Stepping into another month , wherever you are in the world , there are changes all around us- changes in the political world ,changes in the weather & where you allow it - changes for the mind & body. You guys know by now (if this is your first time reading from me , hello lovely ❣️!) that in times where others are stuck, I love to encourage you to challenge popular opinions when they don’t serve you & elevate your mind & body into the LIGHT instead !      

This brings me into this months topic of the life lessons natural horsemanship has thus far taught me in life actually😊 . ‘How  though Abs?!’ I hear you ask ! Let’s dive in & I’’l tell you ! Having had a love & appreciation of horses since the age of 10, I thought it best to summarize my earlier years working with them by saying I have met (& even now, continue to meet) horses that have made profound impacts on my life - the main boys now you may have seen in my weekly newsletters (Cheerio & Tigger!) being a huge part of my story and learning process when it comes to the way I work with them now.    

Each horse helped me learn to be a better listener ,better aware of my body ,more compassionate (horses are extremely emotionally intelligent),however it was specifically training with natural horsemanship that really brought to life some of the fundamental rules horses live by that us humans can take on board too with the everyday. With natural horsemanship, you communicate with the horse using body language & eye contact (you can use select vocal commands but this is predominantly their language in the wild ) so not only does it heighten your self awareness with the importance /significance of non-verbal communication- it also teaches you about the primal drive for survival & connection that humans share too . What does this mean exactly ? It means a horses hierarchy is based on LEADERSHIP through trust - simply put ,if you aren’t capable of displaying the leadership skills necessary to navigate potential risk & therefore the responsibility of survival ,they will make themselves number 1 & you number 2. The only way to work as the ‘leader’ is use their non-verbal language queues to basically communicate that you’re worthy ,trusted , capable as the decision-maker - that you’ve got this ! 

There are so many other amazing & complex psychological principles horses have, but let's apply these basics to reflecting on your life for a second! Firstly , who is in your ‘herd’ ? Are your tribe uplifting & supporting you in a way where a safe environment is created for you to TRULY be yourself ? When you follow a leader in your life ,are they trustworthy to have the responsibility of your life direction & protection ? Or is this the time to TAKE BACK the rein POWER & be your own leader ? Maybe these questions bring up the realisation that your 'herd' or team/inner-circle needs to be adjusted (which I review every so often in my life from season to season).

Horses in their most natural way is my favourite way of working with them - just the horse & you - no metal equipment (I’m pretty against traditional equipment that causes any form of unnecessary pain),  just rope halter & the horse , talking with you in their powerful way. It is here that I had renewed understanding of connection and how essential this is in life.

Horses are also extremely spiritual & must always move FORWARD to survive,trust their team (herd) & know their worth - something I strive for everyday ! How about you ? 😃💪🏼

Training in this way has taken me back to basics ,humbled me & reminded me that we are constantly learning who we are in communication with others, ourselves & how valuable connection really is ! Every situation can teach us should we have an open mind & heart !

I encourage you to step into this season, wherever you're at right now with this OPENNESS , with the right support around you ,in the right environment & see where this month will take you in a positive direction ! :)

 Sending love & light always,

Abi Xo

 

NEXT MONTH : Healthy Nutrition Mindset - How To Get There !

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It's a brand new season !! A brand new month !! New oppertunities, energies & goals !! How are you doing ? 😊

September bringing up fall means the colours start vibrantly changing all around you - a constant reminder that not any season in life is permanent , you can always make a change & get to a completely different place :).

Before we dive into the main topic of this post entry, let's give you a quick update of everything in the AJ Fitness world : 

- 'Strong for September' fit challenge group has well & truly started ! (preview &join by filling our the form on my website under 'connect with me' or simply contact me on socials!:))
- 'MBF' Fitness Programme with the virtual gym I use  completed & started the advanced version ! 
- Started the first stage (pre-requisite course) to becoming a therapeutic counsellor !
- Became an ambassador for the Canadian clothing company that supports sustainable fashion &environmental conservation 'Great North Apparel'(opt in to my newsletter for 30% off ;) )
- Got my first tattoo (finally!! - check out my Instagram for the story behind it!)
- Had the last ever family holiday in our Scottish Coastal Midshore House (it's now sold so here's to new adventures in the future !)
- Started creating a free online course so people can join me as an online fitness coach too this month (keep tuned in for details !)

