Living your best life Archives

10 years from now, you’ll surely arrive – but where?

“ 10 years from now , you’ll surely arrive. The question is where?.” – Tony Robbins

10 years ago , I was working a 9-5 job in the travel industry. During my Travel career . I got to travel and work in some pretty amazing places around the world and I will always be grateful for that experience and the friends I made a long the way. I just always felt like something was missing

I hated being stuck behind a desk all day , attached to a headset – week in, week out , counting down to the weekend or my next holiday – I just did not want that to be my life .

So 10 years ago this week – I sent off a Cheque ( ha remember those?? 🤣) and I signed up to do my Group fitness instructor qualification and I began a new journey 💕

I have come to recognise that I have this sense of being Home when it comes to people, situations and places when everything feels aligned and when I have that feeling , I know it’s my gut instinct telling me I’m on the right path 💕.

As soon as I started teaching , I had that feeling of coming home and ten years on, I look back at this incredible journey I have been on and where it has brought me to, today.

It’s definitely been a rollercoaster of a ride , there have been highs and lows , it has been such a huge learning curve and one of my greatest adventures to date. I have learned to never ignore my gut feeling and to never ever settle for something – be it a relationship, job , or situation that is just ok – you absolutely deserve to live a life that you love. We get just one shot at it. And know you can achieve anything you set your mind to with plenty of hard work, keeping the faith and i’ve Found a killer lipstick helps too when you need that little extra boost 😘. Ooh and always have a bottle of Prosecco chilling in the fridge 🥂 .

What if I fall?, but my darling what if you fly?

“What if I fall ? , but my Darling what if you fly?”

This photo was taken last summer , when we went to Italy on holiday, it was such an amazing place !. I came back from that holiday and knew it was time – time to take a giant leap of faith and believe in myself as much as my family and friends did .

I believe the universe sends us signs and helps guide us to where we are meant to be and it was definitely sending me plenty signs to tell me the time to flutter my butterfly wings was now.

I had spent 8 years building my fitness business alongside working part time as a senior business travel Consultant ( sounds proper fancy doesn’t it 😂) .

My dream though was always to make my fitness business my full time job.

Taking that step though was so scary – I lived on my own , so all the bills were solely my responsibility. Could I really make it work full time ?.

My business was growing and It was getting harder and harder to juggle the two and I was exhausted. Whenever I get run down , I lose my voice . Since my early twenties , this has always been how stress manifests itself within my body. I’ve had the cameras down my throat , I’ve been for speech therapy and learned that when it happens , it’s my body’s way of telling me to slow things down and it was happening a lot.

Travel work was getting more stressful, we were being bought by a rival company and the simple fact was I just did not want to be there , I wanted to be running my business full time.

My first day back at work after that holiday , I handed in my 12 weeks notice and left last November.

That was 6 months ago now and during that time I have not lost my voice!!! ( hopefully not tempting fate 😂). Is it easy – no! , is it worth it? – absolutely!!!! . My fellow entrepreneur friends all said to me – “you will do it and never look back”. They were spot on .

So if you sat reading this and are in a similar position thinking about taking that step of taking your side hustle full time , don’t be afraid to at least try – even if it didn’t work out , I’d much rather have tried then always to have wondered. I have more time to focus on my business, and as a result , it’s continuing to grow which is amazing . It has also allowing me to create a better work/life balance again too.

Its just about putting a plan in place to get you there. I knew I had to give 12 weeks notice which seemed ages, but I also knew that was 3 months pay checks I could try and save as much as I could to give me that little safety net at the beginning. I worked long hours fitting my clients and classes in to my week around my part time 9-5 job. All the time I just kept focused on my goal and that kept me going through the tougher days.

so go do it – spread those wings and fly toward your dreams .

Lots of Love

Joanne x

February at Little Mis Fit

Guys can you believe the first month of 2019 is just about over and we are about to enter Chapter 2 ?.

I know a lot of people think January seems to last forever, but for me , Classes have been super busy and I had a few fun adventures booked in – bonus a lot of them had been paid for in advance – always good in January!. I had got my sister afternoon tea at the Town House in Durham for her Birthday back in November and we had booked it for January . It was so nice!. if you don’t know it, its a Gorgeous little twenties style boutique hotel right in Durham City, it really was like stepping back in time to another era, and the afternoon tea was really nice! .

