doesn’t suit my current commitments but if I was working in London I would have been able to accommodate the schedule.

Samantha has recently moved from her premises in South London to Covent Garden so that she can focus her attention on helping people like me.

People that have a goal, that have struggled to commit to a form of exercise and that need to work with someone that can tailor a programme that suits their individual requirements.  Samantha offers a very flexible programme for working women that allows them to exercise at convenient times (ie before and after work and during the lunch period).  Most importantly, she is there to cheer you on and will be depending on you to turn up.

I have seen some of Samantha’s success stories that she has shared on her page and it is heartening to see the people for whom her programme has really made a difference.  Here is a link to Samantha’s page.

I gained a huge amount from the time I spent with Samantha.  She told me what I needed to hear and in turn I heard what I needed to be told.

My action started from the moment I walked out of the studio.  Knowing that I would be unable to get into town regularly, Samantha shared lots of ideas of alternative exercise programmes that may be suitable for me.

I have started to look at what I am eating first of all because I know that I can do this.  I’m a big advocate of making the change you want to see and this is no different.

It’s not going to be easy, nor am I about to embark on a life-changing journey but now I know that I’m not the only one that finds it a drudge, I do feel a bit better.

So please do smile sweetly if I should pass you whilst I’m out for a spot of ‘mum’ running!

Exercise eh!

Do you love it or hate it?

Nicky

I was gifted the Transformation Session for the purpose of providing a review of the service offered by Fit & Flourish.   All thoughts and opinions are my own and in line with my expectations as if I were a paying client.

I only review products and services that are in keeping with the content and ethos of this blog.

 

 

 

Chelsea Girl Doesn’t Have My Size

Or style!

And then I find out that BHS is closing down.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I jest of course as I think Chelsea Girl closed down before I was big enough to shop there.  I just latched on to my sister and followed her round while she spent her hard earned fiver from her Saturday job.

As for BHS, may it rest in peace with it’s good friend Woolworths in pic ‘n’ mix heaven.

Not somewhere I’d shop for clothes but the home section was fab.

Anyway,  I’m digressing so let’s get to the point.

Fashion through the age ranges.

For the purpose of this blog, I’m not sure whether I should describe myself as 40+ or fifty minus but what I want to talk about is accommodating body changes and style preferences.

Too much salad and Prosecco together with a slowing metabolism and a whip me whop through the 40s is scientifically proven to have an effect on body shape.  I have this information from a good source.  The mirror.

There is a randomness to these changes – like suddenly acquiring someone else’s boobs, shoulders, arms, back and middle.  The whole top section in fact.  You don’t see it coming gradually.  You just wake up one day and it’s like, well – there.  On your body.

I’ve spent my whole life wanting bigger boobs and having been gifted a few cup sizes around mid 40 (yes it shocked me too!), I realise why everyone bemoans them.  They make clothes look different. They are uncomfortable and bras itch like mad.

I have walked around my favourite stores only to berate them in the changing room for changing their sizes (and styles).  This is a combination of some retailers being a bit stingy with the material and my delusion in not noticing my new top half sooner.

I’m nothing if not persistent but after trying to get something past my shoulders in the tenth shop, hoping the material will give so I can at least move my arms, one can become despondent.  The fact that it leaves me sweating buckets (yes that as well, the little bugger) – well what can I say.

Anyone nodding along?

Unlike Alice in Wonderland, when something says “Eat Me” and “Drink Me” – I do not shrink and fall down a rabbit hole.  Fall down yes – rabbit hole – definitely not.

More like eat a muffin top and you get one.  Smug cow in her blue and white dress. Those jam tarts do come back to haunt you though Alice.  Especially the yellow ones that are always left in the box.

Don’t say I haven’t warned you.

I have realised that I have to take some responsibility for my new ‘grown-up’ shape.

There really is not much to be done about it other than the usual but it does mean a different way of looking at clothes. A new way to address the extras.

I shall certainly mourn the old figure.

But moan I will not – nor is this a quest to be on the front page of Vogue, I have always been one of those lucky people that never had to worry about my weight or my plate.  It’s more of a nod towards feeling comfortable and changing things up a little bit.

