Halloween Newsletter

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

WOW, when did Halloween get so big in the UK?  Are you doing spooky spin today and are you taking your pumpkins to class? We are all dressing up today for my Horrifying HIIT class and Agonising Aerobics, but I will be doing my usual routines. Have you got anything special planned for class today? Tweet me @RachelHolmes or Facebook.com/Choreographytogo

So, last week I put my money where my mouth is and I arranged a brand new partnership with my local hairdressers and beauty salon. I am aiming it at a very different audience to my current clients. It’s a much higher priced service and targeted at women who enjoy the sumptuous surroundings of a high end salon. This client doesn’t come to my community classes but does enjoy looking and feeling good and has the disposable income to enjoy this more bespoke service. The group will meet with me for 3 weekly sessions in the salon on a Monday evening when it’s closed, and have access to all of the online workouts and DVDS.  At the end of the 3 weeks they will be booked in for a full image consultation and hair and beauty make over, just in time for Christmas. PLUS, beautiful before and after photos that will help sell the follow up packages that I do.

Marketing – I have been able to market it quite easily on social media as I have built up a large following on all of my pages. This is key when you are launching anything new. Make sure you have built up the interest on social media so you can use the platforms to drive new services to new customers. You can easily do this to if you put the time in to creating a strong brand on social media

Get a FACEBOOK Page and REALLY work it. You have to engage and post loads of great information, which can be time consuming, but the more followers you have and people that interact with you the easier it will be to launch successful new arms to your fitness business. Share quotes, recipes, food pictures, motivational tips and workouts that keep your followers actively engaged and interested in what you do and the services you offer. It shouldn’t  be all salesy.  You are building rapport and dialogue with people and, of course, building up the number of likes on your page. DO THIS NOW and really work it up to Christmas so you have lots of new potential customers for your new year sessions.

Twitter – Again, the same as for Facebook. Build up your followers and engage with them. Tweet local salons and follow them. Remember, Twitter is a big conversation that is going on all day 24/7.  Tweet with your followers, ask questions and get involved rather than just tweeting your offers. It’s all about building relationships and getting to know your followers.

Pricepoints – You HAVE to believe in what you are doing and offering. I know that sounds a bit “out there” but you really have to be full on committed to your pricing and your self worth. Don’t price any of your services too low for a package that is a high end service. You have to be 100% committed to what you think it is worth. If you are offering something that no one else is and it has taken you time and energy to create it, then you must price accordingly.

As always I would Love your feedback Tweet me @RachelHolmes

The Women’s Wellness Weekend Summit with Jenny Burrell

Taking place on Sat 1st & 2nd March at The City of Westminster College, Central London W2 is Jenny Burrell’s brand new live event. There is an immense line up of speakers and the whole weekend is shaping up to be one of the best on the 2014 calendar.  For all of the details http://www.burrelleducation.com/the-burrell-education-womens-wellness-summit-2014/

Positivity and Fitness Pilates

Last week I introduced some of you to the brilliant work of Gabrielle Bernstein, and judging by the messages I received lots of you have started following her and grabbing her funky books and audios. Her work is totally influencing me personally and my fitness teaching, especially in Fitness Pilates. If you have done FP with me or Kelly you know we love the more functional approach to the class, but I’ve been playing with adding a much more mindful dialogue, teaching cues and including saying positive affirmations, while performing the exercises. Our own self talk can be so negative and damaging and we all do it. We can be doing the most effective exercise, eating right and  performing hard core workouts, but if our self talk is negative we are putting up huge road blocks in our life and stopping us all achieving the life and dreams we desire.

Clear thinking, positive self talk and saying affirmations while exercising can be intensely powerful.  By incorporating Fitness Pilates exercises, breath and simple meditation, the whole FP experience can be elevated much more than a physical class. Rather than constantly looking for more new exercises I am exploring engaging the mind, the mental chatter, switching negative self talk to positive, having an attitude of gratitude and helping my clients walk away feeling completely uplifted mentally and physically. Im using my Instagram to post lots of postive quotes and pictures so if you enjoy this kind of motivation and insight please follow me on Instagram RachelLHolmes

I will upload a new Positive Fitness Pilates download in the next few weeks with some ideas and suggestions and, of course, I would love your comments and feedback on the usual channels. @RachelHolmes Facebook.com/Choreographytogo.

