It's time to put yourself first in 2023!
In this episode meet Donna and Amy - two women who, like so many of us, have faced tough challenges to their health and huge demands on their time over the last couple of years.
Both of them wanted some help and support in changing their lives and feeling stronger, fitter and healthier.
For next 12 weeks, we’re going to follow them on their journeys - the highs and lows, the successes and the challenges - and we want you to come along too, set yourself some goals alongside theirs, so we can help and support each other along the way.
In this episode:
At Her Spirit we’re here for you.
We want to help you discover your potential, achieve your goals, ignite your fitness, find your community.
Head to herspirit.co.uk and sign up for our Core Membership, get access to our virtual classes, monthly challenges and expert advice. Plus, track your progress in our heath hub and find your very own cheerleading squad who will support you every step of the way.
Use the code HERSPIRITPOD3 and get three months completely FREE.
It’s time for You
Join us at herspirit.co.uk | Instagram | Facebook | Get the Her Spirit App
It's time to put yourself first in 2023!
In this episode meet Donna and Amy - two women who, like so many of us, have faced tough challenges to their health and huge demands on their time over the last couple of years.
Both of them wanted some help and support in changing their lives and feeling stronger, fitter and healthier.
For next 12 weeks, we’re going to follow them on their journeys - the highs and lows, the successes and the challenges - and we want you to come along too, set yourself some goals alongside theirs, so we can help and support each other along the way.
In this episode:
At Her Spirit we’re here for you.
We want to help you discover your potential, achieve your goals, ignite your fitness, find your community.
Head to herspirit.co.uk and sign up for our Core Membership, get access to our virtual classes, monthly challenges and expert advice. Plus, track your progress in our heath hub and find your very own cheerleading squad who will support you every step of the way.
Use the code HERSPIRITPOD3 and get three months completely FREE.
It’s time for You
Join us at herspirit.co.uk | Instagram | Facebook | Get the Her Spirit App
Her Spirit Season 6 Episode 1 - 12 Week Challenge
Louise Minchin:
Hello and welcome to the Her Spirit podcast. I am Louise Minchin and welcome first of all to a brand new year and also very excitingly a brand new format for our podcast. Now, you might have seen on Instagram that we put out a call out for two women who wanted some help and support in reaching their fitness girls and changing their lives. My goodness me, the response we had from all of you was absolutely incredible, very emotional. And actually I watched so many of your videos and they really touched my heart. So first of all, thank you for replying. We did have to make a decision. We did have to choose two women and it took us a lot of kind of debate and discussion of who we would choose. But we have them with us now. They're gonna join us and you over the next 12 weeks on a grand adventure. And what I'd love you to do is join in wish them a luck along the way. I'm sure there's lots that you can learn, that I can learn, that they can learn. We are on a journey together. I want to welcome them. First of all, it's Donna and Amy. Hello to you both. Hi. I wanna give you a virtual hug. It is so exciting that we're on this amazing challenge together. Welcome. Thank you very much for sending in your applications. They kind of were. How are you doing Donna?
Donna:
I'm good, thank you. I'm excited but I'm also really, really nervous.
Louise Minchin:
There's no need to be nervous. That is the whole point about Her Spirit and what we're gonna do and what we're gonna do over the next few weeks. Amy, how are you doing?
Amy:
Yeah, good. Really excited. really excited about what I can achieve. A bit like Donna, I'm a bit scared of what's gonna happen. I've never done anything like this before, so…
Louise Minchin:
Oh well this is super exciting and I'm just gonna let you know as well, I've got my own personal challenge over the next 12 weeks and I'll be kind of talking to you as well cause there's so much I can learn. I've decided for the fourth time in a row that I'm gonna try and run the London Marathon. It, I've been thwarted for various reasons, including covid and operations, but this is it. I'm really very kind of like unfit. I'm right at the start of my journey all over again. So I very much feel like I'm part of this with you and I know we're each gonna have our own goals. So first of all Donna, I wanna hear a little about about you and this is pretty much what you told us when you wanted to be part of it and we'll just have a little listen.