On the body front, I don’t want to have to keep hoiking things up or pulling them down.  I want my clothes to stay where I put them.  I also want them to shake hands and meet in the middle.  Just get along really – not that hard is it!

So it’s about comfy staples – those beautiful Mars Bar gems that you really can work, rest and play in.  Simples.  So time to find said little numbers.

This I think will be the bit that takes a bit longer.  No longer the quick dash round picking up the stinky small sizes and being through the till in five minutes. More I see shopping as being more of a one item thing, it will probably require detail and said item will have a history of helping people like me.

A wise garment.

It will probably have a top end price tag too.

Outwardly I will still be the same me as before but inwardly I will know that it’s OK to have that extra glass of Prosecco and piece of cake because I have space in my wise garments for these eventualities.

Bang on trend but still able to bend.

This shall be my new style guide going forward.

I have a few places in mind but any suggestions would be most welcome if you have been on a similar journey.

Wish me swell.

Nicky

 

 

 

 

 

Going With The Flow

“The first rule of menstruation etiquette is you don’t talk about menstruation, particularly to men. If you must discuss your period you do so quietly and euphemistically.”

You may be forgiven for thinking that this is a charming little extract from a 1950s Ladies Housekeeping Guide.

I did.

It’s actually from The Guardian website on 17 May 2016.

Today.

A friend brought it to my attention after a broadly similar discussion we had this morning.

Not very ‘right on’ if you ask me.

“The biggest breach of menstrual etiquette, however, is leaking in public.”

It then goes on to review a device which “saves women from their unpredictable uteri”.

“a girl’s worst nightmare of having blood leak through her new white pants”.

The Bluetooth wearable device that lets you know, via a mobile app, when to change.

The language used in this review has left me questioning which century we are living in.

Regular readers will remember that I have acknowledged in a previous blog that ‘women’s matters’ were very much private during my own upbringing.

That my father living in a house with four menstruating women in the 1970’s was probably torture for a man of his generation.

That was 40 years ago though.

Today things are very different

Equally, I’m all for embracing technology and entrepreneurship and as a woman, any solution or improvement to current available ‘arrangements’ are always welcome.

But this?

Whilst I agree that this does happen to women all the time, there is generally a reprieve of some kind in what we are wearing and our ability to find a quick short term solution.

Of course it happens.

But there is generally some kind of indication.

Surely as women, this is something that we can pretty much judge.

And I do talk from experience in saying this.

Do we really need an App to tell us what we already know.

Having said that, in all my 40+ years, I have never seen anyone with a ‘blob’ accident that has not been aware of it.

And I think it’s also safe to say that most of us probably don’t wear our new white pants at these times.

This is probably about as welcome as being told we could ‘roller-skate’ safely with our period back in the 1970s by a certain sanitary wear brand.

All this while I’m still waiting for my hair to bounce when I carry a surf board.

It’s not going to happen.

But you know what ladies  – I think we’ve got this.

We’ve managed, we’ve coped, we’ve got on with it.

Yes we’ve had to shove our tampons up our sleeves to go to the bathroom or take the bag but I don’t see that changing any time soon.

So where next?

A ‘Poop Snoop’ that tells us when to expect the next bowel movement?

Watch this space.

Do you agree that we have got this one covered?

Nicky

 

 

Being A Make-Up Artist

 

Continuing with my theme around Celebrating Success and Cheerleading, I am going to be talking to the Make-Up Artist, Alanna Flanders-Doughty.

I first met Alanna a few years ago when I participated in a styling makeover which was a collaboration between my hairdresser, a stylist, a photographer and a make-up artist (Alanna).

Alanna was just embarking on her journey as a Make-Up Artist (just over 3 years ago) having left behind the security of a full time job.

I remember really enjoying hearing about all her plans for work and the various training she had done and would continue to do.  I also remember that one of the big challenges she also faced was to learn to drive.

That was 3 years ago now and through Social Media, her website and sheer hard graft, I have seen Alanna turn her business into a roaring success.  She has worked in magazine and television and has the most amazing portfolio.  She is also travelling all around the country in her own wheels!

Of course, this success doesn’t come handed on a plate and Alanna has been tireless in her efforts to build a reputation in the industry and this is one of the things I have admired most about her.