Then Peter and I had a date night to the Sage to see Dirty Dancing the musical which was fantastic!. I have seen it on the stage a few times before, but just with the smaller venue , it definitely added a little more to the show.

My mam and dad also celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary ,

so its been a busy fun start to the year, with plenty more celebrations to come. throughout the year.

Classes have been really busy which is brilliant!. I honestly love teaching and we have really built such a lovely community within the classes ,and the small groups and in the 1-1 sessions , that sessions are always so much fun to teach with plenty banter and laughter alongside the workouts. Its said your Vibe attracts your tribe and I am so so lucky with all you guys!.

I’ve also been hooked on a couple Netflix shows this month too. Have any of you watched YOU on there?. so good!!! can not wait for season 2!. I’ve also been hooked on Marie Kondo tidying up. I read her book a couple years – The magic art of tidying up and now she has her own Netflix show and I’m hooked. I’ve been decluttering the house using the Kondo method. Its about keeping the things that spark joy for you – if it no longer sparks Joy, its time to thank the item and then declutter it. Have any of you guys been watching too?. Have you been inspired to try the Kondo method?.

Here is what we have going on here at Little Mis Fit this coming month –

Post natal Pilates

Friday 1130-1215pm @ Taylored Fit Physio Langley Park , Durham starting 22nd February for 5 weeks £30

and

Monday 1030-1115am @ DanceMax, Consett starting 25th February for 5 weeks , £30

Kids After School yoga

Thursday afternoons from 28th February for 6 weeks. 4.30pm-5.15pm , for kids age 4-10. £35 for the 6 weeks.

Small Group Training

Our Small Group training programmes are currently all full at present!. I have got a couple 1-1 Pilates spaces available though so do get in touch if you would be interested in more information on those.

Class passes

Just a reminder I am away on Saturday February 16th for the day , so no classes this day.

8 session pass – £35

12 session pass – £50

Unlimited monthly pass – £60

Core Class Timetable

Monday

Barre Fitness 6.30-7pm @ North Durham Academy

Pilates 7pm-7.45pm @ North Durham Academy

Tuesday

Body Sculpt 7pm-7.30pm @ Tesco , Consett

Wednesday

Pilates 0945am-1030am @ Annfield Plain Church

Pilates for mams and Toddlers 1030-1115am @ Annfield Plain church

Thursday

Pilates 6.45pm-7.30pm @ Delves Lane Village Hall

Men on Mats Pilates 7.30-8.15pm @ Delves Lane Village Hall

Friday

Pilates 6.30-7.15pm @ Annfield plain Church

Saturday

Body Sculpt 9am – 9.30am @ Delves lane Village Hall

Family Yoga 1015am-11am @ Delves lane Village Hall

We also have our Online workouts – Just £10 per month!. Access is via a private Facebook group. There are a variety of workouts including HIIT, Pilates, strength and conditioning and Barre , with two new workouts added each week. Drop us a message for more information or to get signed up.

Are you on Instagram? , if so come follow us over there – @littlemisfitjojo for behind the scenes at Mis Fit on Insta stories.

we are also on Facebook – www.facebook.com/lilmisfit1

Did you see my Social media post this week – do it for the woman you want to be a year from now?. How do you want your life to look? , take some time this week to think about that and set your goals to help get you there!. lets all aim to live our best lives this year and every year after!.

Wishing you all a Fabulous February , may it be filled with lots of love, laughter and adventure.

Joanne x

Why Consistency is key when it comes to achieving your goals.

When it comes to achieving your goals such as getting fitter and healthier , or indeed anything you wish to succeed at , the key is Consistency.

Creating little habits that you continue to stick with , until it just becomes second nature to you, just like since you were little , you’ve been brushing your teeth every day probably at least twice.

All those small changes when repeated on a regular basis, will all add up to huge differences.

Maybe you want to create a healthier lifestyle , so you feel fitter , stronger and healthier. Maybe you are training for a fitness event such as the Great North run, and you need to be consistent with your training, even when its cold outside or worse sometimes – too hot!, (definitely go early morning /early evening in that case!) . Maybe you want to set up your own business and need to work on it in your spare time and therefore need to be super organised so you use the time you do have productively.

