I was so pleased that this newsletter was ready in record time last week…the title tells you the ending of this sad tale!
I am always very happy when I can start an update with a big welcome to newcomers 🙂 There are have been quite a few recently and it is time to say an official “Hello and welcome!”
When I saw this photo it reminded me of the many beautiful things I have seen in my life, simply by looking up. There are poems, short films and quotes about looking up from your screens and escaping social media etc. but my thoughts were simpler than that. Basic even. I see so many people walking with their eyes cast down. It is a habit, and it is a bad one.
I decided on the title of this update before I embarked on the first stage of my holiday. Having completed it I am now not sure it is so appropriate! Trevor had a 3 stage cycling race which gave me 3 days when I would have a few hours completely to myself in the middle of nowhere. The middle of nowhere became the middle of lostness! It involved walking, running and cycling, in that order and each day had varying amounts of lostness.
Everyone knows the dangers of being unhealthy. No one wants to become unwell. The benefits of looking after our health are well documented. Most of us try, but why are we not consistent? Why do we take a break from looking after ourselves?
I nearly didn’t write anything this week as not much has happened apart from a bit of rain, some classes and a few olympic medals. Then I made an awful cake, read an interesting quote, heard a good joke and suddenly I had a lot to share with my faithful and tolerant readers!
With the school holidays underway,many daily routines will be disrupted. I used to love the disruption, a time of slight chaos, uncertainty about what day it was or even what time it was. A bit of muddle and mess every now and again is good for the soul.
“I really miss complaining about the cold” said most British people this week!
It has been a hot one and not many have had good things to say about it. I myself was so fed up with the continuously cold weather that I am determined not to complain! We somehow need to become more resiliant to temperature changes.
Yes it’s true, the heat is about to be turned up. I am so confident this is true that I have bought another fan for the studio! It would seem we are destined for a topsy turvey summer and maybe that’s not such a bad thing? We can embrace the gift of rain when our gardens need it and at the same time prepare for days on the beach when the sun does shine.
July is here and I don’t know about you, but I am struggling to get my head around the fact that we are more than half way through 2021. Not only that, we keep getting blasts of summer then have to dress for winter again. It is all very confusing!
This update is not late, it is all part of a cunning plan! As the charity ride to Norwich starts on Friday I won’t be writing to you again until it is all over. By delaying this one, you won’t miss me so much!
One minute it felt as though lockdown would last forever and suddenly there aren’t enough days in the week to fit in everything we can now do! Meeting friends, staying with family, visiting pubs, restaurants and cafes, attending fitness classes, cycling to Norwich…!
I don’t know about you, but the sensation of feeling warm again just as we are all allowed back inside is amusingly ironic.
When we are warm everthing feels more relaxed. The days are not longer, but they stretch ahead of us full of possiblities. Time is not split between getting cold and warming up which leaves us with more energy to do truly enjoyable things.
The title of today’s update is from a line in a song written by Pink, one of my favourite singers. I have her on repeat whilst enduring indoor cycle training! Each time I hear those words it makes me think about all the people I know who just need that little bit of extra courage to step away from their fears. It also makes me smile when I remember the many people who I have had the priviledge to watch take that step.
The wait is finally over, and what a long wait it was! As we start our 2021 journey back into fitness together, remember this saying:
“Don’t look back, you are not going that way.”
I like to think of Tessfit as a place for positivity. Somewhere to recharge your energy and share your ambitions for a healthy, happy future.
This time next week the last Zoom and Garden classes will have been completed. I will be panicking about being fully prepared for the studio classes, coping with 16 classes instead of 7 and whether or not I will cry when I see everyone together again!
Welcome to the last update of sunny April. It has been a bit windy at times but what fun we have had trying to stop our food from blowing off its plate as we enjoyed some outdoor dining! I read that Mother Nature needs a hot flush and I don’t think it was fake news!
I am in London today for a long awaited reunion with my daughter, Chloe. Her life was turned on it’s head as she was seconded to the intensive care unit during both the worst stages of the pandemic. To say I am proud and have missed being able to support her in person would be the understatement of the year!
I was intrigued by your first purchases. The most exciting and frequent things reported were tin openers and library books! What does this tell us? I have no idea!There have been a few questions cropping up recently and although various updates have mentioned the answers I decided it was time to make a list. I love lists! Below is the result.