Photograph : David Bradford

Alanna, you chose a path into an extremely competitive industry, tell us about how you managed to get a breakthrough?

A lot of hard work. When I first started I knew no one in the industry at all. I had to start from scratch. I began by building my portfolio which involves meeting up with a new photographer, model and stylist to get pictures. You are all working together to create some nice images for your portfolio. You have to do this quite a few times to start with to build up enough sets to make a nice portfolio website for yourself. Whist doing this you need to get yourself out there by assisting other established make-up artists to learn how to work in different environments. All these things help you build your profile. It takes time but soon all these people you meet will start offering or putting you forward for jobs. As you can imagine it does take a long time and lot of people aren’t able to make it work. I’ve been very fortune to make it pay off a lot quicker than some, I guess I just really wanted it and knew I could do it.

I often see you make references to Make-Up Artist’s being expected to work for nothing in exchange for the prestige of working for a ‘brand’.  This is of course a common problem for small businesses.  How did you deal with that when you were starting out? 

I simply said no!  The unfortunate thing about these make-up schools is that they aren’t teaching the students the rights and wrongs of this job. So when you leave it’s pretty much up to you. A collaboration is the only thing you should do unpaid, everyone is doing it for pictures and no one is making money from you all working together. When a brand approaches you this is a different story. No matter how new you are you do deserve to be paid. The promises of exposure simply aren’t true. Be true to the industry as accepting these kind of jobs doesn’t help us to move forward.  You are worth it.

What advice would you give to other small business owners starting out alone? 

Never give up. Nothing happens over night. It really does take a lot of hard work. You will have knock backs and in the beginning you might feel like you have made the wrong choice but keep going. If you love and enjoy what you are doing, the money will follow.  Fortune favours the brave.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Oh gosh their have been so many I just enjoy getting up everyday and doing what I love. I’m very lucky. I’ve worked with some celebrities, commercials and at The BAFTAs. It has all been amazing.

Who/What keeps you accountable and motivated? 

I have to get the work myself. No one is going to do that for me. Even when I’m not out on set I am still working from home promoting myself and doing admin. I will still get up and get dressed for work every day.

What stopped you from giving up?

I just knew I could do it. Everything I’ve done in life I have done to the best of my ability.  No matter how hard it was in the beginning I knew I could make it work. Going back to my 9-5 desk job just wasn’t an option for me. I was enjoying what I was doing and I wasn’t prepared to give it up. I’m very stubborn and headstrong! 

You will have seen my recent post about Cheerleaders.  Were you lucky enough to have the support of others? 

If I’m honest, I was surprised about the support I’ve received from some people but this has only made me even more determined to keep going. I think things like this do show you who matters. I am so grateful to those who have shown me support, ‘ve received some lovely messages and compliments from those least expected. My fiancé, mum and dad always tell me how proud of me they are and are amazed of how far I’ve come in this time.

Any further goals you want to share?

I’ve got a very long list of goals for this year. It’s the first year I’ve actually written them down. They are on my fridge and I look at them everyday. They are really ambitious so I’m hoping I will have a few ticked off soon.  As for what they are well I would like to keep that to myself for now!

Photograph : David Bradford

Alanna, thank you so much for taking part this series.  It sounds as though you have some exciting plans on your list of goals.

It must be a wonderful feeling to be able to look back and reflect on how much you have achieved.

I have to say, I’d book you out every day to do my make-up if I could!

You can find out more about Alanna’s work on her website.

Alanna is the last of my three lovely local ladies who have participated in this series.  You can read more about the others here :

Heather Waring – Walk to the Rhythm of Your Heart

Laura Piercy-Farley – Sharing the Success of E18 Yoga

Thank you so much for reading.  All comments are welcomed and will be responded to.

Nicky

Walk to the Rhythm of Your Heart

Continuing with my theme around Celebrating Success and Cheerleading, I am going to be talking to Heather Waring today who has recently launched her new business around walking and transformational walking experiences.  The walking experiences focus on providing you wonderful women with space and time to reflect on the life you want to be living – hence ‘Walk to the Rhythm of Your Heart’.