Donna:
Hi everybody, my name's Donna Thompson. I'm 51 year old and I'm from Doncaster. I've got two grownup children, Luke, who's 28 and Max who's 24. And I'm married to Russ. I work for healthcare company, I work full-time in bowel management and I am also a registered general nurse. I started wild swimming about two years ago. It was during a period where I was helping to look after my Mum who was suffering from Alzheimer’s and I found that wild swimming really helped me. It helped with my mental health but during the five years of looking after my Mum, one of the things I realised was that you neglect your own physical and mental health because you're busy, you're working full-time and you just don't have time to dedicate to yourself. Unfortunately, we lost my Mum at the end of last year.
So this year I have focused more time on myself. I've tried to, I do feel guilty when I give time to myself and that's something that I need help to overcome with. I was challenged by my nephew early on in the year to do one park run. He then challenged me to do one a month and I've continued with the park run throughout the year. Also met a group of ladies from Doncaster. We formed a little wild swimming group so I have started my journey this year, but I'm at the point now where I really need some help from Her Spirit, from Louise and from you in the community if possible because I'd like to do a sprint triathlon. Not sure why I've signed myself up cause I'm absolutely bricking it if I'm honest and I'm feeling really nervous about it and I'm actually thinking, is my bike working?
So I need to get into the shed and have a look. So I would love help and support on this journey to help to do something for me. I'm new to Her Spirit so I've been looking around the app this week and I just wish that I'd found it a few years ago cause I just feel it could have really, really helped me. I am gonna be watching the menopause and listening to the Menopause podcast later this evening and I can see there's lots of other amazing podcasts on there as well that I think will really, really help. So I'm excited, I'm nervous and I hope you really will support me on this journey as well. Thank you
Louise Minchin:
Donna. That's wonderful. to kind of hear you explain a little bit about yourself and emotional too. I'm so sorry about your Mum for starters because you can hear it, you know, that has obviously had a huge impact on you so oh gosh. And big goals as well. You know, a sprint triathlon and you don't know if your bike works. This is why we need you on this podcast cause there'll be so many other women out there going, I don't even know whether my bike works. So, so that's absolutely brilliant. You say you're a little bit nervous, what's the thing you're most nervous about?
Donna:
I think I'm most nervous about the cycling cause I feel confident swimming and I love swimming and that's why I got back into swimming a couple of years ago and started wild swimming. So I feel confident with that part. I know I can do the park run but I dunno whether I can do them all together and do the cycle in between if I'm honest. I didn't even realise which order they went in until I started looking into it a little bit more. So I'm gonna be absolutely honest. So I'm just concerned about putting it all together.
Louise Minchin:
Donna, Donna, I wanna stop you right there because, because when I did my first triathlon or signed up, I was exactly like you and I know you've read my book, which I'm really grateful, but I literally had no idea what I knew. Triathlon had three sports, no idea what order. Let's just put everybody who doesn't know triathlon and there'll be people listening to this podcast, hopefully who don't know. It starts normally and I say normally cause they can change it with a swim and then a bike and then a run. But you know that. Oh, listen, I'm gonna come back to you in a minute Donna cause there's so much I want to talk to you about, particularly about that thing you said about ‘time to myself’ because I think that's a real thing that lots of women feel as well, that kind of slightly selfish thing. We've got an expert as well who can help us a bit with that. Amy, let's come to you now because when I watched these videos I was so touched, as I said by so many of the things that everybody who sent in said, and particularly by both of you two actually as well. So Amy, we're just gonna have a little listen to a bit of your story.
Amy:
Hi everyone, my name's Amy. I'm 40 years old and I live in Dorset with my husband Dan and my five-year-old daughter Jessica. Before I had my daughter five years ago, I used to love exercise, I used to spend a lot of time in the gym going swimming, running, but ever since then I really struggled with motivation. And then in August, 2021 I was diagnosed with breast cancer which led to a right-sided mastectomy and lymph node clearance. I've had chemotherapy and radiotherapy, although now I've been given the all clear, my body's been through a lot of trauma and a lot of changes and I'm really struggling with confidence both physically and I suppose mentally as well. And I really don't know where to start with my exercise journey now. I turned 40 last month and since then I've decided to put a bit more focus on me. So I am going to a boxing day sea swim next week. I have registered to do a charity skydive. I am going to do a 10 k run in March. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve not only over the next 12 weeks, but for the rest of the year and beyond with the support of the Her Spirit team community, Louise, and just see how far I can go. Really.
