Hi everyone! I hope you have all had another lovely month, time sure is flying!

This week we started our NEW ‘Queen Of The Night’ routine from The Bodyguard, we’re getting a brain workout as well as a physical workout with this one and we are loving it! I hope you enjoyed our last routine from Singing In The Rain too? Here is one of our lovely instructors Gabbie with her sister Fran practicing their moves in the rain…

‘The only mistake in life is the lesson not learned’- Albert Einstein

In this month’s newsletter blog, I want to talk about the importance of learning from our experiences and using our ‘lessons learned’ to look after our all-important health and wellbeing over the next few weeks (and beyond).

After the government announcement over the weekend, my first thought was ‘Mamma Mia, here we go again’ (in true ABBA style). Since then I have put it all into perspective and feel much more positive. After all, we have done it once and we shall do it again- only better! I sat down with a lovely cuppa and my notebook, pondering about what I have learned from the first lockdown. I asked myself two questions…

What made me feel good during that time?

What did not make me feel good during that time?

It’s interesting because, what I thought was benefiting me at the time, was possibly actually not doing me the world of good in the long run. Feeling very reflective, I made a list of all the things which came to mind.

I now have a little bit of a plan for the next four weeks in lockdown 2 !

‘Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood’- Helen Keller

As the quote above suggests, life is full of lessons! I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling like I’ve certainly learned a lot from this year, and I hope that I will use those lessons learned to benefit my all-important health and wellbeing over the next few weeks and into the future!

I’d love to share my ponderings with you in the hope that it might give you a little bit of inspiration to make a little list of your own:

 

1. Get up and get dressed for the day!

For me, laying in bed and not getting dressed for the day didn’t make me feel good in the long run. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a good pyjama day! However, I formed a habit of staying in bed too long and spending my day working in pj’s. At first, this was fab! But after a while, it started to have a negative effect on my overall mood and productivity.

This time I plan to get up and get dressed for the day as much as possible. I always feel better when I’ve had a shower, put my make up on and got dressed.

2. Spend time outdoors

Okay, I know we’re not in a heatwave this time around, but being in the outdoors is good for the soul at any time of year! Especially with the days being shorter now, I want to get out of the house in the morning with Mabel for walks and enjoy the daylight in the lovely countryside around us. As I have a dog, I have no choice but to be outdoors come rain or shine. Did you know, as little as a 10 minutes’ brisk walking has been proven to increase our mental alertness, energy and positive mood?

3. Look after my mind and body

Getting out on walks, moving more and sitting less make me feel much more mindful and positive. I plan to watch a little less Netflix (I feel like there’s a bum shaped dint in my sofa since the last lockdown ha ha) and read more books. On that note, I’m currently reading a fantastic book called ‘The Choice’ by Edith Eger. It is really thought provoking, moving and definitely making me feel very grateful to be alive right now- I highly recommend it.

I also really enjoyed doing jigsaws during our last lockdown, I found that it distracted me from working too much and gave me a very mindful point of focus. So, I will certainly be doing more of that!

Finally, eat and drink healthier. And yes… this involves drinking less WINE! Uh oh! Definitely won’t be cutting it out totally though, here’s me enjoying my last ‘out out’ drink before lockdown (picture below).

Speaking of fizz, who will be joining us for our online Christmas party on 20th November (yes, I really did just drop the C word). You know what we’re like, we love to be the first Christmas party of the year!

So, I’m curious, what would be on your list? It might be totally different to me, but it’s important to look back at the things that brought you joy this year and make a conscious effort to bring more of those things into your life!

The most important thing, especially at times like this, is your health and wellbeing!

Keep on doing the things that make you happy

I know that for many of you, dancing does exactly that! Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety, so be sure to keep moving! Our online ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness classes are here to stay so please do get in touch if you’d love to give it a go this month as we move through the next month! It really is a giggle and a great way to keep active too, even from the comfort of your own home. Click here to book a free online taster class: https://bit.ly/2HZbVOw

Love and hugs!

Katy and the ‘On Broadway’® Dance Fitness team x