I first met Heather at a networking event several years ago when she was working as a Business Coach.    She is a woman with many strings to her bow and I find her incredibly warm and engaging.

As well as being a brilliant Business Coach, Heather has always had a great passion for walking.  One of her pursuits has been walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostella from Le Puy en Velay in Central France.  Heather has walked a section every year since 2008 with a fellow walker.

  

What I really love about your story Heather is that you are bringing together your skills and passions and turning this into your work.  A perfect combination for success.  You must be feeling really excited about sharing this?

It’s a really exciting time and so heartening to see it all come together at last.  I’ve had many parts of this plan for a long time but a number of issues have stopped it coming together before.  One of the biggest issues was myself standing in my way and not allowing my passion for walking and the difference it could make shine through.  I believe this is true of many of us women.  Our self belief is not always as apparent to ourselves as it is to others.  I ran myself into the ground a few years ago through helping everyone else but not myself.  Through that recovery, I found out so much about myself.   It also enabled me to see very clearly how many other women are the same and how I can help them become the best version of themselves. Walking is my sanity, it allows me time and space and the health benefits are enormous.  By knowing my values and then using walking as the vehicle, everything has fallen into place, it’s all aligned with my top values and I get to do what I love with people I love, every day and I get to make a difference too.

Your story perfectly encapsulates the message in my recent blog about celebrating success, I talked about how it can be difficult going it alone, getting an idea off the ground and keeping it going.   You have done this very well – any cheerleaders?

Working for yourself isn’t for everyone as it can be lonely and that’s not something you should ignore.  If you need a team, then perhaps working from your kitchen table is not for you. I actually like the space and peace that I get from working on my own but that’s because I have built a number of support systems. For example I am in my 10^th year as a member a women’s networking organisation which meets monthly and the women I have got to know there are like a family. These friends are the people I can pick up the phone to which is really important when I’ve had a bad day and need to sound off or get advice.   Equally useful when you have something to celebrate and want to share good news.   We support each other reciprocally.

I have other communities too which provide support and opportunities such as my speaker colleagues and most importantly my Mastermind group.  My current Mastermind group consists of 5 women (myself included) and we know each other inside out.  We have no need for pretence or  anything other than openness and honesty.  They are probably my top cheerleaders and I love them to bits.

As regards celebrating success,  this is one of my big things.  In my family it’s any excuse for a celebration and that’s something I encourage, and often insist, my clients do. It doesn’t have to be expensive or take a long time but it does have to be a celebration (however large or small).

Of course the theme that runs throughout this series is not just about being a business owner.  It’s about allowing ourselves to have a go at doing the things we have always wanted to do.    That can be tough for women with so many conflicting priorities.  How did you make time for ‘your thing’

The first thing I did was to ensure I married a man who knew that freedom was important to me and that I needed my space. I was older when I got married so maybe this helped but it’s really important to know your values and what makes you who you are and then to build from there. You need to honour your values so creating an environment for this to happen is crucial and communication is important. 

Although I’d always walked, my passion for it started to build at a very difficult time in my life when I was being bullied in the workplace and my daughter was a toddler. I took on many personal walking challenges and when I was training, that walking gave me a break from all that was stressing me. On top of a mountain, life does show you perspective!

It’s really important to make time for you and what you love and to find a way to make that happen. 

I had to be a little selfish, which is a word with so many negative connotations, and something we women find so hard but when your needs are met you are so much more able to help others. I would just encourage you to really strive to do what you want to do, what you need to do and find that balance in the family that allows you to see that through.  Everyone will benefit. Don’t be put off, stay strong, you deserve to forge your path.

And the inevitable ‘shoulds’ that often stand in the way?

‘Shoulds’ are someone else’s agenda not your own. Just think about it and when you say ‘I should’, see it for what it is.

“I should go to the gym” for instance – who says? 

You don’t want to otherwise you would go so it’s probably you feeling guilty or wondering what others will say if you don’t show.

“I should get it touch with…….”

