Welcome to your Monday moment of pause

The last Monday of the month already.  Are you relieved?  January can feel hard with the pressure we put on ourself to get going at the start of the year. Well done for all you have achieved to put your own needs at the top of your to-do list.  That may simply be saying no to things or accepting now is not the time to crank up the gears to Go, Go, Go.  Some days it's just drinking enough water that you actually need a loo break!

I'm looking forward to some time off next week for my birthday. It's become a tradition since Mum died to not focus on just one day.  Instead I do something lovely with someone lovely every day of my birthday week.  I highly recommend it! 

I've decided my week off is the perfect time to bring in some daily stretching so I'm going to start one of Yoga with Adrienne's monthly programmes.  Will I opt for this years January schedule or go back to the first January 2021 programme which I started and never finished!  Decisions, decisions - it doesn't really matter of course as long as I pull out my mat!  If that is all we can do some days then it's still a step in the right direction.  I'll let you know how it goes! 

Much love and blessings, Nic   

Yoga with Adrienne

If you're thinking a daily routine of stretching could be good for you too, here are some Yoga with Adrienne links for routines that support mental and physical symptoms.

Yoga for neck and shoulder relief (16 mins)

Morning hip release (15 mins)

Yoga for migraines (23 mins)

Yoga for anxiey (20 mins)

Yoga for gut health (18 mins)

Palm Flow Pilates Studio opens

Talking of stretching ... if you're in Gloucester and prefer the social aspect of an in-person class or the direction of a teacher, have you considered Pilates?  My friend Nic has has just opened her own Pilates studio opposite Gloucester Royal Hospital.  I went to the launch night last week and it was buzzing with people interested in mat classes and using reformer machines.  For this photo I used magic eraser to rub out all the random heads, legs and the empty food plate in my hand!  I wanted to give you a better idea of what's Nic's studio looks like than the bustle of launch night (utterly fab as it was).

To find out more check out Palm Flow Studio .  Nic has classes available Monday to Saturday with 7am classes on Tues/Wed and evening options several nights a week. 

Curl up with a book - recipe inspo for meal planning

I bought a few new recipe books from the Oxfam Charity shop recently as well as borrowing some Jamie Oliver books from the library.  I'm resolved to try one new recipe a week and do more batch cooking.  I don't relish cooking the minute I get home from work to feed family members who need fuelling before getting out on to the badminton court! 

After last weekends sugar laden Mary Berry brownies I thought I'd try Deliciously Ella's apple and cinnamon porridge cake.  I baked it yesterday for us to have for breakfast this morning and it was tasty and filling.  When I make it again I'll bake it in cookie blobs so it's less stodgy in the middle and lasts a bit longer in the fridge.  My top tip when eating low sugar creations is to have a glug of cream nearby.  This is actually Oatly whippable cream and is absolutely delicious - so much so I have the leftovers in coffee (and I don't even drink coffee normally!).  

Would you be interested in a peer support group about ...

I've written an online course this month for work called ''Why we worry: understanding stress and ways to ease it".  I've hosted 2 out of 3 one hour sessions with people on our community hub caseload and it's gone really well.  It's a gentle sharing of information about the neurology of stress and learning why our body and mind gets hijacked by it.  The chance for participants to share their experience of worry and how it effects them.  And the learning of simple techniques to calm the nervous system and break the cycle of 'what if' thinking before problem solving what to do next. 

It made me wonder if this is something that could be useful for you?  We're all human and worry can be very apparent when receiving hard news, missing a deadline, having an accident etc, or hit us like a bolt of lightening out of nowhere.  Would you like to come together with others for peer support and learning?

I have so many ideas about the sort of topics a peer support session could be useful for.  From my own experience and chats with friends the following are very relevant. I bet we all have some good tips for helping to manage the physical and mental pain of these conditions. 

• Headaches and migraines
• Neck/shoulder/hip pain
• Women's health - hormone changes include increase in anxiety, brain fog and weight
• Digestive issues 

Let me know if you would like to hear more about how complementary therapy can support you with managing life's health challenges x

My heart smile moment week was this magical picture sent to me by my sister-in-law.  The Northern Lights over Bayersdorf in Germany on Mum's birthday!

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. 

warm wishes, Nic