introducing Chris Smith 10:51:51 on Thursday, September 24 2009At any moment now - or before the day is out anyway I hope! - the new page I have been working on will be live on the springback website - and you will be able to read about the latest person to join the springback team of speakers for schools. Join with me in offering Chris Smith a big warm welcome to the gang - and here's hoping that it won't be long before bookings start to come in and he starts to share his amazing journey and fascinating presentation(s) with young people the length and breadth of the UK. If, after taking a look at his blurb (he'll be on the presentations page, between Andy and Ian - click on his heading to take you to his page) you are intrigued, interested, would like to know more about booking this author/adventurer, you know what to do... you can call me... Al more training 00:33:56 on Tuesday, September 22 2009Weekends are precious. Time to recover, recharge, and importantly to catch up with friends and family. And for me, of late, weekends have been a chance to learn - much of my Gym Instructor and Pilates training has taken place over weekends - more of that to come over with an advanced Pilates training weekend in mid-October. I have just signed up to do the Freestyle Fitness Yoga training too - also in October. It's vaguely local and it sounds like exactly the kind of thing I want to do - I'm a big traditional Yoga fan, and whilst it is not like traditional Yoga (it's yoga without the spiritual side) I've got a good feeling that it's going to be a big help in my journey towards working more and more so in an area that I feel profoundly drawn towards. A year ago I was still umm-ing and ah-ing about it all. Now I am doing it. Who knows where it'll take me to a year from now... Al schools 00:19:59 on Tuesday, September 22 2009The new school year has well and truly begun, and springback speakers have been on the road again. Erwin, Andy, Ian and I have all been busy in various corners of the UK. North Wales (me) Sussex (Erwin) Derbyshire (Andy) and Berkshire/Surrey/Leicestershire (busy Ian!) More to come this week, and over the next few weeks, and so the journey goes on. More schools. More plans. A new speaker (keep your eye on the website, he will soon be featured!) With such positive feedback and interest in what we do, I can only believe that we must be doing something right. It's not been down to marketing of late either - I've not done a mailshot for two years - keep meaning/needing to though - but people keep coming back and asking for our help. Which makes me feel very privileged. And grateful. After all that some of us have been through for many years - decades even - at a time, on entirely different and challenging journey's, we are lucky that one way or another we have all been given this chance to spring back and have the life that we have today. Al pro ana 00:08:22 on Tuesday, September 22 2009The websites, all too easily accessible, are sickening and twisted, but most of all they are so sad. The messages they deliver are cruel and mistaken and dangerous. How do we clamp down on them though - in this world of free access to the world wide web and the ease with which anyone and everyone can set up a site. Recent reports in the press have been addressing the problem - or talking about it anyway - but I don't imagine that any solution will arise any time soon. There is a great deal of sickness out there in our big wide world. Be that anorexia, or something wholly different. We are not going to wipe it out with one clean sweep and to try to is simply unrealistic. Rather than focusing on what to do about the problem, I feel the focus needs to be on steering people away from it, towards a better place. That in itself will weaken the impact of these dangerous messages - they may linger, but we can learn to and teach "turning the other cheek". If we stare at the problem, it gets bigger. If we look another way, the power of the problem diminishes and we replace its power with the power of life, living, and wellness. It's not as simple as that, it's not a cure-all, but it's a start. Recovery isn't about changing the world around us so that it all falls into place. It is about changing ourselves, so that we find our place. If we do that, we can live in greater harmony. There is wrongness out there. But we don't need to join in. We are unique, free and we have a choice. Al catch up 00:18:52 on Friday, September 11 2009It's been a productive few days in a colourful - varied - kind of way! Last weekend, Billy was the star. We mosied our way through high street and down to the village hall where a dog show was one of the several events going on. We entered 3 categories in the show. And guess what? We (HE) came home with a 1st Prize! A red rosette that officially declares my Billybob to have the waggiest tail round these parts! No surprise there though - Billy's tail doesn't know how not to wag - and average speed is probably off the scale. Good boy. He was a delight all afternoon, and we had great fun with all sorts of friends of the two and four legged variety. On monday I was home-office based, and out in the evening for "my bubble" - power stretch class. Tuesday was a mixture of being in and being out. And it was the first day of the work on the cottage, that is set to last for at least a couple more weeks, repainting the exterior. Hooray! My neighbours have recently repainted and spring cottage has been looking somewhat shabby and tired for a while now. A few licks of paint, some new weatherboards to replace the rotten ones, and a new look in general, is going to make it beautiful. It already looks better - just with the work that has been done in the last 3 days, on the back of the building. Billy finds the whole thing fascinating - when I go out he is not home alone, he has a painter to supervise and steal biscuits from... I had a good client meeting on tuesday afternoon which included a wander in the fields and sitting on the bank of the lake, looking out at the beauty that was there to behold, talking in a simple, free, healing space. After the