Do you want to?  Sometimes we need to cull people in our lives and I would suggest that if there are people we don’t enjoy seeing then it’s time for a cull. By getting rid of some people, we make room for new people who bring us joy.  Please don’t think I am absent of ‘should’s’.  They crop up in my life but over the years there are a lot less and now, in most cases, I recognise them for what they are. There is a lot of guilt in our lives, this fuels the ‘shoulds’.  Changing this isn’t necessarily easy but it can be changed, remember that and next time you find a ‘should’ creeping in, analyse it a little and take appropriate action.

 

Many people reading this will be parents.  You’ve been able to do all of this while raising your daughter.  That’s not without its challenges is it?

Being a mum is one of the hardest jobs and you don’t always get the recognition or the rewards you deserve so living the life you want while being a parent is indeed challenging.

I go back to something I said earlier about the kind of man I married, as well as knowing that freedom was important to me, I also needed someone who could be a true partner. From the time our daughter was born, he stepped up to the role being a father.  We found our balance which is never a flat surface but always in flux. He travels a great deal so on many occasions it was Ellie and I at home and I felt a little like a single parent (and have great admiration for parents bringing up children on their own).  I need my space.  It’s finding the way forward that suits you and your situation. It’s give and take. It’s important though to have your voice and make sure it’s heard. This isn’t always easy and at times I had to battle that.

You also need wider family or friends that you can depend on to pick up, do a school run, have your child for a sleepover and share the work load with…and also to sit down and open a bottle of wine with. Now our daughter is at University and we have so much freedom but we still plan the times together and the space to do our own things in parallel. The journey never ends, it just changes. 

Walking is a really popular fitness pursuit.  Walking and talking is a wonderful combination.   I imagine you have already had a lot of interest.  When are you hoping to get started with the sessions? 

Walking has been called the ‘near perfect’ exercise because of the benefits it brings; because you need little gear to get going and you can do it from your own front door. You can also do it anywhere so it’s an easy form of exercise to fit in when you travel, great for me.

Many people find talking about personal issues difficult and this is where walking and talking is so great because when you are walking you don’t have to keep eye contact with the person you walk with and this helps so many people open up. There’s also something about walking in the fresh air that expands your creativity and thinking and I find it so much easier to develop solutions and come up with ideas when walking both for myself and for clients. It also takes you away from the people and the environment that may be causing the stress, overwhelm or trauma in people’s lives and again that makes it easier to get clarity and see the way forward.

My transformational walking experiences take women away so that they have time for themselves. Through the walking experiences we exercise every day in a natural environment and learn how to appreciate being in the moment.  There will be the support of others as well as time just for you so that you come away feeling clearer, with a plan to make the changes they want and with new friends and support.  The first of these weeks away will be happening in May and another in late September/early October.

I have also just launched an initiative called Women Walking: Women Talking which is a monthly networking event where women give themselves the gift of a day to walk with others, explore, build relationships and recharge. 

Heather, thank you so much for sharing.  I am so excited for you, I can see this really being a great success.

Your story perfectly illustrates many of the points I have raised around success in this series.  You have also touched on some very important topics here that helped to shape your direction that I am sure many readers will identify with.

I recommend taking a look at Heather’s website where you can read more of her story and find out more details about the walking experiences.

Please feel free to comment below if you wish to.  All comments are gratefully received and responded to.

Next week I shall be talking to another local entrepreneur about her story.

Thank you for reading.

Nicky

Click here for Recent posts in this series

Sharing the Success of E18 Yoga

Over the last couple of weeks in my blog I have talked about Cheerleaders and Celebrating Success as part of a series and challenge to celebrate International Women’s Day.

I also mentioned the fact that we never have to look far for inspirational people and how we are particularly well served in our local area for such people.

I am delighted to say that in my blog today I am going to be talking to the lovely Laura Piercy-Farley, the owner of E18 Yoga, about her business.

Laura runs Yoga classes for children and adults as well as personal one to one classes and a pregnancy yoga class at the weekend.

One of the things that has always struck me about Laura is her energy.  I often wonder how many hours there are in Laura’s day compared to everyone else’s.     As well as working full-time, Laura is involved in and can turn her hand to so many things.

She works full-time in a very demanding role, has two grown up sons and manages to play netball, run Yoga classes, crochet and be very active in the community all at the same time.

The biggest surprise is that Laura is due to retire from the City of London police force in June so there is lots more to come for E18 Yoga.