Louise Minchin:
Oh, Amy, I love your story as well and you know, you say, I don't know where to start, but you started, did you, with the Boxing Day swim? How did it go?
Amy:
It was alright actually. It was a bit cold, but yeah, it was a quick in and out. It wasn't a very long swim, but yeah, I did it.
Louise Minchin:
Which is really, really impressive. And I know you've set yourself, you wanna do 40 things, you're go, you are 40, so you wanna do 40 things over the next year, which is really a big undertaking. What's, what's first on that list?
Amy:
I've got the 10 K run in March, skydive the 1st of April. We are just signing up this week for a 50 kilometre walk in September. So <laugh>.
Louise Minchin:
I think this could definitely go down as one of them. And if I know anything about Her Spirit, it'll be much more than a 10 K that you get to do over the next 12 weeks. So we're gonna help you with that, Amy. And we're gonna talk about motivation in a moment with an expert, but I think both of you obviously have quite deep motivation actually. Before we want to go on, I just wanted to talk about a little bit about, you know, things we kind of all feel about as women and particularly about how you feel about your bodies and Amy I think that's kind of really relevant particularly for you given what you've been through with breast cancer. So how do you feel about your body right now?
Amy:
I suppose my body's changed so much partly from even from having my daughter five years ago, but since the surgery I've got a lot of scars. I've had a mastectomy, so I've got a prosthetic, I've started training so the couch to kilos, little things like press ups and things like my muscles and my shoulders and my chest and my movement isn't what it used to be. So I suppose it's, yeah, it's trying to see how far I can get it back to normal
Louise Minchin:
Yeah. And before you had your daughter, you, you went to the gym a lot, didn't you? You did a lot of exercise.
Amy:
Yeah, I, I loved going to the gym. We were there sort of five days a week I'd run, I'd swim, but then yeah, kids get in the way and I suppose my priorities changed a bit.
Louise Minchin:
So how would you like to feel at the end of this 12 weeks? Do you wanna be that person who is out doing the exercise every day or what is it you'd like to get out of it?
Amy:
Yeah, I suppose exercise in most days. Just have a bit more confidence in my appearance and, and how I feel and myself I suppose.
Louise Minchin:
Yeah, and I think that's that's something we can all probably, you know, kind of resonate with. Donna, tell me about that question, which is a, it's an interesting question I think to ask people. how do you feel about your body?
Donna:
I feel more confident now I think with age than I did when I was younger. I think, I think maturity helps you to get to that point where I'm in my fifties now. I think in terms of strength and stamina and things like that, I, I don't feel I'm quite there. So I think I want to really strengthen my muscles, but also I think I want to be equipped with the right knowledge, how to do that and, and how to, to get that stamina in order to be able to do some of these amazing challenges that I see people on the global community doing. I re I'm reading them every night thinking, oh my goodness, that is just amazing. How are they doing that? So that's really inspired me. So I think that's given me a little bit of a push as well.
Louise Minchin:
Yeah, I I suppose I should probably a answer that question as well and I, I feel it's not something, it's interesting isn't it? How do I feel about my body? I feel sometimes annoyed because it doesn't do what I want it to do. sometimes amazed because it does things that I think it can't do. it's really interesting isn't it? And, and today I, you know, I went out for a run and I've just started with my marathon training and for the first time, time in a very long time I was just like, oh my gosh, this is fun. And sometimes running Amy, I dunno what it's like for you, doesn't feel like fun does it?
Amy:
When I was out of my run this morning at half past six and it was blowing, blowing the wind and it was yeah, tipping down with rain, it wasn't quite as fun, but you feel good at the end of it.