Think about your Big goal – the thing you want to achieve and then try setting little goals for yourself that will help you toward that big goal and just notice the success that follows if you can just stick with these daily/weekly habits. Something my Small Group training girls practice over the 6 week programme and when they do, they see the results of their hard work and commitment. Many of the habits they create, they continue with after the 6 weeks is over , not all but you often find some habits just stick , whilst others are work in progress – hey we are all human. Its just trying to be as consistent as you can – and you’ll notice the ones you do regular, are the ones that bring you the most results.

Maybe this week for example , you decide that you are going to drink 2 litres of water each day ,and swap out some of your regular cups of tea/coffee for herbal tea instead. In addition aim to move your body at least 3 times this week – be it take a class, go for a walk or a swim or just stick on your favourite playlist and dance for 20 minutes – hello instant mood lifter and cardio workout!.

Maybe the following week , you continue with the above but also add in a new additional habit like trying one new reciepe/meal idea each week , or each month.

Perhaps you run your own business or would like to and you need to set time aside each week to make sure you get done what needs to get done.

Here are some tips that help me, and might hopefully help you too –

Take some time at the weekend to look at your week ahead and see what you have going on and where you can fit in your workouts that week. Pencil them in your diary and make a commitment to yourself to actually do them. Maybe you already make time for workouts and work , maybe you need to schedule in some down time!. This is something I am working on – scheduling in time in my week for work and also for time to step away from my phone/Ipad/laptop. I think especially when you run your own business and you love what you do it can be hard to totally switch off sometimes. My work schedule used to be crazy, but now I have found a little more balance so aiming each week to take time out away from work to just be. It actually helps me be more productive with the time I do block out for work.

Also whilst you have your diary out and know what you have on, plan out your meals for the week ahead. That way you can do a food shop and get in everything you need – it also helps limit wasted food,plus you only need to buy what you need. Maybe prepare some meals in advance – especially for the busier days/nights. Something you can make in advance and just pull out the fridge or freezer to reheat when you haven’t got lots of time to cook. Things like Stir Fries are also perfect for busy days.

Some days early morning is the only time I can fit in my own workout , and Three times a week I also teach early morning sessions – so I always make sure to put my clothes out the night before which is a huge help as it means, everything is just there ready for me to put on. just spending 5 minutes the night before , organising myself saves me time on a morning.

Find what motivates you . Sometimes you just plain can’t be bothered – we’ve all been there, but you know it has to be done and you will feel so much better for it afterwards . A bit like housework though I have to say thanks to Mrs Hinch , I am much more motivated after watching one of her Insta stories!. Its crazy but honestly I can just sit and watch this woman clean her bathroom for 15 minutes and then I feel the need to go clean mine and then I can relax and enjoy my Zoflora smelling home . This week I got a message from one of my Online clients, who said she really could not be bothered to exercise that day, but she had forced herself and gone back through our library – picked out a workout she knew she loved and did that one – the result?, she felt so much more energised. Often knowing and understanding your Why – the reason you are doing this will help you stay motivated and on track. Another one for me – I hate going to the dentist, I have a really lovely dentist and I’ve been going for years, but it still fills me with dread at the thought of going, but the thought of horrid teeth fills me with even more dread so twice a year, off I head and honestly once I am there – I’m totally fine.

Track your progress – If its Health/fitness keep a diary to track your food and workouts , maybe measure yourself at the start and again every 6 weeks – I don’t believe in scales – I think they mess with your head so much prefer to use a tape measure or a mirror, or in how I feel/look in my clothes. Before and after photos can also help with seeing progress – again something I do with my Small Group guys. Maybe keep a Journal on your journey , so you can look back and see just how far you have come. This is also something I do for my own journey as a girl running her own business. For the past couple years I have documented my diary through the highs and lows – the small wins, the victories and the lessons learned as I ride along on this Entrepreneurial Rollercoaster . I can look back and see how it all came together to bring me to where I am today – which is a pretty darn good place. There are times it is so hard , but the highs more than make up for it

Make a note of your Big Goal and keep it where you can see it on a regular basis as a reminder of what you are aiming for. Maybe keep a copy of it as a screen saver on your phone/ipad/laptop. Maybe keep it in the front of your diary or on the fridge – anywhere you will see it daily to keep you focused.