Tomorrow we can shop till we drop, have our hair cut, go to the gym, swim in a pool and many other wonderful things. The one thing we cannot do is attend an indoor fitness class. This is not a complaint, just a fact that I want to make clear in case anyone is confused! Our time will come and when it does I intend to be the most excited fitness instructor in Devon!! Hard to believe I know 😉
Freedom is coming, bit by bit. Don’t rush it. Don’t be too hasty. We want it to be forever. Enjoy every reunion but don’t forget to check whether that long awaited hug is going to bring joy or anxiety. Show your love with consideration. We will all get there in our own time 🙂
If I was a clock right now I would be springing forward with all my might! The shorter, darker days were a bit rubbish really.
Welcome British Summer Time 🙂
I am very pleased to announce that this charity won your vote and I think they are quite pleased!
“We are absolutely delighted you have chosen our charity to fundraise for, and this is an incredible challenge to take on!”
A strange title? Goes with the Tessfit territory! First a boast, that I have had my first vaccination and was a brave soldier. AstraZeneca yesterday and have since been on a long bike ride and run just to check I was alright!
I think by the time we are all back in the studio the volume of antibodies accompanying us will help everyone to breathe easy, literally!
58 Days to go 🙂
Happy Mothers Day to all the mums out there and to everyone who forgot, here are some flowers!! Lots to talk about this blustery week so we had better get on with it.
There are now 2 discount codes that I have added to Gymcatch for you. Both will give you a £3 discount in total. They can be used for back-to-back classes and for bookings of 3 classes in the same week. The latter is available now and can be used for Zoom and Garden classes. If you would like to take advantage of the discounts please ask me for the code you require.
With your support Tessit has raised £4106 for charities over the last 3 years. I make an annual effort. You choose the charity. They are the rules.
My annual effort for charity this year has been decided and you won’t be surprised to hear that once again it will be pushing me so far into the ‘magic zone’ I might need medical help to get me out!!
I am over the moon to confirm that the news is really real!! The final countdown has begun. If 79 days seems like a long time, try counting the number of days since you were last in the studio!
Studio classes will resume on Monday 17th May 2021 🙂
At the very beginning of our multiple lockdowns I wrote a list, the imaginative title was ‘Lockdown List!’ I thought it was important to have some focus on what I wanted to achieve during this time-rich period of my working life. Looking at it now, I realise that there were three categories:
Things to purchase
Things to finish
Things to start
Whatever you are doing today, ignoring it, celebrating it or just getting through it, I will be raising a glass to all the realtionships that have made it this far! When ‘quality time’ becomes ‘all the time’ it takes some embracing. Well done!!
I am never keen on asking for anything from my loyal clients but this is so important I really need to! If you feel able, would you give your support by writing a review for me to describe your experience with Tessfit?
It does not matter how brief or detailed it is, or about which part of the business. You will be helping others who are looking for help with their health, fitness and wellbeing to take the next step.
“Each and every day is the opportunity for a slight readjustment, it’s important we don’t see them as failures but small turns in the direction in which we are going.
To change the way you’re doing things dosen’t make you a failure, it doesn’t mean you are flawed.
Merely that it’s time to try a new approach”.
Yes I have finally bitten the bullet and what better day to start than my birthday!
Classes will go live on Monday 1st February at 10:00am and this is what you need to know:
The Timetable – Mondays 10am Pilates & 6.30pm Body Logic – Wednesdays 10am Body Logic & 6.30pm Pilates
TessTalks is a new service that fits perfectly with a national lockdown! I have written a blog which explains what it is all about and the link is below. Here are some details by way of introduction.
TessTalks will be a video or voice call (you choose), coaching and guidance session.
Someone recently observed that I was ‘very good’ at letting my environment lift me. It is not something I had thought about before but on reflection I had to agree. I might be in a studio full of lovely people, at home surrounded by photos and candles or walking on the moors. The feeling is the same. A cross between contentment and butterflies. Hard to explain, but no matter what happens, it will always be available, to me and to you. We just have to remember to be open to receive.
We made it! Despite all the tantrums and tears, Christmas happened and here we are on Boxing Day wondering the same things we do every year. Why did we worry that everything would be ok on the day? Why did we drink so much? How did we manage to eatall that food? Did everyone like their presents? etc. etc.