Louise Minchin:
Yeah, and I think that's the thing because what I'm doing is I'm posting a lot and I know that you're gonna be posting on the Her Spirit community, which is brilliant and people will support you along the way. I'm posting as I do it as well and I suddenly and I realised I did one yesterday and I was like, oh gosh, I realised it's completely changed my mood. I didn't realise I was in a bit of a mood before I went, but actually I came back and I was like, that's changed my mood. I'm Donna, do you find the same thing?
Donna:
Absolutely, absolutely, definitely. And I do the park run on a Saturday morning and I just love the buzz of the community and the people there. I've met some friends there and that just helps you as well. And afterwards when you get home you just feel great.
Louise Minchin:
Yeah. Well you're gonna encourage, I can feel by the end of this Donna that I'm gonna be back doing park run, which I have not done for years, <laugh>. So Right. We're on a journey together. Let's talk to our expert in a moment. And I just want to remind you before we do that, Donna and Amy are gonna post about all of their progress, their challenges, their successes. You're gonna be honest, aren't you, Amy and Donna as well, because there are not day, there are days when things don't go brilliantly, aren't there? Please join us on Instagram @HerSpiritUK and do say hello, give them advice give them the encouragement along the way. We know that we have a massive support group out there. So let's bring in our expert because we've been talking a little bit about the challenges that you want to do and also a little bit about mindset as well. A perfect person to talk about that and to help us along the way is Dr. Josephine Perry, who's an award-winning author and speaker, an expert in mindset at performanceinmind.co.uk. So, Dr. Josephine Perry. I know you are an expert and I know it's really interesting hearing from Amy and Donna that they obviously, you know, they wanted to take part in this. They've got goals, which I know is hugely helpful for motivation, but talk about mindset. How important, how powerful is it for all of us when we've set goals we want to complete?
Josephine Perry:
What's most important is when you set those goals, they almost make your tummy flip with excitement. It's that if your tummy doesn't flip, if you don't kind of really wanna get on and start working on them, it's not the right goal. The other element of that is it you need to know your why. You need to know why you've set them. And that was what was so lovely listening to both of you talking was I can see why it's about kind of that me time. It's about the feeling of getting me back, particularly when you've had a health issue or you've given birth. Those kind of things make you reassess who you are in your body and what you can achieve. And often that goal is about, I wanna feel a bit more like me again, and both of you that really shone through when you talked. So I think you're in a great place to start because you've got some of that motivation there. And one of the other elements of motivation that's so important is feeling like a sense of belonging, feeling like you're part of a community and something bigger. And you guys have got that brilliantly with the Her Spirit community. It's kind of, you've got all these people willing you on, they're, they've got your back, they're on your side. I think that's really important. So you're starting from a brilliant place.
Louise Minchin:
And what kind of difference can a positive mindset make in actually your ability to achieve? You know, that sprint triathlon and that 10k?
Josephine Perry:
It's huge because we often, when we have those thoughts going through our head, usually the ones that tell us we can't do something in the moment, they feel very factual, they feel very true. And yet actually five minutes later we've noticed they're just thoughts. So it might be you're doing park run and it feels really hard and it's rainy and it's windy and it's horrible and all that's going through your head is, I can't do this, I can't do this. 10 minutes later you've finished, you've got your little tag, you're feeling that buzz of success that you've done it and you can do it. So it can be really, really helpful to, to actively notice some of the unhelpful stuff that pops up, but really try and reflect on it's just a thought. It's just a thought right now, what's the fact? And I think working, going through this program will help you because you're gonna be reminded of those facts and the reality all the time, not just to listen to those unhelpful thoughts that pop up.
Louise Minchin:
And I love your story yourself actually, because you kind of came to this, you had a key moment, didn't you, when you realised that actually the facts were different and you could change, sort of change things.
Josephine Perry:
So my background's in triathlon. I'm, I'm not a speedy fast triathlete, but I I love doing it. I think I'm in my 19th year now, I've realised.
