Hey Reader,

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I woke up one day, and I felt I was done.

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My body ached all over, in a way I had never experienced before.

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It had been months since I had exercised like that...

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With Covid restrictions, moving house, raising babies and returning to work, I kept telling myself there was not enough time and I’d get back to it “one day.” I always bounce back fairly quickly from everything, so it should be fine? Not exactly…

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That wasn’t quite true anymore. You see, my body had changed. I was a little older, I had given birth to 2 children in 2 years and lost in the daily grind of not doing my regular fitness sessions, time had taken a toll on me without realising it.

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So when I threw myself back into fitness with my PT, I was not expecting that response from body.
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As soon as I realised why I was so sore, I applied my Ice Blue essential oil blend to my feet and knees for a cooling recovery treatment. A few drops of Ice Blue added to a carrier oil, such as almond or jojoba oil and rubbed on to sore muscles before bed is also a great post-workout remedy.

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And while my muscles recovered, I practiced gentle daily yoga, with Butterfly pose and the mini-sequence I shared in my newsletter 2 weeks ago - cat/cow pose and child’s pose. If you would like a copy of these again, just send me a reply at hello@alishawaterman.com and I'll share it with you again.

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Butterfly position works by gently but effectively releasing the hip area. This is especially useful if you have been running or working out a lot in the leg and hip region. Try it out:

1. Sit on your mat with the soles of your feet together
2. Hold each foot with your hands and place your elbows against your inner thighs
3. Inhale, lengthen your spine, and then exhale, slowly lower your torso forward. Pause when you feel the stretch.

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Just pop on over to Instagram and like @FlourishingLifeProject, and join The Flourishing Life Project Private Group on Facebook and I will announce the winner in the Facebook group next Thursday, 9th September.

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I have always had a personal mission to improve myself in some small way each day so that over the course of my life I was on a trajectory of self-improvement, in every area of life. This was my intended path of steady and gradual growth towards a healthier and stronger version of me.

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I later learned that this goal is a universal principle for successful individuals and businesses in many different cultures. In Japan it is known as Kaizen, and literally means, continuous improvement.

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It is based on the idea that if we can just be 1% better at something every day, then over the course of a year, or a lifetime we will have improved an extraordinary amount.

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Each day we go to work, try to exercise, eat well, meditate, spend time with our loved ones and so much more. Tomorrow you will wake up and do it all again… but the key to a healthier and stronger YOU is to do something extra each day to extend yourself, to add that 1% so that we can bounce back easier, as well as feel stronger and healthier over time.

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No matter what our age, or what we are going through in life.

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Just remember not to throw yourself into it suddenly like you’re 10 years old and then not be able to move the next morning!

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Keep an eye on your inbox next Friday as we shift focus from our physical body to our minds, with tips on mindfulness & presence. I'll be sharing more freebies and giveaways along with a wealth of info on staying in tune with your mind & body.

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In joy,