I am a lifelong learner, which comes in handy as running my own business requires knowledge of a wide range of topics covering business, professional (health and fitness in my case) and personal development. This quarter I attended day courses for all three area is which is quite unusual.

Invicible Me VIP Day

Hosted by Emma Holmes of Coaching Rockstars who coaches heart centred businesses. This was a day of looking at our businesses and planning. It had guest speaker Kate Spencer who is a spiritual coach talking about how she runs her business.

As an introvert, I find days like this tiring but inspiring. Attending courses helps to zero in and to focus on a specific topic. Last year I have been interested in exploring what makes an introvert friendly businesses as most online businesses/coaches are extroverts. I realised one of the missing piece’s in the puzzle is simply energy. Most planning for business and new business products does not look at how much energy/renewal it takes to create. Introverts and extroverts gain/expend their energy differently and is that energy better spent elsewhere? Emma’s message: be consistent.

Pilates for Bone Health
Business wise I have been focussing on positive ageing. Looking at what the implications of our lifestyle choices make on our health, as we get older. You can read more in my book The Menopause Diaries. I spent a day updating my bone health qualification with Body Control Pilates. The stats are scary,  one out of two women will be osteoporotic post menopause. There are simple steps that we can do to help keep our bones strong such as being active everyday with weight bearing activities as well as eating a balanced calcium rich diet and wee bit of sunshine. The message: be consistent

Heal your Body with your mind.
I attended a one day course by Dr David Hamilton called “Heal your Body with your mind”. David started in the pharmaceutical industry creating drugs for heart health. His fascination on the placebo affect that occurred in some drug trials, spurred a second career. It was a science-based approach to the placebo effect, meditation and visualisation. This was quite fascinating. He was able to explain a clearly complicated topic quite simply, and we did mediation exercises that we could do ourselves easily at home. David’s message: be consistent.

Rest and relaxation
The Bone Health course was in London so I had a trip to Hampton Court Palace of Henry VIII fame. I have been before many years ago and was lovely to wander about in my own time and to whatever caught my eye. It was very cold though!

Hampton Court Palace

Unplugged
I have not had a digital holiday for a while, where I have unplugged myself from social media. I feel like I have soaked up a lot of information from the above courses and online so I will reduce my digital intake for a while and let it all marinade!

Books

I have read a lot of fabulous books this quarter, including as a Elizabeth Hunter’s The Singer trilogy and Elemental mysteries and Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices trilogy

One of the joys of getting older is the memory fades when it comes to books. I have reread Sharon Penman’s Lionheart. I enjoyed it second time around!

I have enjoyed a few of Daniel Priestley’s business books as well.

Non-negotiable activities

Weekly Pilates did not happen this quarter as I was waiting for a new time slot to appear with the teacher and venue I wanted. It popped up in the January timetable and I booked into a Friday morning class, yippee!

Weekly Yoga: my gym has added even more Hatha Yoga classes. However, this has not meant I have attended more classes! The Wednesday 7am is good on paper but not so much if I have been teaching the night before. The Saturday class alternates teachers and I do not know which one until I get there which puts me off a bit. So it is still a work in progress

10,000 steps daily: I averaged 70,000 over the week and had a week or two where I went with what felt like 10,000 steps!

Try a new class? I thought it might be fun to try a new class such as PIYO as there are a few popping up as its January and a its new timetable. I inadvertently attended an Ashtanga Yoga rather than Hatha Yoga – big difference! Although I do not think that counts.


Samantha Valand is the founder of Wise Women Wellbeing Academy.

A comprehensive hub of resources on hormone balancing, healthy eating and exercising in your menopausal years and beyond.