New Downloads

I’ve added 2 new Freestyle downloads this week, which both work perfectly with the new Essential Deep House Mixes by Pure Energy, which you can grab on C2GO if you click here.

This Much I Know So Far! By Jenny Burrell

Rachel asked for something inspiring and snappy and we all love a concise list.  Here’s my take on what I know so far after a decade and half in this business, owner of 3 businesses and planet earth dweller for nearly 44 years….

1.What you allow WILL continue.
2.Create faster than they can copy.
3.The QUALITY of your product will ultimately define your reputation and repeat sales.  Anyone can sell something once.
One can be both smart and broke.  Enough already with the courses – JUST SHIP!
4.Define success for yourself.
5.Facebook is not LIFE!
6.There’s only one FIRST everything else is imitation.
7.Your gut is and has always been right.
8.Humans are the only animal on this planet who can justify danger.
9.DELETE ANYTHING that drains you.  People, places and things.
10.Want something done? Ask a busy person.
11.There are NO RULES! Everyone is making it up for themselves.
12.People give money to people who can solve problems.  Want to earn more?  Find the problem, present a fabulous solution.
13.All the coaching and mentoring in the world won’t alter a mind that is unable to tune into its innate brilliance.  You are brilliant right now! You just need to get out of your own way.
14.The people who get stuff done, still get scared….they just don’t allow fear to halt action.
15.Your pursuit of perfection is procrastination – YOUR BEST is good enough, because that’s all you’ve got.

Are you working with women? Join me for my brilliant Women’s Wellness Weekend Summit on 1st & 2nd March 2014.  From Pre-Pregnancy to Post Menopause, top lectures and unique hands-on practical sessions and so much more.  Check out the line-up at www.burrelleducation.com.

Coach?  Mentor?  Counselor?  Friend? by Cori Withell

Which one do you need?
Do you need any of them?
If you need one, which one and how do you decide?
Once you decide which style you need – how do you pick the right one for you?

Let’s face it.
It is a nightmare!

Everywhere you look there are sales gurus, marketing gurus, media gurus, social media marketers, email specialists and so on and so forth.
What none of them seem to ask is do you actually need them right here and right now?
As our businesses evolve so do we.
Just because old Jessie Smith down the road has a mentor does not mean you have to have one or the same one!

I think there are some very important questions you need to ask yourself to establish,
a) do you need some help?
b) what kind of help do you need?

If you are struggling with motivation and getting things done, is having a time efficient action taker of a mentor really the right fit for you right now?  I don’t think so!  Right now, you would probably need a coach.   Someone who can take the time necessary to see why you are where you are at right now.  A coach can take the time necessary to establish what you are trying to achieve and to help you devise strategies to get there.  A mentor at this point is just going to add a bucket load of stress and pages on to your to do list that you are already sinking under!

If you are struggling to get out of bed and get anything done, then a friend or perhaps even a counselor may be the best route.

Good mentors are brilliant.
Good mentors are also hard to find.

I think it is a very competitive market and I do wonder how often how many of us latch on to a mentor because we can see our peers mentoring with them and we don’t want to miss out on anything?
Maybe that sounds a little crazy but I’m pretty sure it is not too far from the truth either!

I also think mentors have a shelf life.
You should be picking your mentor/coach/counselor as the best fit for you right now for your business and what you want to achieve.
You change.
Your business changes.
Then so to should your mentor, shouldn’t they?

All too often people are picking mentors within the fitness industry, but if you systems are a mess then pick a mentor who excels in systems – that doesn’t have to be fitness.
If you are juggling time management with family, husband and work, then pick a mentor with a proven track record in this area.
Do not be afraid to say no – to tell them they are not the right fit for you.
Ask questions, get references and if it isn’t working then don’t be afraid to say so.

You are paying for this!
If you are happy working on your own and you don’t need anyone else, then be proud of that and get on with it – fair play to you 🙂

Health and happiness x
Best wishes

Cori x

Do I have a problem with drinking?
By Jo De Rosa

This is a question I asked myself a lot over the years, and the conclusion I came to was ‘yes’.
Although never classed an alcoholic, when I filled out an AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) when joining a new doctors surgery my results were off the chart.

