Life-Long Learning... June 2023

Greetings Village!

I’ve been having so many conversations lately about opportunities to try something new to enhance one’s overall health and wellbeing. Whether it be a new movement activity, an educational class, or opportunities to volunteer in our community, I decided to create a small resource list to share with you. 

I’d love to hear about your “go-to” resources to enhance your health and wellbeing as well!

Westminster Town Hall Forum

In 1980, Westminster Presbyterian Church members Paul and Diane Neimann, launched the Westminster Town Hall Forum. Watergate special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, was the first speaker, and the Reverend Donald Meisel moderated. Since then, more than 250 speakers have addressed Forum audiences, including, among others, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel, Thomas Friedman, Cornel West, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, David McCullough, Marcus Borg, Marian Wright Edelman, Barbara Brown Taylor, David Brooks, Salman Rushdie, Gwen Ifill, and Bryan Stevenson.

The University of Minnesota Senior Citizen Education Program

The University of Minnesota provides senior citizens with opportunities in higher education. Minnesota residents who are aged 62 or older may enroll in courses at the University for reduced costs, either to audit or earn college credit, regardless of whether they have already earned a degree. 

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Minnesota (OLLI at the UMN) is a vibrant learning community for people aged 50+. 

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum 

The Arb offers many types of classes, but this link specifically brings you to their Health and Wellbeing Classes for Adults and the new hot trend of “Forest Bathing.” Check it out!

City of Minnetonka Senior Script Activities and Events

Minnetonka Senior Services offers different activities, trips, events, and volunteer opportunities.

And through Village Health I offer . . .

Breathwork Classes for Stress Relief

Each month I will guide you through different types of breathwork, so you can find one that “fits” your health and wellbeing needs. Many can be found on-line, but as I know from experience sometimes a scheduled session helps us to “show-up” and do the work.

Every Tuesday at 8am via Zoom

Foam Roller Massage and Stretch

In this class we will STRETCH AND MASSAGE your neck, shoulders, back, and legs. Doesn’t that sound wonderful???

Every Thursday at 8:30am via Zoom

Pilates Group Circuit Class

In this class we will utilize the Pilates Reformer, Chair, Springboard, and Mat to get a full body workout. 

Every Friday at 9am at the Long Lake Studio

If you are looking to try one of my classes, just contact me to sign-up!

With much love and gratitude,

Lesley

P.S. I’d love to create a wellbeing resource page on my website. What are your “go-to” resources to enhance your health and wellbeing?

Heartfelt Testimonial... May 2023

Greetings Village,

Happy Spring!

In January I started teaching a new Beginning/Intermediate Pilates Mat Class at the City of Minnetonka. The class is offered through their Senior Services Programming and I am thrilled to be back teaching a small, in-person, mat class. I wanted to share this heartfelt testimonial I recently received from one of the class participants.

"I would like you to know how your classes have had an impact on my physical mobility. My life has changed since I retired – a lot of adjustments. This was the first winter when I noticed my mobility had changed. When I was on the floor doing yoga and had to get up off the floor I needed to hold onto something stable to make sure I could get up ok. Since I started Pilates and working on my core strength that has changed. I am a lot more mobile and can get up w/o holding onto anything to retain my balance and strength. I do the homework that you suggest in your classes and it is definitely paying off!”

"Your classes are one of my highlights of the week. I try to soak up all your knowledge that you pass onto all your students. Your projection of your voice, great directions of how a pose should look like and feel, and explanation of the benefit of the pose are so helpful for students to get the most benefit out of your classes. I also appreciate your positive attitude which helps to make students feel comfortable and able to benefit from your classes and feel welcomed to participate in your class.”

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to your sessions and classes. 

I truly do love sharing the benefits of Pilates with each of you, so that we can continue to walk through the differing chapters of our lives together and age with grace (me included!!!).

With much love and gratitude,

Lesley

P.S. I am curious, how has Pilates benefited you?

Snow Days!!! March 2023

Greetings Village,

How do you feel about snow days? 

One thing I love about Minnesota is that we get snow days that interrupt the mundane day-to-day activities that often keep us over-scheduled and busy.