It is clear that Laura is passionate about her classes and the children and adults that she teaches.  She takes a genuine interest in everyone and the children absolutely love her.

 

Over to you Laura – exciting times ahead, how did the Yoga idea come about?

I started attending yoga class with a wonderful lady Kay Russell after a sad event 14 years ago  to help me deal with depression. I found it so helpful I wanted to share my good experience with others so I trained for four years, whilst working as a riot officer, to teach others.  I have been teaching 12 years (you start teaching half way through your training as a student teacher).

My first yoga classes were to my fellow riot officers! I thought if I could teach them I could teach anyone!

Yoga has become more and more popular in recent years, it’s a wonderful form of exercise.  What would you say are the main benefits?

Balance is the main benefit of yoga, exercise is a by product of yoga! Yoga can bring balance to the mind, body, breath  and heart. You become stronger, more supple, focused, relaxed and dare I say happier, well at least you do in my classes and we spend a fair amount of time laughing!

One of your really successful areas has been working with children.   I know that you have seen really positive results?

Children are a complete joy to teach. I don’t know the exact science behind why yoga is so good for children, however you see a shy child blossom, an angry/sad child be able to better deal with the emotions raging around their bodies and a happy child become happier and more confident. I trust my yoga children to catch, teach and lead me in yoga (see Video of Trust link below)

 

You are an avid user of Social Media sharing lots of useful information around Yoga and well-being.  Has this helped with launching your business?

I get more enquires via social media than any other medium. I will be launching yoga video bites via Facebook soon watch this space!

Another lovely thing about you is that you actively support others with their ventures too.  I have talked about Cheerleaders throughout this series.  Would you agree that you are one?

I like to help local businesses and local yoga teachers, I am a great believer in the rule of three, ‘What you give out free you get back threefold’ .

Whilst I am still working I sometimes get offered classes that I can’t cover I look to local teachers to offer them the work. I know that once I retire that this will come back to me. I am also happy to promote business through my class network.

Who are your Cheerleaders for when things don’t always go to plan?

My biggest cheerleader is my husband.  Without his help I would not be able to teach my classes. He cares for our sons, cooks the dinner, walks the dogs,  does my accounts, maintains my website and much, much more. He also attends my Monday class with our son and gives me honest feedback.

Leaving the security of employment can be life changing but also daunting – has this been a concern for you or is it celebrations all the way?

I have loved being a Police Officer and feel very privileged to have completed my full service of 30 years. It is very unusual for a female officer to reach this milestone.  

I am now ready for the next chapter of my life, spending more time with friends and family, exploring my yoga practice and teaching more yoga!!! Oh and learning the piano, ballroom dancing, Spanish, tennis and the list continues!

Up until now, the Yoga has been a part-time business for you.  What plans do you have for E18 Yoga once you are officially retired?

This was an area of dilemma for me as I like to be busy. I love teaching a variety of yoga class from prenatal all the way through to Fab & Over 50.

However, I have decided that my area of expertise is really teaching yoga to children. I am going to offer yoga to schools as an enhancement to the curriculum. Including Inset day training for staff and how they can use yoga to create a calmer more productive class environment and teaching the children how to use yoga to balance their school days.

I already teach afterschool yoga club at two schools in South Woodford which I love. Those are the children whose parents see the value of yoga, but there are lots of children in school who would benefit from yoga whose parents would never think to send them, i want them to benefit from yoga as well.

I am already in negotiations with a local school to volunteer an hour a week to help children 1-2-1.   Fingers crossed.

Ben Stansall / 07875 583086 Yoga students practise ‘Downward Facing Dog’ during a yoga class at Wood Street Police Station in the City of London on July 23 2008.

Laura, thank you.  I really appreciate the time you have taken to share more about the E18 Yoga journey and being part of this series.

I wish you all the best with your exciting plans!

You can contact Laura and find out more about E18 Yoga here.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have.  As always, your comments are welcomed and encouraged on the blog.

Do stop by again next week when I shall be talking to another local entrepreneur.

Nicky

Celebrating Success

 

To celebrate International Women’s Day and as part of a wider group blogging challenge, I am writing a series of posts around celebration and success.  In a recent post I talked about Cheerleaders and empowering each other.