These are some of the questions which I failed miserably on:
How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?  …..Eh, every time I have a drink.
How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking? …..Eh, every time I drink.
How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of drinking? ….Every weekend.
How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking? ….Every weekend.

My score was 19, and if your total is over 8 an alcohol use disorder is likely. My husband always believed I was being a drama queen when I said I thought I had a problem with alcohol, but this result showed things in a very worrying light.

How many of us have a drinking problem that we are not aware of? There are many of us out there that have a glass of wine in the evening to unwind, and quite a few that have at least the whole bottle over the weekend, perhaps more.
The World Health Organisation perceives me to have a problem as I toppled over their AUDIT line. But what is our government doing about this problem?

Personally I think this is a ticking time bomb. I am in my early forties and the majority of my peers drink: every night; to relieve stress; to block out problems; to give confidence.
But nobody seems to be tacking the underlying concerns directly, rather masking them with the veil of half price wine from Tesco. What about working through the issues that cause the problem? Alcohol is just the plaster covering a wound, wouldn’t it be wiser to take a look at why we fell over in the first place?

Only you know if you have a problem.
My drinking was way under the radar. Nobody thought I had a problem. But I was not happy with how I used alcohol to numb out, and how I was living a Jekyll and Hyde existence. For me:
Sober = I like myself
Drunk =  I am vile, loud, embarrassing, and a risk-taking idiot.
I absolutely hated myself the next day, but just couldn’t seem to stop pouring the next glass of merlot. Being in that cycle is hard to see out of, the window is all steamed up and ‘clarity is someone else’s reality.’
It was a frustrating 6 years of self-flagellation, hangovers, deceit (I regularly lied to loved ones about how much I was drinking), ill-health and stress. Doing something over and over again that I didn’t want to do!

Some people have the odd drink here and there and score under 8. Maybe they are the lucky ones who can enjoy alcohol in a controlled way, or maybe I am the luckiest of them all because I have swept away all of the bullshit that society would like us to believe (it gives you confidence, it relaxes you, it improves social events, it supports you) to reveal the truth: alcohol is a poison and harms the body and mind. It is no longer in my blood/organs/thoughts and for that I really do believe I am the winner!

Now my life is in service to those ready to take the first steps out of addiction. I have no regrets as I believe all that I have been through is for a reason, and I now have a direct experience of addiction -which I use as a foundation to help others.
How could I possibly be able to assist in others’ recovery if I hadn’t been there already myself?
My first ‘Yoga for Addictions’ five day residential retreat takes place over New Year at my retreat centre in Lavenham, Suffolk. Ideal if you would like to move away from the confines of your drinking habit, and find out how amazing life could be if you lived in your fullest potential…….

I spent last weekend exhibiting at the Yoga Show at London’s Olympia and was surprised how many people came by the stand to share with me that alcohol is having a hugely negative impact on a loved ones life. Brothers, daughters, partners, sons, mothers, I witnessed an endless trail of destruction that this poison has ravaged through peoples lives.

I’m so lucky to be free now and honestly believe my life’s purpose is to support, guide, and motivate others to break down the barriers and find peace with themselves as I have done through yoga, meditation, and coaching.

Thank you to everyone that got in touch after last weeks article. Through sharing my own struggles and stories I hope I can inspire you to let go of what holds you back, and walk excitedly into your truly amazing future!  Jo x

Web:  www.innerguidance.co.uk/addictions
Email:  jo@innerguidance.co.uk
Facebook:  InnerGuidance
Twitter:  @Inner_Guidance
Copyright: Jo De Rosa 2013

“Love More, Give More, Help More”
By Andrew Crawford

This was a promise I made to my heavenly father whilst I lay dying in the middle of the road after a road traffic accident on 7th November 2011.

I wasn’t ready to go yet…..!!!!

Those bright lights came straight at me. There was no sound of emergency breaking. I felt the impact of metal as both my feet left the ground. There was a moment of calm as my body flew through the air over the car then jolted as my head hit the ground first. I felt the blood leave my body through the head. I was now lying in a pool of my own blood.

I felt a sudden peace. There was no feelings from my neck downwards. Paralysed………….. Boom  …!!

That is when I made my Promise.

“…Lord I promise that if I come through this, I will Love More, Give More and Help More…”

Blackout followed.