I love a snow day because it gives me the chance to breathe, change up my day, and have some down time. When I wake up on a snow day I actually start the day with more energy, knowing that I don’t have my normal schedule or to-do list, and everything (well almost everything, i.e. hockey)

gets canceled and I can do what I want.

I feel most of us are always wishing for more time to do this or that, and I feel a snow day is just that . . .

the gift of time.

Do you love a “snow day” or do you dread them?

If you do dread them, I am curious why?

Is it the lack of control, the disruption to your routine, the fear of boredom, or something else?

I feel that snow days give me an extra day to check-off a house chore, catch up with friends, play games, do a puzzle, or binge watch Netflix. I just love hunkering down with my family, and spending the day doing what each one of us wants to do.

What did you do this past week on the “snow day?”

With much love and gratitude,

Lesley

P.S. If we get another snow day, how might you spend it? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Heart Health = Empathy... February 2023

Greetings Village,

It’s February, and according to the CDC it is American Heart Month. This is where we can focus on our cardiovascular health (i.e. our heart health). 

I am not going to inundate you with writings of diet, exercise, and sleep. No, I am taking a different approach to heart health this year.

Empathy…

(In case you need it, here’s a refresher on empathy…)

https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw

This is one of my favorite clips. I come back to it often to remind myself of the importance of empathy for connection and healing in relationships. 

As we think of February as a time to reflect and work on our heart health. I want to challenge my village in utilizing empathy to help the collective heart health of not only our personal relationships, but also those in our communities as well. 

With this in mind…

Where can you exercise empathy in your daily life? 

With whom? 

And in what situations? 

I do believe practicing empathy has a real power in healing, not only for those around us, but our own heart health too.

With much love and gratitude,

Lesley

P.S. What did you think of the video clip? I’d love to hear your takeaway.

New Years Resolutions... January 2023

Greetings Village!

Do you make New Year’s resolutions for yourself each year? 

I don’t. I prefer to set an intention. The past couple of years I have chosen . . .

Adventure

Experiment

Gratitude for the Unexpected

This year I am struggling with choosing an intention. I’ve wondered about picking a theme for the year, or finding a mantra, or even choosing a specific goal for myself.

This morning, Tuesday December 27th, I realized I needed to get the January newsletter written. But what was I going to write about? I knew I wanted to write about New Year’s resolutions, but being lost myself, what do I say about my intention for this year?

Then it came to me. 

Lately I can feel something brewing, yet I don’t know where it is leading. 

So my intention as I start 2023 is to . . .

sit and wait, 

listen, 

And stay open to see where I am being led.

Our goals don’t always have to be concrete and something we can quantify. Sometimes they just need to be intentional. I hope this inspires you as you embark on 2023. Happy New Year!

Warmly,

Lesley

P.S. Check out our weekly offerings! Maybe one of our offerings can fit into your New Year’s resolution for this year…

The Pause... December 2022

Greetings Village!

Welcome to the hustle and bustle of the holidays! This can be such a rollercoaster time for so many of us… 

From grieving the loss of dear loved ones to enjoying happy holiday gatherings with friends and family. 

And no matter where we find ourselves it is so important to honor our emotions and practice being present. But I know from experience this can be more easily said and written then accomplished.

Many years ago, a dear client (Thank you Sue!), gave a small book entitled, The Pause, A Christmas Gift. The author wrote about the busyness of the season and how overwhelming it can be. 

(Can anyone relate?)

Then a dear friend gave him this gift… A tiny box, wrapped in ribbon. When he opened the box he found…

Nothing.

The friend shared that this tiny box held the gift of the pause. Permission to allow oneself to stop, rest, pause, during this harried time of year.

If I could meet with each one of you, I’d come holding a tiny box, wrapped in ribbon, just for you. Gifting you the pause as you journey through these last days of December 2022.

I hope you have a peace-filled and present December.

Warmly,

Lesley

The Ungrounding Winds of Change... November 2022

Greetings Village!

Often November is a time to highlight the Practice of Gratitude. And originally that was my plan for this newsletter. But as I reflect on the past couple of months another theme, if you will, has come to the forefront that is nudging for my attention. 