Sometimes when I really struggle with motivation but I know I have something I really need to get done is I set my timer on my phone for a maybe 45 minutes or an hour – I call it a power hour and then pop my phone in another room – so I’m not tempted to procrastinate on social media (hands up who else does that?) and instead focus on that one task for that duration and then by the time , the timer is up , I found I’ve actually made at least a dent in what I needed to get done, and possibly even completed the task and able to tick it of the to do list. You can then reward yourself on a job well done with maybe a nice sit down and a cup of tea and a book or whatever brings you a little peace and quiet.

Results happen over time, not overnight , work hard, stay consistent and be patient. It won’t always be easy , but It will be worth it!.

Do Let me know how you get on – comment below, or tag us on social media , I love to hear from you!. lets go achieve our Dreams in 2019!

You can find us over on Instagram @littlemisfitjojo and Facebook – www.facebook.com/lilmisfit1.

What will be your word for this New Year?

Can you believe we are getting ready to say goodbye to 2018! I mean I honestly feel like I just said Hello! 😳. Is anyone else feeling the same?

The past couple of years rather than making New Year resolutions, I have opted to choose a word or a theme of how I want my year to look. For some they may chose the word calm as they want to bring more calm into their life or maybe its health, if you want to make your health and well-being a priority this year . Maybe you want to travel lots in 2019 so maybe Travel could be yours . You could even have more than one!, you make your own rules 💕.

For 2018 , my theme was Building my Dream , I wanted to focus on working towards making my dream of taking Mis Fit full time and in November of this year , I did just that! 😋.

I’m currently in a business group – the Dream life Academy programme and as part of that, we each had to come up with our hashtag for the year when we started back in September. I opted for a bit of only fools and horses inspiration and went with the # she who dares! , so I am going to stick with that as we go into 2019. A reminder to stay brave , especially when stepping outside my comfort zone as that is most often the time when you find the magic! 💕. A reminder for myself to always reach for the moon , because even if you don’t quite reach the moon , you’ll still land among the stars 💕.

My boyfriend and actually some friends and family have also suggested I may need to learn the art of chilling out/relaxing a bit more 😂, so I guess my theme of 2019 is to work hard but also to ensure I make the time to play too.

This past year I got to travel more , which I loved especially as I hadn’t had the chance to do much the past couple years and it’s something I used to do a lot more of , so definitely hoping for a couple more adventures in 2019 and I already have a couple fun trips booked 😀. It’s my 40th birthday so plenty of celebrations!.

What about you guys? I’d love to hear what your word / theme for 2019 is? Let me know in the comments below 💕

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2019!. May it be filled with love, laughter and Adventure.

Joanne x

The Amalfi Coast

Capri

Portugal

Having the Courage to follow your heart and Intuition Guest Blog Jayne from Lulu Charles Jewellery

Joanne recently asked me to write a blog post about how I went from working as a freelance textile designer & lecturer to a fully self employed business owner, working with my husband, Ashley, to design and hand make jewellery. Prior to setting up LuLu & Charles Jewellery I had worked as a part-time lecture at Newcastle College teaching fashion & textiles and self employed freelance designer. After the arrival of our second son I decided to leave education and focus on the freelance side of my career, which worked perfectly around the boys while they were little. Ashley on the other hand was working for my dad at Christopher James Jewellers, based in the Metro Centre.

My daily routine consisted of designing and making garment fronts for the fashion industry. I specialised in mixed media textile designs, combining hand embroidery, print & embellishment. Reworking antique lace and vintage prints. While Ashley was happy working at Christopher James Jewellers, he loved his job working in a busy jewellery shop, employed as a finisher, jeweller, sales assistant. He would never in a million years have dreamed of working for himself.

It wasn’t until my dad’s shop closed and Ashley was faced with redundancy that the idea of us working together crossed our minds. At the time I was pregnant with our 3rd son, so the timing was a worry. However despite the bad timing, I now look back and believe it was the best thing that could have happened! Freelancing was getting harder and the industry had shifted towards digital trends, which just wasn’t my design style. So I had been looking for a new direction and what with Ashley’s redundancy on the cards, we were forced to do something and make some decisions. I knew I wanted to do something new with a creative focus that would work around our hectic family life. Jewellery was all Ashley had ever known and something I’d been brought up with, so combining my vision and design skills with Ashley’s knowledge, the idea of setting up a handmade jewellery brand was born.