It was about one and a half hours later that my blurry eyes opened. I was still laying in the middle of the A23. Blue lights were flashing. My clothes had been cut off. My lovely blue jacket….!!!

ALIVE……………..I’m ALIVE………!!!!!

An unknown woman was kneeling down beside me. An Ambulance , Paramedics and Police were now in attendance.

“…He’s awake…”

I still couldn’t move as the lady held my hand.

“……..Can you hear me?…What’s your name?…”

Road block on a Sunday night. This was the stretch of road coming off the M25 leading up to Coulsdon. I had travelled all the way from Nottingham to Croydon I was literally a few minutes from my designated hotel room. I was looking forward to a large brandy and coke. I didn’t make it that night.

Into the ambulance I was gently lifted on a stretcher. I heard something about Redhill Hospital. The lights were bright in the van as it bounced from side to side. The trip seemed seconds as I fell in and out of consciousness. I felt a jab in my left arm. (Testing for alcohol I later found out).

I was now in a gown. How the …did they get that on me without me knowing? (I still have it by the way).

As I lay in hospital I saw two familiar faces. My brother in laws. What were they doing there I thought? They live in Southampton..!!!

A few minutes later a friend from South London was at my side, minutes later my partner and a close friend was there. They had travelled from Nottingham.

After a few tests and an x-ray I was discharged at 2.30am. The accident happened at 10.30pm. I sustained a head injury, no stiches necessary.

I was driven to my friend’s house where I went straight to bed. In the morning, the white pillow I had laid my head down on was crimson red. Blood escaped, my head was thumping. I felt embarrassed. How could I mess up someone’s bed with blood??

By now all the Crawford family was in force. I have 4 brothers. All were there.

In the morning my brother was on the phone to the Doctors at the hospital.

“….How could you release him after a head injury…did you do a scan?….”

Moments later I was driven back to Redhill where a CT Scan and internal check of my organs was performed.

Results: No brain damage. No internal injuries.

I was left with a gashing cut at the back of my head and something the size of a small orange protruding from my head……Lucky or what.?
Those who knew me before then, I hope they have seen a radical change in me myself and I, the way I treat people and the gratitude I have toward this precious gift we call LIFE.

I was out of the so called ‘loop’ for eight months. I was no use to family, friends or myself. I relied on my partner (now my wife) and daughter for all the basic necessities.

I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t drive…..I had crutches for months and for a couple of weeks I hired a mobile scooter.

Two weeks out of those 8 months was spent ‘bedbound’. My feet did not touch the floor at all. I would not wish this on my worst enemy.

I now know what it must be like to be permanently confined after living a ‘normal’ life.  All that worked efficiently was the mind….and how powerful it is.

No matter what state your body is at, the Mind is at work constantly thinking, remembering, planning and organising.

So………….Sunday was a crucial point in my life…..I turned 50. (I feel 35 plus VAT)………

My thoughts were on my family and friends who had not made it thus far.  Some were taken as young as 18 and 21….!!

I counted my blessings, the trials and tribulations I’ve been through and smiled.
You’re born…..then you die. Whatever you do in between is entirely up to you.

Are you going to let other people dictate how you feel? What to think? Where to go? Exactly………….Live your Life according to your rules….and the Holy book. The Bible (..as long as there is no crime, no one getting hurt, nothing illegal).

So when you see my Facebook status filled with bottles of booze…….I’m having the time of my life mofos….a blast…!! Every day I am here is a day closer to the inevitable. Live life with no regrets.

Phew……..Andrew….Lord Have Mercy…!!

What has the past 50 years of your life got to do with Accountancy & Tax?

Well….my Promise extends to my working relationships.

I am firstly LOVING you all…without reservation. Secondly, I try and GIVE you my best. I hold nothing back. Why would I take all this Accounting & Taxation knowledge with me to the grave? Lastly…..Where ever I see that I can be of HELP to anyone….. I will help out.

Just like couples renewing their vows, I renew my Promise today………

I Promise to Love More, Give More & Help More

“…..When someone comes into your life, God sent them for a reason, Either to learn from them, Or to be with them until the end……..”

Peace and Love

Andrew James Crawford

www.fitnessindustryaccountants.com
www.facebook.com/andrewjamescrawford

Have a wonderful Thursday

Love Rachel xx