There has been a lot of negative coverage recently touching on the choices that women make (ie stay at home mums, working mums, employed, self-employed, working, not working) – and so it goes on.

These are just a few examples.

Same story, different day.

I thought it would be a perfect opportunity and a refreshing change to acknowledge and celebrate success.

You never have to look too far from home to find inspirational people.

I am talking about people who you often look at and marvel at the way they have put themselves out there and how they  are taking the chance to do something amazing.

They have empowered themselves to take the bull by the horns to pursue something they love – their dream, or perhaps something that will benefit others.

We are particularly well served in our local area for such people.

These people may be friends, acquaintances or perhaps individuals that you have come across in the local community or through local social media sites.

Some people just catch your attention.

This could be through businesses they have set up, projects they have been involved in or through simply by being Cheerleaders for causes that are for the greater good of others.

These people are often going it alone.

When you work for yourself – it is just you.  You don’t have the camaraderie of colleagues to turn to when the going gets tough.  You don’t sit opposite someone to solve problems with or share ideas.

You are the boss and the team.  You are the whole department.

As well as being the expert in your line of business, you also need to acquire a first class set of business skills in all discipline areas.  The whole shebang and caboodle.

There are lots of people doing this very well locally.

There are a couple of people in particular that I would like to talk about over my next few posts.

Actually, this isn’t altogether true – there are many,  but I have chosen these people (women on this occasion) because I have admired their sheer grit and determination to pursue their goals.

I want to share their stories and their inspiration because they deserve a great big cheer.

Not least for being experts in their fields.

We can all take inspiration from the success of others.  There is also no greater way to learn.

You may well have been in their shoes.

When starting out on a new venture alone, there is a popular saying that you ‘set out your stall and no one comes’.  In other words, you are really going to have to work for it.

We all experience times where we have to just keep going and going with no end in sight.  We also learn what it is like to fail too.  Cheerleaders are particularly welcome during these times.

It can often feel like the break will never come.

When it does, it’s generally when you least expect it.

In much the same way as any personal challenge or dream, the feeling of having achieved your goal can be quite beautiful – irrespective of its size.

It is very worthy of celebration.

This celebration is the thing we often forget.

I am really looking forward to sharing these stories over my forthcoming blogs.

It would also be lovely to hear your own success stories.  Feel free to comment and share away.

Let’s get banging those drums!

I have chosen some pictures from the 2012 Olympic Games to accompany this post.  These perfectly depict what I convey here.

Many of them are from the Olympic Parade that passed through the streets of London in September 2012 which we had the privilege to see.

They illustrate success and cheerleading rather well.

I hope you enjoy this and the posts that follow.

My first interview will be with the lovely Laura from E18 Yoga.   Heather Waring and her walking experiences follows and then Alanna Flanders-Doherty will be telling us about her work as a Make-Up Artist

Thank you for reading.

Nicky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who’s Your Cheerleader?

When was the last time you cheered yourself on?

Come to that when was the last time someone else cheered you on?

Who gives you the inspiration to continue to do your thing?

For those of us that work, we generally get inspiration from the satisfaction of what we are doing and it is quite often our colleagues and managers that give us the bit of ‘ra’ that we need.

What about if we are not working though?  Self-employed or freelance.  Maybe taking part in something unrelated to work.  Being a full-time parent perhaps.

Who bangs your drum?

For many people the answer is no-one.

It can sometimes be very hard to remain focussed on our goals when we work in isolation or start out on a project alone.

It may be that the job or project that we are embarking on has no financial recompense and it can be very easy to put others before ourselves.

Perhaps we are undertaking a hobby or a lifetime dream for the first time.

‘Shoulds’ start to compete for our time.  The priorities of our dependents or others can often take centre stage.

Sometimes ‘our thing’ doesn’t make it off the starting blocks because we don’t allow ourselves the time to invest in it.

Of course we are all quite capable of picking up self-help and motivational books, which are fabulous, but there is nothing like having someone that holds you accountable through the ups and downs of your journey.

Ups and downs are a part of life, they define us and determine whether we continue down a particular path.

There are times when we all just need someone to say ‘keep going’ or a kind word of encouragement may come just at the right time.