Ahh! Now that you're all caught up - let's dive in to why I started fitness coaching & how this relates to my overall fitness journey !

If you've been following my fit journey online for a while ,you'll know that body positivity ,empowerment & wellness is what I preach in relation to health & fitness! However..it didn't always used to be that way .

There was a time I would use exercise to punish my body, running miles & miles every week off hardly any food for fuel , terrified if I ate any real food I would get 'fat' (I ban this word around me because it's such a damaging phrase). I avoided mirrors, I would cry in the shower at the image I had of my body & the way it made me feel. My social media was a place of dark escape where I would fill my head with unrealistic ideals, 'perfect' bodies & their lives filling my subconscious....

Until I hit breaking point . I had zero energy. Eating disorder. Physically, mentally & emotionally drained ...so do you know what I did ? 

I decided that ENOUGH was ENOUGH - & so my fitness journey REALLY began! Focusing on educating myself on proper nutrition, I started eating for fuel, nourishing my body. My rest days became real ,learning how to properly stick to routine with quality sleep . The love I have for pilates started & the strength I felt from celebrating my body became something that contributed to my true happiness! Since riding horses has always been part of my life, I felt the change in my riding too - better core strength,  stronger throughout my entire body ! 

The workouts , eating healthy & educating myself constantly were because I was learning to LOVE who I was!

Since pilates was so close to my heart, training in it was something I dreamt about - it was only when i came across the amazing mentor that I have now that my dream of helping people find the joy in their health & fitness I had found started becoming a reality for me ! 

Following an exhausting break-up  & a move back home to Edinburgh I wanted something I could build, on the side from doing personal stylist mentoring, studying to be a therapeutic counsellor & freelancing with horses - something I could start immediately, help people with & push myself outside any comfort zones for . So I said YES to being my own boss ,taking control of my life , dreams & ambitions.My fitness coaching empire is a constant work in progress , which constantly challenges, strengthens &LIGHTS ME UP ! 

 To anyone reading this who regularly catches themselves thinking 'one day, I'll start this..' or 'once I'm at this point, then I can work on my dreams....' - GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY ! I promise the value you gain from stepping outside excuses & comfort zones, is far greater than you could ever imagine from staying inside of them.

Reclaim your story. Reclaim your power. You are amazing, unique , special & have SO much value to offer yourself & the world around you ! 

Love & light always,


  Abi Xo


   NEXT MONTH :  'Happy Place'- the power of visualisation in everyday!
 

So many positive things going into this fresh ,new month ! :) 

Being open with you - I am a HUGE perfectionist! You may be thinking, 'Abi, this is not a negative thing ?!', however I've actually had to really teach myself in regards to deadlines & getting key tasks done, without it having to be to my standard of 'perfect' (which feels so liberating!) - 'getting it done to your deadline is better than perfectionism postponing your dreams'!

Seriously enjoying getting organised this month ! Went through at least half of my entire clothes collection & organised it into categories ( yes .. clear organisation is actually a passion of mine if you can’t tell ;) ). Also making more conscious decisions when it comes to clothing & shoes - fast fashion is not cool ! I’d rather pay a little more for clothing from sustainable,ethical sources than the latter 100%.

On that note, let's talk personal style! :) I'm actually trained as a personal stylist mentor & something I love to explore is self-expression via style! Here's my personal style tips I swear by (that are really easily adaptable !):

- Decide on your purpose (once you know exactly where you'll be & what you'll be doing it is SO much easier to piece your outfit!)
- Choose your 'base piece' (a.k.a 'feature piece') ;usually I base this piece off my mood so it could be a fave pair of shoes, accessory, dress, quirky top etc.
- Based on your feature piece ,decide on your colour scheme! As a general rule I like to have my feature piece double up as my pop of colour as neutrals are my accent theme.
-'Accent theme' is the term I like to use for the other items to bring an outfit together (for me this is shoes, coats/jackets & lower body wear ie. jeans, skirts etc.)
-Using flattering individual accessories really shows your unique personality in an outfit too !
-Get creative ! Got a lovely skirt section to a dress but not fond of the upper section? Find a top the same colour scheme & add an accent belt in the middle to create a co-ord outfit ! Just because an outfit is advertised a certain way , doesn't mean it can't be re-created differently !
- Do your research into  the sourcing of the materials & labour for clothes BEFORE you purchase them.
-Make sure you have a 'one in one out' rule at least when updating your wardrobe - charity  donating any items you aren't keeping also supports just causes! 
-Perhaps one of my most essential tips is LOVE WHAT YOU WEAR! When you feel good in your clothes ,it eminates off of you ! 

