Set yourself up for health and fitness success in 2020
by Mary-Jane Shenton
The New Year is both a time of celebration and sweet reflection. There are always lessons to be learnt from the previous year and if you don’t learn a lesson the first time, it’ll show up again for you. This applies both to Pilates and yoga and life generally. Before you read further, write down the lessons that 2019 gifted you? How you can take them on board so you don’t revisit any mistakes and move forward with confidence into 2020? I share below some advice that resonated with me in 2019 and I will carry forward into 2020 to put my health and wellness first.
Take the easy wins
Time is one of your most precious commodities so there isn’t time to do everything. Sometimes it’s important to take the easy wins and leave the rest of the fruit on the tree for someone else. What is time consuming and energy draining for you may be easy and uplifting for someone else. Begin with what you are good at and can do easily and go from there.
Pace yourself
When I was on Yoga teaching a few years back, we were asked to breathe deeply and count our breaths as our teacher timed us. When we were finished he asked us who had over 100 breaths and a few of us put up our hand. However, the point was to breathe slowly and therefore have less than 100 breaths. Do you always feel rushed or do you take your time? Earlier this year, I was reminded to pace myself. Doing things more hurriedly doesn’t necessarily achieve more, but taking my time has made me prioritise and respond more thoughtfully. It has also given me more time to sit, think and enjoy the more menial tasks in the day.
Put your health first
When I opened the studio, my personal workout time disappeared. In December 2018 I was running 28 classes a week and running the backend of the business. This was not sustainable, so in 2019 I made a conscious decision to put aside Monday mornings for my workouts. It’s one of the best decisions I made, as it set my week up for success, both in term of fitness and mental wellness. So I’m encouraging you to think about your 2020 non-negotiables that will better your health. Perhaps it’s fitness, what you eat or better sleep.
Find time to work-in
For me this is Yoga. It gives me the time to be mindful, slow down my breath and let the outside world be. Sometimes it’s a Vinyasa flow and sometimes Yin, to calm my mind and stretch tightness in my body. Have you ever noticed that you feel more focused and less stressed when you take time to relax? Find time to relax and you’ll find your best self.
I look forward to sharing 2020 with you and all that Pilates, Yoga and barre have to offer to elevate your health and wellness. We run challenges to motivate you and would love for you to join our next challenge. Start with our $99 Intro offer for 6 classes and explore!