painter Christopher arrived and got stuck in on wednesday I hot footed it to the gym to teach two pilates classes. I really enjoyed it! It's going well - I think? Then after a swift trip home to change, deal with some emails etc I was off again, this time to London for another meeting. On the train, I used the journey time to start to choreograph a Power Stretch class as I had just been asked if I could cover a class on thursday morning. It's my favourite class (as you might have gathered) but to be asked to lead it, so last minute, was quite scary - but I couldn't say no as the only way for me to develop is to practice. I put together a few routines, and this morning I took the class and - well - I survived. It felt weird, a bit awkward, peculiar I guess - but I think I did an okay job - and bent and stretched people reasonably - and they were all able to walk out on two working legs and with smiles on their faces. It's bizarre being on the other side of the room - not a part of the group facing the Instructor, but instead I am the Instructor facing the group. And it's a very different group to my springback presentation audience, and it's a very different session. But that is what I think is important and a part of the plan - variety, development, new challenges, new doors opening. I need to do some research and marketing and get out there to find my niche. I intend for it to be an extension of what I already do with Springback - working with young people and anyone else who wants me to work with them, being explorative, creative, and wholesome. And fun! Ma was a Star this afternoon and popped over to help me to make a dent in the admin mountain range. Thanks Ma. The homegrown veggies that you brought with you were gratefully received too - as always I am dealing with a range of current and potential bookings, trying to find a window of time to get the books together for the accountant, sitting in a house that is a bit of a dust-magnet as the debris from the decorating is rudely barging in, to-ing and fro-ing to hastings, to london, and next week I am off to wales (work).... busy bee, I can only do my best to keep on top of things, and some of the time I won't succeed. That's going to have to be allowed - it's just the way it is. Which for a girl whose perfectionism in years way back became overwhelming -and dangerous - is good behaviour... Al food crisis 01:19:41 on Wednesday, September 2 2009There are - on a daily basis - media reports about food, weight, body image, addiction and eating disorders. A great deal - and I don't think I would find myself alone in saying this - is twisted, repetitive, out dated, unhelpful, hysterical, and/or just plain ignorant and wrong. This article - in my humble opinion, is none of the above. It is a mothers story of a child who had a struggle that is not unusual but so often goes unrecognised, or is utterly misunderstood. No hype, no drama, just telling it the way that it was - and I'd guess that it's a story that many relate to - and I hope that it will open a door for some of them. Al pilates update 20:09:05 on Tuesday, September 1 2009A couple of weeks ago I completed further Pilates training and am now equipped to teach at an Intermediate level. My advanced training is in October but I already am aware that the the number of clients who will be at an advanced level (it is "hard core"!) is few.... It's great to be doing intermediate work - that is what I am very familiar with anyway. The training was good fun, and lovely people were training with me. I've continued to provide cover for lessons at the gym but have yet to really get going with marketing my own Pilates classes or workshops - and that is what I am really interested in doing. I've learnt so much recently - not just from training (thank you Lizzie) but also from the Pilates I did with world-renowned Niedra Gabriel who I attended classes with, and talked with at great length. I want to offer something that is not simply a conditioning class, but is a space and time that gives the participants a unique experience - be that down to the ambience, the effect, the sound, the feel or the escape - that is where I am heading with this. In the race of life, and the humdrum, escaping from time to time into a bubble of nurturing Self is - in my opinion - priceless. Al fling 'n fetch (Billy's blog) 19:57:32 on Tuesday, September 1 2009Billy had a fine old time earlier in the summer whilst I was away. He stayed with my parents and had even more freedom and long walks than he gets when he is here. I almost felt bad bringing him home to Spring Cottage, where the garden is smaller and life is perhaps far less exciting. But we all have to get back to reality even though holidays are fun! He was bought a new toy whilst away. My sister invested in an absolute bargain - the so-called Fling 'n Fetch. In other words, a plastic launcher that sends a tennis ball far further than I can throw one. Billy's never been particularly interested in retrieving a ball before - it always ends up that after he's done some token chasing, muggins here has to go and search for the ball..... sigh. But introduce said-bit of plastic into the equation and the story changes - and Billy is besotted and totally hooked! We went out this evening in the blustery damp air, and we played the game. Billy charged across the field back and forth, happiest pup in town. I fling. He fetches. Everyone's happy. Most of all Billy, but I come in a close second, enjoying the sight of a happy energetic Bill and glad that he was my motivation to get out into the fresh air and clear my head. Al better! 19:47:33 on Tuesday, September 1 2009As was pointed out to me today - and has been on my mind too! - the last blog was one of sickness and it's high time I let you know that this is no longer the case - whilst illness dragged on for a long old time, it's well and truly gone now (for good, I hope!) So yes, I am here, back, and well. And thank the heavens for being better - being poorly was miserable! So that's me - how are you? Al recent postsrecent comments
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