Louise Minchin:
And wow. I mean that's massive. Josephine
Josephine Perry:
I'm not sure I've got any faster, but I still love it. I went over in I think 2013 to Australia, to Melbourne to do the Ironman race there. And we were standing in Frankston, which is near Melbourne on the beach about to start the race. And there were the biggest waves I have ever seen. And I was utterly, utterly terrified. Swimming's always been my fearful thing and this was really scary. And the guy doing the commentating, he said over the tannoy “Right guys, you can't change those waves. You can change how you feel about them.” And it was genuinely the first time in all my years of doing triathlon where I kind of went, oh yeah, I've got a brain. I don't have a brilliant body for sport, but I've got a brain I can use and if I actually just used it to think about sport differently and reflect on it differently, I might actually do better. And so for me, that was my real trigger in actually go off and see how we can use mindset very differently to succeed in those goals.
Louise Minchin:
Love that story and I must try, I should try and an easy way of trying to remind myself of that. Okay, is that, have you got any easy way of reminding yourself Josephine or to that you can give to us? We go, oh, hold on a second. This is one of those moments when I need to change things.
Josephine Perry:
Yeah. So I use, I call those voices. We all have in our head the unhelpful bits that give us unhelpful thoughts and give us all the excuses why we should quit or it's too hard. I call them safety seekers because that voice is trying to keep you safe. It's trying to keep you in your comfort zone. It loves you, doesn't want you to do anything risky or scary. It doesn't want you to stretch and thrive and do these difficult things that you guys have set yourself as challenges. It wants you to stay safe. And so I give mine a name for different elements. a personal example, I have a, a spinal condition called scoliosis and I name all those thoughts and excuses, Sally Scoliosis. So whenever I'm doing a run and in my head it pops up with, you should quit right now. Say it’s okay to quit, you've got this weird back disease, it's fine.
No one would judge you. It hurts all of the excuses we give ourselves to quit. They're not facts. They're Sally scoliosis trying to put me off, trying to keep me safe. And it means I can have a much, much better conversation in my head of like, thanks Sally know you're trying to keep me safe, but I'm never gonna get faster if I quit halfway through. And it's really important for me that my daughter knows you don't quit things. She's my inspiration. She's the one I wanna make work harder and help to see that you push through the difficult times. Can't go home without a medal because Mummy wimped out. So I need to make her proud. So thanks Sally scoliosis, but I'm gonna make Hattie proud today. And so head up, run hard, get to the end.
Louise Minchin:
Oh it does, absolutely. It's such a good conversation in your head. I love that. Amy, I know your daughter is part of your motivation, isn't she?
Amy:
Yeah. obviously she's been through a hard time the last two or three years as well. As much as you try to protect her, she's too young to understand but she's known that something's going on for her to see that Mummy is fit and healthy and achieving different things again, I think it's important for her as well.
Josephine Perry:
I think that could be a really powerful mantra for you
Louise Minchin:
Donna. have you got your version? Do you think of Sally Scoliosis as well?
Donna:
I think I always feel that I've had a strong mindset and I try different things and so I, I I think once I set my mind something I push, I, I push and push and try to prove to myself that I can do it. So I, I don't have like a inner voice telling me to quit. I just think that I've, I've committed, I've signed up to it, so I feel really committed now I've signed up to this that I've got to do it and then Saturday morning I wouldn't have gone to the park run. It was absolutely tipping it down. But I thought, I've committed now I've got to get up and go to the park run and I'll wet through when we finish. But I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't have committed myself to do this. So I think that's, that's the part for me is committing and then making sure I do it.
Louise Minchin:
Really interesting, isn't it, Josephine?
Josephine Perry:
Yes, from hearing from Donna, it, it didn't sound like motivation was an issue. What it sounds like is that there's some worries that we need to put kind of as much in place as possible to prevent them coming true. And when those worries are put to one side because you've done everything it takes to handle them, you can just go off and fly and enjoy them
Donna:
Hopefully <laugh>.