The shop was a huge part of our lives, it’s what brought us together in the first place and as a result of the shops closure the idea of LuLu & Charles Jewellery was formed. In a short space of time our business started to take shape, growing from world of mouth and social media. Initially the idea was for myself to design jewellery for Ashley to make, however that soon changed when I realised I wanted to learn the trade and make jewellery too.

Surprisingly we work really well together, our strengths and weaknesses seem to create the balance our business needs, we couldn’t do it without each other. We love, live & breath our little business, it’s like our fourth baby!

Although it feels like a distant memory now… at the time, it was quite a bold and scary move, which just seamed to happen accidentally more than anything. Maybe it was fate….I don’t know? However upon reflection it was the best thing that could have happened to us, the timing was perfect. Inevitably Ashley’s redundancy gave us both the push we needed to change path and follow our dream, creating a business that works for us. Fast forward four years and our business has grown steadily, we have repeat customers from all over the world, who keep coming back.

As a husband and wife team we share the highs and lows of running a business, I still have to pinch myself sometimes when customers get in touch to say, they LOVE what we do & have always wanted to own a piece of LuLu & Charles Jewellery.

One of my own pieces of Lulu Charles Jewellery, made using gold from old sentimental jewellery I had , that was just sat in a drawer gathering dust, until Jayne and Ashley, took that gold and made it in to my Joanne necklace, I absolutely adore 💕.

To find out more about LuLu & Charles Jewellery please visit www.lulucharlesjewellery.com

When nothing is certain, anything is possible

Happy 1st day of November!.

In the States , its the month , they celebrate Thanksgiving. As a Brit it’s not a holiday we celebrate, but regardless of our nationality, just taking the time to note down the people, experiences and things in each of our lives we are thankful for , is something we can all do.

This is the month, I take a leap of faith and take Mis Fit full time!. I have just 6 days left at travel work. I am so so grateful to each and everyone of my Mis Fit family, past and present who have helped me build my little business up these past 8 years. Without you guys coming to classes, I wouldn’t have a business!. So I am incredibly grateful to each and everyone of you.

I am so grateful to my family and friends who support my dreams too and are there cheering me on always and believing in me. Who understand aswell that my working hours are different to most people who work a 9-5,so I can’t always be there for nights /days out.

I am incredibly grateful for my travel job, as I got to travel to some pretty amazing places – I even got to work in LA and Vegas looking after a tour group – lost a couple in the Airport on the first trip but I found them shortly afterwards so thankfully all was fine ha . They had sneaked off for a cigarette after the flight landed without telling me. I had everyone else on the bus ready to be dropped at their hotels and I had to go hunt Vegas airport for these two !. There was also the lady who came into the shop when I worked for Going Places ( showing my age here – who can remember going places travel agents lol) , she had a family holiday booked to Majorca, and she came in looking all flustered with her confirmation in hand and said she needed to cancel , as the confirmation stated there was sharks in high season and she was going in August. I was a bit perplexed , thinking – Sharks in Majorca? , and how on earth do Airtours know they are going to be there in the summer. I took the confirmation from her to read it and had to try so hard to keep a straight face – if you know me , you know how hard this was , but Airtours were actually referring to their kids club which was called Sharks and advising it only operated in high season 🤣. To be fair to her, the way it was worded was a little confusing. It did make me laugh though.

I am also grateful to my travel job as it provided for me financially, as I paid for my fitness courses and built my business up. It’s this part that is the scariest- leaving behind the safety net of that regular income. I also get health benefits, such as dental and my glasses – obviously I have made sure and bought my new glasses and had a dental check up before I Leave!. Going from getting that same amount in my bank account, on the same day every month , to now never knowing from week to week what I will make. You could have a full class booked in and then get a bunch of last minute cancellations , or we are also approaching the time of year , when the weather turns bad – we got our first snowfall last Saturday- 27th October!!!!. Which of course also effects classes . I just feel though as scary as that is, what is even scarier is being still Sat behind that travel desk in a year or twos time, still wondering if I could possibly make it work , teaching classes full time, doing a job I adore and am passionate about, rather than doing a job I endure to pay the bills. Life can be incredibly short and I would rather try and if it doesn’t work , at least I’ll know, rather than be too scared to try and always wonder what if.