If your tree isn’t up you can’t be in my gang! Seriously, this only happens annually so plenty of time to plan the tree buying/putting up. No excuses accepted!
Now the fairy above has been making her way to the top of Christmas trees in my parents home for 60 years. As one of 4 children I got the priviledge every fourth year. It was very exciting and a moment to be cherished…for another 4 years!
Christmas 2020 will undoubtedbly be different, and for many it might well be worse than 2019. However, it is just one year. How many ‘normal’ Christmases have we already had? How many future Christmases are there ahead of us? With that in mind we shall go forth into this Christmas with acceptance of what we can’t do and joy at what we can 🙂
The wait is finally over and we now know which tier we are in. Maybe not what we hoped for but it could be worse. Tier 3 and there would be no fitness classes allowed. So I write this with a huge smile on my face and not a small amount of relief! The rules are very clear and I know you will help me to adhere to them.
I am just back from a very muddy (or was it cow poo?!) bike ride and it wasn’t the Devon hills which were taking my breath away. The quiet beauty of autumn is indeed a sight to behold. On Saturday, I walked through a wood, right on my doorstep, and took so many photos of a wonderful sight that I see every year. So yesterday and today, despite lockdown and all that means, I filled myself up with joy and happiness, for free!
It might feel like we are climbing a mountain, but just imagine the view from the top! We can do this people.
As you will all be aware, the second lockdown begins on Thursday 5th November. This means that Tessfit classes have to be put on hold until December. Sad but true. I have listed below all the information that I think you need.
This week I want to share with you some musings I had during a recent morning run. You may never feel the desire to do the run but I wonder how many of you have had similar thoughts?
*Warning* my musings can be complicated!
I don’t think I am vain because to be vain I would have to have a much higher opinion of myself, right?
“We don’t fear change.
We fear the unknown.
If we knew the future would be great,
we would welcome the change to get there.
Well, the future IS great. We are going to be part of it.
Proceed.”
Optimistic? Absolutely. The very best way to deal with uncertainty 🙂
I have just checked to see what ‘autumnal’ really means and discovered that it was associated with the idea of a “drying-up season.” I am in Bristol right now and it is pouring…so much for the Etymology Dictionary (yes, I had to look that up too!)
A run before the journey home was on the agenda so now I am faced with a frequent dilemma. To go anyway, tolerate the conditions and look a little crazy or stay warm and dry indoors?
Welcome to the last update of September. When I start writing to you again it will be October. Time marches on, although some of you might be feeling as though we are stuck in a weird time-warp! The heading I chose is to remind us all that this situation is indeed temporary. The reason I know this is because I know a little about history. Not a lot but enough to feel total confidence that we will be guided through this.
Worrying about things we cannot control is all part of being human. No need to beat ourselves up about it, we have enough to worry about! There is something that will help though. Taking action.
When we lose our way in the health and fitness world it is also a ‘worry’. We cannot immedialtely ‘fix’ our heavier bodies or weaker muscles. There is no app to make us feel better. But, for as long as we don’t take action, we will continue to worry.
Today I went for a run and decided to avoid a steep hill by taking a quick detour. Unfortunately the detour led me in a circle straight back to the bottom of the steep hill! As I reluctantly and slowly ran up it, I realised that a similar thing had happened to Tessfit.
It was climbing to the top, had to make a detour and then found itself at the bottom again!
This morning saw a last minute dash to the studio as the final Garden class looked as though it might be underwater! I am so happy that it was not a “goodbye” after our final stretch 🙂
With the summer almost behind us it is time to look forward with eager anticipation to what the next season can bring.
After the hottest week so far and all the anticipation about when the ‘storm’ would break…this is the answer!!
One small change to the September timetable. Body Blast has been moved back to it’s original time of 7pm.
I love the picture below of this week’s Blast gang. They gave it they’re all and despite the heat, look at those smiles 🙂 They made a very hot class loads of fun!
As I try to write this a wasp is keeping me company. It is trying to distract me and winning hands down! In the last half an hour I have sat stock still so it loses interest. Fail. I have waved it away as though such an annoyance is only a small irritation rather than the heart pumping emergency it really is. I finaly took brave action and chased it with a large piece of paper, as you do. We headed in a very round about way to the open door with the scent of nectar beckoning it through.
