It's hard to talk about the first week of January without slipping into clichés isn't it?
'Happy New Year, how was your break?, we're all full of chocolate, are you setting any resolutions, I've forgotten how to type / drive / eat a vegetable' etc...
I did actually for the first time in ages experience some 'sunday-night-dread' feelings of anxiety before getting back into things this week. It was less about anything specific, and more about feeling nervous about slipping back into the overwhelm and stress that I had let get the better of me last year - the overwhelm that came with changes of career, new relationships, juggling work and money and single-parenting and all of that stuff. The Christmas break was escapism and honestly probably an opportunity to bury my head in the sand a bit.
So when it came to the end, and time to face the realities of 'life again' it felt a bit daunting.
Me getting back to life after Christmas break:
Anyway - thankfully that feeling didn't last. Here's my journal of how this week went:
Mon 2nd Jan
Has there ever been a more Monday-ey Monday? the last chance for a slow morning and floppy day at home. I was still feeling a little under the weather, so enjoyed spending half the day drinking tea and playing with Lyra - we did lots of colouring and built a particularly impressive snowman out of boxes covered in a white sheet adorned with stickers.
We walked into town in the afternoon to get some fresh air and stretch our legs. The mission: get a new paper diary for 2023 - something that has (evidently) also inspired my to log a weekly journal on my website to share my thoughts and ideas on all things wellbeing, Pilates, movement and what I'm up to with growing and developing KORE...y'know in case anyone is interested.
Tues 3rd Jan
Turns out today was more Monday-ey than yesterday. Because it was dark, chucking it down with rain, and we had to get up in the morning for the school run. It wasn't a great start to the new term, as I forgot to bring in her book bag - mum fail!
I slurped the last of my coffee, took a deep breath like a brave girl, dusted off the laptop, creaked open it's lid and tackled ... the TO DO list!
I actually had a very productive hot-drink-fuelled day of sorting out emails, life admin and some work for my marketing clients. I set up a new term of Pilates classes on the Kore website, and sent out the January almanac-style newsletter. I genuinely love doing these - I like the idea that they're not a sally email, but something that people actually look forward to receiving with other product, wellbeing, media, book and recipe recommendations - all seasonal and hopefully interesting ?!
Wednesday 4th Jan
Back to Pilates classes yaaayyyy! Honestly, the highlight of the week so far!
Apart from a couple of rainy, very slow jogs over the holidays, I didn't get much movement in, largely thanks to the cough, cold, fluey *thing* that seemed to have wiped more or less everyone out this Christmas! So today was actually the first day I had a proper amount of energy to workout in a while. Danny and I decided to do a hiit home workout thing, which was tough but in a goooood 'oooh this is gonna hurt tomorrow' kinda tough - I was just so grateful to have the energy to move at all. Loved it.
7pm rolled around and I was so so happy to welcome two, well technically three, new faces to class. The lovely Gill and Kay joined in Wednesday evening's class with Samantha who has been coming for a few weeks already. We were also joined by my boyfriend (ooooh) Danny who hid at the back and experienced his first. ever. Pilates. class *shocked face emoji*
We did a re-introductoin to the body class working our way from the top of the head to the toes, with the help of a magic circle and it felt great. I hope the guys in the class felt good too.
Thursday 5th Jan
OKAY - feeling that workout and Pilates sesh from yesterday, god it felt satisfying to experience my first DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) of the year - I have used my body yay!
What a lush start to the day visiting one of my client's Caroline who enjoyed a 1:1 session in the comfort of her lovely home, such a relaxed enjoyable way to start the day with a bit of movement and some good conversation - I truly feel like I am making some lovely connections and friends (can I say friends??) doing this work, I'm feeling SO buzzing about it!
Ran home for a zoom call with one of my marketing clients, they run a probiotics business called Microbz. They are so awesome and I genuinely love what they do, I implore anyone to check out their stuff if you have any interest in gut health and holistic healthy approaches to living.
Like an annoying fly bashing into the window, I am determined to continue with my weekly Thursday midday live's on Instagram. I do feel a bit silly sometime talking to myself as I see the little counter on the 'who's watching' think say 0 - although yesterday my lovely Dad did stop by which was very cute. I will keep going because I believe in it, it's free I'm giving a free movement class and the opportunity to connect and chat informally once a week, it's just a case of stoopid-social-media alogrythms and giving it enough time consistently to build a small audience for it. I just love the idea of logging on each week to lots of people moving together and checking in and enjoying a 30min mindset and movement break....anyway Billy-no-mates here will continue all by myself until people cotton on 😁
LOVE my Thursday night class, the energy and vibe is always so good, I really look forward to it - although this week I knew Danny was at home bashing up a fresh pasta so I practically ran outta the door after a last exercise haha!
Friday 6th Jan
I had no parents and babies for this morning's class so I enjoyed a slow morning, bowl of porridge and coffee before busting out my laptop for a final and relaxed day of working from home. I struggle often with overwhelm and juggling lots of things. I have two marketing clients, a list as long as my arm of life admin and also trying to set up Kore. Plus I have one of those minds with like A ZILLION ideas so when it comes to content I also get really excited about blogging, website designing, emails, social media posts ideas, setting up Youtube channel etc....
Anyway, slowly slowly we get through it.
The main task today was to focus on getting things in line for THE NEW STUDIO!!!! Flipping frequently between scared sh*tless and very very excited. My gut instinct tells me it's going to thrive, but I'm setting it up on a shoe-string budget so having to be really careful and strategic about how to do it...
I have the vision of what it will look like, all the beautiful faces I will see there and all the exciting collaborations, other teachers, styles of classes, events, ways to give back to the community etc. If I could just fast forward a couple of months past the set up phase.... *not a very good mindful 'be in the present' thought there Sar!*
This Week:
Grateful for: My work being flexible and free (no office life)
Highlight moment: Stopping for a dance break in Pageant Gardens on a walk home with Lyra
I learnt: The word hygiene comes from a greek goddess Hygeia - from this v interesting video
I struggled with: Getting ready for the change of pace / transition outta holiday mode
Word of the week: Re-starting
Signing off for the first week ✌🏻
Sarah x
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