As my leaving day approaches I am so excited , but after 24 years of working in the travel industry, some sadness too at the end of this chapter, plus I’m not going to lie – i’ll Definitely miss my travel,perks! . I’m also getting some lovely messages from my current colleagues all with lovely messages of support. I have made some lovely friends in my travel journey, including my best friend Stacy . We met on the bus as we used to get the same one to work – she was on a YTS for Lunn Poly and I was On one with Going Places. 24 years and much mischief and mayhem later, we are still best friends 💕.

I’m a Huge Believer in the universe and how it responds to the vibrations we send out, and if we are sending positive vibrations out and we have faith in ourselves and it’s for our own higher good, I believe the Universe will always lead us to exactly where we need to be in life.

If you haven’t read The Universe has your back by Gabrielle Bernstein, definitely check it out. I also love this quote below, so as I embark on this new journey , I am going to indeed embrace the uncertainty, enjoy the beauty of becoming and know that’s when nothing I say certain, anything is possible!.

Wishing all of you guys a magical November with lots of love and laughter and memories made with loved ones.

Joanne xoxo

Little Mis-Fit’s Greatest Adventure yet …….

So this week, my little community fitness business – Little Mis-Fit turns 8 years old!!!.

I look back 8 years ago , at the hopes and dreams I had when I set out on my journey and honestly can’t believe how fast the time has flown by, and how much my little dream has grown and become my reality .

I had always loved Exercise. I started running in primary school – one of the teachers used to take a group of us out on a Friday lunch time. Throughout Secondry school, I was on the cross country team and I loved PE. Now I was on the Cross country team, -but honestly I was so not the best runner at all but what I did have was the determination to try and to keep trying. I would train with the team each lunch time, I went to running club on a Tuesday and Thursday night and just practiced and practiced. I just really enjoyed it and I got faster and fitter. So when I left school the Career advice lady who came to school, suggested I may want to go into the fitness industry, at that time though I wanted to travel and sport was something I did because I enjoyed it , what if it was my job and I came to hate it??. so I became a travel agent!.

In 1995, at the age of 16, I left school after my G.C.S.E’s to enroll on a YTS (youth training scheme ) as a trainee travel agent – I wanted to travel the world . I liked the job but there was just something inside that told me , this was not really what I was meant to do . I have travelled to some amazing places and even got to work in Las Vegas a couple of time so when I was in my early twenties which was pretty cool.

Over the years however I did keep coming back to the idea of teaching classes. Finally in 2010 as the age of 30 , I found a local course and decided to go for it. Now not many people know this but in actual fact I signed up to do my Pilates course first!!!, then changed my mind and switched to the group fitness course instead. It was over 10 weeks and it was a tough 10 weeks!!. It was the first time I had studied in a long time and I was working full time and at college on a Sunday all day and trying to juggle the homework and choreography practice. Ha all that juggling though would stand me in good stead for all the juggling I do now!. I remember having a week off travel work , during the middle of it though and it was a lovely sunny day and I was sat in my garden , studying – thinking this could be my life! My life could be not being stuck behind a desk all day in a stuffy office for 8 hours , 5 days a week , but instead have the freedom of doing a job I loved and working more flexible hours. 8 years on , I am achieving that dream!. A couple years ago, I did eventually get around to doing my Pilates course aswell hurrah!. From that first moment of teaching – I knew I had found it – the job I was meant to do!. It just felt right

After getting my Group fitness qualification – I set up a Class on a Monday night in a local church hall. Back then I think I was on Facebook but no clue really how to use it . In fact I didn’t really know much about running a business at all! . When I was 24 and saving for my first house, aswell as my travel job though , I worked as a Virgin Vie make up rep – so I would go round delivering parties selling make up – as a make up junkie this was actually a bit of another dream job too , getting to play with make up and being paid for it ha. Hmmm actually I wonder if Charlotte Tillbury or Mac would be interested in me doing a little side work for them …………………. . Anyhoo I digress but actually being a Virgin Vie rep I did learn a couple things about marketing and running a business so I was not totally clueless as I learned about keeping my accounts and a bit about marketing but there would be so much more to learn.

It has not always been an easy journey – so many people think being their own boss is much easier than working for someone else. In actual fact its so much harder. I’ve tried things that didnt work out but there have been plenty things that have worked out and I genuinly love what I do . In recent years I have also started working with kids – doing Yoga , which is actually not something i ever set out to do, It was a little detour but again something I really enjoy so definatly a case of Serendipty (FYI totally love that movie!!)