So when I say Cheerleader, I’m talking about those people who genuinely invest their time in you and your dreams.

Cheerleaders can be family, friends, partners, acquaintances, ourselves – total strangers even.

We can all be Cheerleaders.

Cheerleaders don’t judge and they don’t begrudge.

They are able to blow your trumpet with you or for you if you have lost your puff.

I often liken them to angels as quite often they come along at just the right time when you need a little bit of extra sparkle in your wand.

They are the ones that keep you accountable and remind you of your plans over and over again and celebrate how far you have come.

They feel as much passion for your goals as they do their own.

These are the people that know that you have got the inspiration and motivation to turn your hand towards the success and achievement that you are striving for.

And they shout it from the rooftops while waving their banner until you reach your goal.

Who is your Cheerleader?

Over the next few weeks and in conjunction with a blogging challenge, I shall be writing a series of posts around celebration and success.  These will also touch on International Women’s Day which is on 8 March.

Thank you for reading and I hope you can join me for the next post.

Nicky x

 

 

 

 

My Situation Is Vacant

Wish me luck in my new job.

I didn’t apply for it.  Neither do I have the appropriate skillset.

This job doesn’t take into account anything that I have done before.

In fact, I’ve never been more unqualified for a job in my life.

This has to be the only job that you don’t have to apply for.

How jammy am I?!!!

Let me explain.

As of next week, I am leaving my current job in search of a new one.

I’m treating myself to a bit of time off too – bit of this, bit of that, bit of freelance work, bit of blog maintenance, get the house in order, big old sort out – you know the kind of thing.

I am also very excited about finding my next ‘ideal job’.

In advance of this, I noticed that the paperwork at home was resembling a Jenga tower and given my Jenga prowess, I decided to take a few pieces out.

This resulted in filling a few forms in, making a few grown-up appointments and having a few meetings.

I was so good at all of the above that they offered me the job!

Imagine that.

Simples.  Check me out!

My new job, according to the form filling ‘opinion makers’ is Housewife.

Now, before you congratulate me on my success, I urge you to spare me a thought because I’m actually quite worried.

I questioned the job offer on the basis that I’m not qualified to be a Housewife – was I obliged to take the position?

No choice apparently, homemaker perhaps, (lady of leisure was also touted) or unemployed.

I have to choose one.

What is expected of the ‘Housewife’ then?

I have been offered the job before when I was at home with my daughter as a baby but I wasn’t looking for work back then.  I was just getting by doing the best I could.

I know of others that have been given the job too.

It sounds like it involves commitment to someone.

I wonder if there will be a ‘do’?

This is not a feminist rant, it’s not my style and as for burning my bra – I don’t have enough bras to be so frivolous.

If it was Iron Man in the same position, I would be mortified if he was given the title of ‘House Husband’.  (The fact that he is in training as a Circus performer at the moment is beside the point).

So why am I worried?

Well for a start-off, I’m going on holiday during the first week of my new employment.

Secondly, not only will I be working but I will also be looking for work.

Moonlighting and job hunting.  Not good for a new joiner that was on holiday the week she was due to start.

Also, I can’t work everyday because I’ve actually made plans.

Oh and there’s The Kid.

Who’s wife did you say I am?

“Housewife”

That was it.

Who thought that job title up then?

Do I need to train?

Wait for it though!

The best bit.

No pay!

No bloody pay!

Only me.

What would you do? Would you take it?

Am I crazy to let this opportunity pass – the job I don’t want, the job that doesn’t pay.

It’s also just dawned on me that I’ve been doing this job all along anyway.

You probably have too but like me you’ve never given it a name.

My point here is that I actually want the job I described earlier.

That doesn’t pay either in the short term but that’s my prerogative.

There is no ‘category’ for this.

There are simply “No Vacancies”.

No box available to tick.  No delete ‘as appropriate’.

The Tick Box police have spoken and I have to be a Housewife.

I suppose I should get on as I’ve got a whole stack of things to do before I start this new job.

Did I mention I won’t be there for about the first month?

I would say hold the pay cheque but there isn’t one.

Just keep my seat warm then.

See you around April time.

Nicky x#