That is the Practice of Grounding, Being Grounded. 

You see, I am feeling the winds of change swirling around me. And often change brings about feelings of ungroundedness, 

an inability to be present, and 

unfocused in daily life.

What changes might you ask? 

Well, the church we belong to has experienced great turn-around in its leadership, the non-profit I volunteer at also has experienced great turn-around of its leadership, and last but not least, The Marsh, the community where I started my career, and what shaped me to be where I am today, has announced it is closing its doors at the end of the year. 

As I am no stranger to change and upheaval, from experience, I know what it feels like to be ungrounded. And I want to share some of the practices I use to ground myself, in hopes that something might be helpful to you if you are also experiencing the ungrounding winds of change.

In no particular order I utilize…

1. Bodywork

2. Breathwork

3. Food

4. Sleep

5. Support from loved ones (including a health coach)

My acupuncture and massage therapists know that I experience “ungroundedness” at times and that I utilize their gifts as practitioners to help balance and ground me. 

I have found that Belly Breathing, or deep abdominal breathwork, greatly helps to center, focus, and ground me. And it is an extremely accessible practice that I can do anywhere, at anytime.

Every body is different, and I have found that certain foods, or eating practices, make me more ungrounded, while others help to ground me. I will say the “ungrounding” foods/practices tend to exacerbate my feelings quickly and sustain them, while the “grounding” foods/practices work overtime if I incorporate them into my routines. 

Foods/Practices that personally make me more ungrounded are: coffee, sugar (think mocha’s), alcohol, and not eating regularly.

Foods/Practices that help to ground me are: soups, especially made with squashes and root vegetables, sourdough bread for breakfast, red wine (in moderation), and making sure I eat every few hours.

I am sure there is more I could write about food and eating practices that encourage groundedness, but remember it is individual to each of us. There is no one size fits all approach.

I have found that a regular sleep routine is vital to my health and wellbeing when I am feeling ungrounded. For me, it is important that I wake around the same time each day, and get up and get going!

Support from my friends, family, and wellbeing professionals (ie my Health Coach and my Business Coach) greatly help me when I’m feeling my head swirl, and I’m unsure of which way to turn.

I hope that these ideas I shared sparked a light unto what you could utilize to help you this month to feel more grounded. Here are some other opportunities coming up…

Honoring Grief Small Group Workshop in December

Breathwork Sessions Every Tuesday Morning at 8:30am

And a New Opportunity to Connect!

Pilates Open Houses

2nd Wednesday of the Month at 1pm

See you soon!

Warmly,

Lesley

Breathe... October 2022

Greetings Village!

Today’s Village Health Newsletter is going to be all about… BREATH.

(Cue: Inhaling 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 . . .  Exhaling 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 . . . )

Why?

Well, mostly because I’ve noticed I’ve been holding my breath more often and I am aware of how this pattern can negatively affect my nervous system, my stress levels, my digestion, and my muscles.

When we hold our breath (or breathe rapidly) it can:

- Activate our nervous systems into fight, flight, or freeze

- Increase the stress hormones in our body

- Decrease our digestion

- Increase our heart rate

- Create tension in our muscles… sore back or neck anyone?

(Inhale - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 . . .  Exhale - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 . . . )

Feel better?

In Pilates I teach about the importance of the breath initiating movement, and cueing slower and fuller breaths. In Health Coaching I often lead my clients through breathwork to elicit the Relaxation Response before diving into their wellbeing goals. Breathwork of any kind can help us to “reset” our bodies and their systems.

This month I am offering Breathwork Sessions where I will guide you through different types of breathwork, so you can find one that “fits” your health and wellbeing needs. Many can be found on-line, but as I know from experience sometimes a scheduled session helps us to “show-up” and do the work.

Classes will be offered on Tuesdays at 8:30am and at Noon via Zoom. The format of these virtual sessions will be different from my other class offerings. In order to create a welcoming and calm space, everyone will be muted, you can choose to have your video on or off, and we will utilize the chat function for questions and comments as needed. 

And your 1st Breathwork Session is FREE!

Click Here to Learn More and Sign-Up!

Warmly,

Lesley