I am truly truly grateful to each and everyone of you that has been part of the Mis-fit journey over the past 8 years – some of the people in that very first class, are still with me today and the same with my second class I set up a couple months later – they are also still with me. Without all you guys coming to classes and helping spread the word, Mis-Fit would not be what it is today. You guys inspire me to keep going , to keep teaching classes , to keep learning new things to increase my knowledge and keep classes fresh and fun. I love our little Mis-Fit community we have created , with friendships formed and the craic in the classes . I can have had a really stressful day at the 9-5 and all I want to do when I finish is curl up on the settee and watch netflix, but I know the minute I stand up in class and start teaching you all , sharing in the banter , laughing , Its the perfect medicine and I love that I know its the same for you guys too. You can have loads going on at home/work but you show up for class for some You time and we help you feel better too.

Huge thank you aswell to my mam, dad and sister who are my constant cheerleaders, cheering me on and supporting me and my friends who do the same and who understand when I can’t always play out because my working hours are so different to theirs but they are always there.

My Big goal was always to aim to make Little Mis-Fit my full time job. As I got more Qualifications and grew my classes , I was able to reduce my days at my travel job from 5 days to 3 days and last December I actually dropped down to 2 days. However having returned from Holiday this Summer and having talked about it forever and with the support of my family and friends all cheering me on , I made the huge decision to take a leap of faith and take Mis-Fit full time – eeekkkkkkk!. S*#t just got real people!!!!!!!. So from December 2018 – Mis-Fit is full time!!!! .

Maybe it will work out , maybe it won’t – that determination I had when I was starting out running , that has always stayed with me and I have every determination to try and make this succeed too -Either way I have to at least try – after all the magic happens when you step outsode your comfort zone! . I believe at least trying , will be Little Mis-Fit’s greatest adventure yet!.

Time now for Cake and Prosecco!!!!!!!!!!

Love

Joanne

The story of Little Mis-Fit.

helllooo

so I thought I would introduce myself and give you a little insight into the world of little Mis-Fit. I’m Joanne and back in 2010, having gained my fitness instructor qualification, I set up a community Fitness business, called Little Mis-Fit. It was during my training, that I first started to think about teaching classes out in the community. I wanted to run classes that were friendly, welcoming and had a real community spirit.

I look back at the past 8 years and can’t believe how far I’ve come and how much bigger the business has grown and the path I found myself on. After leaving school,I had gotten a YTS ( youth training scheme ) or as more commonly known these days an apprenticeship, as a trainee travel agent. I knew from the beginning though, that despite quite enjoying the job – (the travel perks were definitely a plus!) , it was not the job I was meant to do. I just felt like something was missing. I did move around a lot job wise , always in travel apart from a (very) brief stint in a bank – the less said about that though the better!, I actually cried the first day it was awful! I hated it.

A few more years went by and I always toyed with doing my fitness instructor qualification but the courses were often in London and really expensive. In 2009, I was working in business travel , the job was ok ( ha am actually still there, albeit part time) and I had joined a new gym. One of the instructors there ran a training facility for fitness instructors, and it was based in Sunderland, so nice and local. I decided to go for it and signed up to do my Exercise to music course . For 10 weeks , I worked 5 days a week. Then college 1 day and then squeezed in homework and choreography practice for the course in between. Plus juggling housework etc.

As soon as I started teaching , I knew I had found it ! The thing that had been missing from my work life so far. I loved I could help,people and seeing my clients getting fitter and stronger and achieving goals they never thought possible. I love not being stuck behind a desk all day , being able to get out and about , I genuinely absolutely love what I do.

As time went on , I went on to do other fitness courses. There is always something to learn. It’s so easy as an instructor to want to teach all different classes and try and appeal to everyone , but of course you can’t. For one thing those courses can be really expensive! . One of my mentors once said – you can chose to be a jack of all trades, master of none, or you can chose the things that truly speak to you , and concentrate on those!. The first few years, I did try different things, trying to find my own path. As I’ ve often find in life though, your path usually has a way of finding you!.

Pilates, pre/post natal , HIIT classes, small group training and kids fitness have become the mainstay of my business. These are classes I love to teach and my clients love .