Josephine Perry:
So, so there's a really lovely process you could use. and we call it what if planning where it's you very proactively write down every worry you have about the triathlon you intend to do and, and all the things on there that might feel silly when I do this with athletes. They always say, it might sound silly but great, we want those bits on there. We want all the things that kind of weigh down your tummy or your shoulders with worries
When you've got a long list of those. And I've had people with up to about 40 things on there could be any, but we wanna go alongside that list and we are going to prevent that happening. I will do this to prevent this happening, I will do this. And that might be something you can reach out to community members. I'm worried about punctures on the bike ride. What would people do to prevent that? And you can kind of crowdsource information and get all that help. And then alongside each of those issues, if this does happen in the race, cause sometimes stuff happens however well we've prepared, this is how I would like to behave because in the moment sometimes we don't behave in the way we would like to when we're panicking or we're feeling under pressure. The example I always give for this is watching the Tour de France and you watch some of the cyclists that have gone off on a break and they've, they're doing brilliantly and then they get a mechanical and the panic and the stress and the frustration means they throw that bike down the mountain and then they have to like embarrassingly toddle off down the mountain in their bike shoes to pick it back up again.
If they had thought about when I get that mechanical, what would I like to be able to do? I'll sit down, I'll have a gel so I'll get some nutrition in while I wait for the mechanics to come and fix it that have had a much better outcome that day. So we can really work through everything I'm scared about, crowdsource our answers to how we prevent it and then but if this happened I would like to behave this way and it takes off so much, much pressure and stress and all those worries, just go cause you've covered them.
Louise Minchin:
That's such a great idea, Donna, isn't it? I dunno how long your list would be, but mine ahead of my first triathlon would've probably been very long. <laugh>. It still is long. Huge, huge list. <laugh>. Amy, Amy, I wanna take you back to one of the things Josephine said earlier on and you've got so many challenges ahead. Do they make your tummy flip?
Amy:
Yes. <laugh>, I'm gonna do a skydive. I don't like flying and I don't like heights, but <laugh>,
Louise Minchin:
That was the one I was thinking of <laugh>.
Amy:
But I'm thinking I'm gonna be attached to someone else, so if they jump I'm going to have to.
Louise Minchin:
Okay, well listen. so we know that basically in the next 12 weeks, Amy, you are aiming to do a 10k, aren't you? Which is, I think it's, is it in March?
Amy:
Yeah, the start of March.
Louise Minchin:
Absolutely. Excellent. Donna, we're gonna get you to do a sprint triathlon. I know Donna, you're gonna be looked after by Mel and every two weeks we're gonna have an update on this podcast. Once a month we'll have an expert, lovely expert like Josephine next week, next month is about nutrition, which I think is gonna be brilliant for all of us. Donna, Mel is gonna look after you and get you. She will and I know she will get you through your first sprint triathlon before this 12 weeks are up. And Amy, you are gonna do 10K, which I'm super excited about. Before we go though as we know, Her Spirit is all about community and about helping each other with our challenges. whether that's having expert support or advice or simply giving huge emotional support. So Donna and Amy, what we wanted to do was share some messages from the Her Spirit community for you two.
Her Spirit Community:
This is a message for Amy and Donna from everyone at Breast Cancer. Now, we just wanted to wish you the very best of luck. We think you guys are absolutely amazing and well done. A huge well done on making the decision to do something for you and, and just know that when the, the going gets tough, which inevitably it does sometimes when you don't wanna go for that swim that run, whatever it is, just remember why you are doing this and, and what you're aiming for. Know that you've got everyone backing you, everyone's cheering you on. Very best of luck
Hi Donna and Amy, it's Laura from Underwear here. I just wanted to say a huge well done for signing up to this. Just remember Her Spirit is right behind you and so is underwear. You'll get so much support and encouragement from the Her Spirit team.
Hi, It's Bea here from Derby. Just want to wish Donna and Amy a massive good luck. And on the days that it gets a little bit hard. Just remember that you've got the whole Her Spirit community behind you for some words of encouragement or advice and probably even to join you on some of those challenges. Good luck.