A few years ago I had completed my kids fitness qualification and a few months later spotted a course that would qualify me to teach Yoga to children, so I signed up, thinking what a great idea , to teach Yoga to the little ones , but I wasn’t sure how popular it would be. It would take me a couple years of learning what worked and what didn’t, finding my feet with it really . Learning how to handle a class full of kids ( tips are still appreciated 😂) but the past couple years, the Kids yoga side of the business has really taken off, though am definitely still learning – for example when doing crafts, always carry sellotape – check out my Instagram post from when we attempted Tiaras! !

. I teach in schools and nurseries. I also teach a community after school yoga class , a couple times a week at Believe and Be – a Role play centre for little ones , based in Consett County Durham.

We also offer Baby Yoga and Pilates for mums and Tots. . I am also in the midst of doing my Yoga for Toddlers.

So the kids fitness side truly was a a case of Serendipity! ( one of my favourite movies by the way!)

Another popular programme is our small group training programmes. Based over a 6 week period, We have a small group pilates programme, and a small group programme, which focuses on getting fit , strong and toned. Both of these are based on a maximum of 6 per group, creating a smaller class environment.

In general our classes are pretty small, and we do have that whole Cheers Vibe going on, where everyone gets to know each other and friendships are made.

I am a Pre/post natal specialist instructor and have my Orthopaedic pilates qualification also and can offer 1-1 sessions for these.

When I first started teaching fitness classes, I still worked 5 days a week at my travel job, and taught 2-3 classes a week. . A year later, I dropped down to 3 days and juggled teaching classes alongside working 3 days at the 9-5, plus studying to further increase my knowledge. Plus there is all the planning to do , to prep for classes. When you run a small business, you wear so many different hats. All my fellow small business owners, you know it ! – accounting, admin tansks, marketing, cleaner – there was so much to learn. , not just in fitness but in running a business! I think that would be a whole blog post in its own. In December 2017, I dropped another day at my travel job and am now down to just 2 days, however . the mission is on to take Mis-Fit full time 🙏. It is just taking that final leap, though at the same time when you have a mortgage and bills etc, it’s a little easier said then done, but I have absolute faith, I’ll get there. I look at how much my little dream has grown over the past 8 years and I am so proud and truly grateful .

We may not have a huge range of classes, we’re just trying to be really good at the the ones we do teach 😄. So we keep reading and researching and teaching because I truly love what I do and so so grateful to my family and all my clients who have helped me create the Mis-Fit community it is today! . From the bottom of my heart , Thank You!!!!

Joanne .🙏💕

New Year Self Care Challenge!

“Self Care is giving the world the best version of you, not what is left of you”

I love this quote, and lets face it, after Christmas , we are probably all feeling a little bloated and in need of a little self care , plus January is actually Mental Wellness Month , so as we ring in the New Year , it is a perfect time to focus on ourselves a little . Its only when we do that, that we have the energy and patience to take care of our loved ones. We are always conscious to charge our phones up when the battery is getting low, so we need to do the same with ourselves!.

A big part of looking after ourselves is scheduling in regular workouts. I know for me, working out is as much for my mental and spiritual wellbeing as it is for my physical health.
Sometimes it can be really hard to drag yourself along to class . especially when you’ve maybe had some time off over Christmas or its so cold outside and all you really want to do is hibernate at home – we all have those days!. It Is actually on the days you really don’t feel like doing it, that you probably need it even more though!. Working out will leave you feeling so much stronger both physically and mentally , plus it will release some of those happy hormones , instantly boosting your mood. The mood boosting effects of exercise are now so widely recognised, that more and more Doctors are prescribing exercise over just handing out anti depressants , which is brilliant.

So my challenge to you this week is to get in a couple workouts – maybe get yourself along to a class or check out YouTube for some at home workouts , or get outside for a walk or run in the fresh air. Pick something you enjoy doing as you much more likely to stick with it . perhaps try a new class , one you haven’t tried before. Just get moving and honestly see how much better you feel in yourself afterwards! . You could even recruit a workout buddy , so you can keep each other accountable.

Follow along this month as I share a few more little self care tips and challenges and do let us know in the comments or pop over to our Facebook – www.facebook.com/lilmisfit1 or Instagram @littlemisfitjojo ,and let us know how you are getting on and if you are noticing any differences in your physical, and mental wellbeing.

Love lots

Joanne x