Louise Minchin:
Oh, I love those messages. How do they make you feel? Amy <laugh>. You got a team behind you now
Amy:
<laugh>. That's amazing. It's yeah, and I think it, it really does help, like you say, when you are having a bit of a bad day to go on and look at what the community are doing and yeah, maybe put a post up in the comments you get back really does help.
Louise Minchin:
Oh okay, I wanna play you some other messages as well. Amy, this one is for you. I think you might recognise it.
Dan:
Hi Amy. Just a quick message to say you really are an inspiration with everything that you've been through and now this amazing challenge and journey that you are taking yourself on. Good luck from me and good luck from Jessica.
Louise Minchin:
That's your husband, isn't it? Amy? Did you know he was doing that?
Amy:
So no, I didn't know he is done that <laugh>.
Louise Minchin:
He sounds lovely. I hope we get to meet him somewhere on the way
Amy:
<laugh>.
Louise Minchin:
and Donna, we've got a message for you.
Russ:
I just wanted to send you a little message as you start out on your very own fitness journey, considering the last few years. Really no one deserves this opportunity more than you'll do, and I'm sure you'll benefit massively from everything it has to offer. So enjoy yourself. Good luck and we love you.
Louise Minchin:
Donna, that's your hubby as well, isn't it,<laugh>?
Donna:
It's makes me feel emotional.
Louise Minchin:
<laugh>. I know. It's been emotional. We only just started and I'm all, I've been all emotional as well. She's, by the way, everybody, she's actually wiping tears. Oh,
Donna:
I'm menopause as I can cry at anything. <laugh>.
Louise Minchin:
I know this feeling <laugh>. Anyway, Josephine, just before we go, any quick messages for everybody listening about motivation that we can take away. Just I'll give you 30 seconds.
Josephine Perry:
I would just say focus on the three pillars of motivation. Get your sense of belonging. So find the team behind you, know, who is on your side, build up some competency, focus on some specific skills that make you feel awesome and look at all the things you know you're already really, really good at. And things you can take from other parts of your life that have happened to you and find things that make you get really excited and you just cannot wait to get your teeth into them.
Louise Minchin:
Amy, what's your plans for the running this week?
Amy:
So I'm doing the Give Me Five challenge. So yeah, three runs this week. So first one today, and then next one on Wednesday.
Louise Minchin:
Excellent, Donna.
Donna:
So I've been out running this morning. I am actually away with work for a few nights, so that's where I find it a little bit challenging to exercise, but I've booked in for a swimming session on Friday, so I'm going to one of the freestyle sessions. So I'm really excited about that in Nottingham with Her Spirit.
Louise Minchin:
That's brilliant. I know you're going with Mel, so that's absolutely brilliant. And Amy, anybody else who wants to join in can go onto the Her Spirit app and look for the running as well because it's, you can start right at the beginning and it's absolutely brilliant way to get into it. I love, I've loved this chat. I know I'm really gonna enjoy the next 12 weeks. I know everybody who's listening is gonna learn a lot. and I'm gonna become, you know, I feel like we're friends already, but there's, we're gonna learn a lot more about each other over the next few months. And thank you everybody for listening. We are so excited to follow Donna and Amy o on their journey. I want to remind you they'll be posting all of their progress and let's post the highs and the lows as well because I think the lows are important too because we all have those days when things are tough and I, you know, I bet you if you post about it, that's when you're gonna get lots of support and they'll be on Instagram @HerSpiritUK
Say hello, give the advice, give them encouragement. Please give me encouragement too because I, I, I mean I can only run 8k at the moment and that's not even five miles and I've got to do a marathon on the 23rd of April. It's exciting and it makes my tummy flip <laugh>. I think that's what Josephine said. If you wanna challenge yourself in 2023, go find regular updates. We've got lots of information on starting to run, starting to swim, biking, whatever it is at Her Spirit. So many different things you can look at. And Donna, you mentioned menopause. We talk about that all the time as well. Cause there's lots of things, ways we can help ourselves. Great stuff. Can't wait for the next episode, which will be in two weeks time. I'll hear an update from both of you with Mel and Holly. Thank you very much indeed for listening everyone. I'm Louise Minchin and let's smile while we try and take on these things.