Shine your inner LIGHT ! :) 

On another note, let's talk healing & animals. The emotional intelligence animals have always offered has actually been a life saver . Horses have been a safe haven for me since the age of 13 . Whenever I had depressive episodes (they were very frequent in my life at this point) & was questioning everything about myself - they were a constant , (as well as God & my fitness) they were the only ones who saw me for me . It didn’t matter if I looked like I’d been dragged through several hedges backwards- they saw me at a deeper soul-level .

I have met beautiful horses in my life who have made such profound impacts & one of those horses is Cheerio . He literally escaped from his field into my back garden when I was younger & it’s always been known in my close friends & family as the horse who ‘found me’ . He is the reason I could start properly practicing natural horsemanship (communicating with horses using body language & eye contact as well as understanding the principles of pressure/release in training ) & build deeper connections like no-other with him. We are a partnership & there is nothing more freeing to me than riding Cheerio bareback in the beautiful Scottish countryside & just 'being' ,breathing in the fresh, clear air with Scottish purple heather surrounding us. We’ve had so many amazing memories so far together & his mini-rescue-horse field- mate Tigger the mini-Shetland too when he was added to the team !:)

The physical & emotional therapeutic side of horses has always been a huge interest to me &something I will continue to explore !:)

Supporting anti-animal testing initiatives has a huge place in my heart due to everything animals have done for me emotionally in my life so I’ve decided to support ‘Cruelty Free International’.Giving back not only fills your heart & soul but also creates ,humbling compassion &gratitude as a main focus !

 Love & light,

     Abi xo

NEXT MONTH : My fitness journey continued - biggest take-aways since starting my fitness coaching business!

Happy July people ! 

This month has started off on a different theme of IGNITE & ENLIGHTEN (if you've been following me for a while you will know each month has a different theme!)& I have to say it's definitely living up to that expectation ! 

I've been diving into my love of body positivity - honestly something I'm so passionate about ! Following new accounts with inspiring, REAL messages ,some similar to my own & starting raw conversations with others who have been through relatable struggles also. My journey with my body image is actually really closely linked with my mental health journey, igniting this overall advocacy ! 

Let me explain a little : I grew up critiquing every part of the way I looked & my weight from about the age of 11 which was around the same time (I now know) I experienced a depressive episode which lasted months. It wasn't something that I ever felt I could talk about & honestly ,at that age , I didn't understand the complexity of what was going on, although I knew my mind felt more intensely than the others around me seemed to. I also didn't understand that it was going to start an ongoing battle ,quite frankly, of decades on a rollercoaster of extreme ups & downs ,problems self-harming, border-line eating disorders that turned full-blown, abusive relationships, destructive relationship patterns & behaviour, medical prescribed narcotics (not so medically-prescribed narcotics) &  therapists /counsellors.

Wow... okay that was quite the list ! Hope you're still with me & not too overwhelmed ;) . The key parts to my body image/mental health journey honestly though, was the shift between not eating right (&sometimes not eating at all) paired with over-exercising because I hated my body & hitting a rock bottom place (if I'm honest, more than once) - to the opposite pivot to real education on nutrition & different styles of fitness because I started to learn better LOVING my body & who I was ! (You can find me chatting about this too on my IGTV video on my instagram account @abijane_fit)

Being around & working with horses also gave me a constant headspace of freedom ,even when I felt completely lost in labels & with my own identity ! More on that next month though ;).

One of the most vital reasons I became a fitness coach is honestly because I wanted to use my knowledge& personal experiences in my fitness journey with body acceptance & love to help others do the same ! If you are reading this & thinking 'this is me-I want tolesrn to better love myself through health & fitness!' or 'I have an unhealthy mindset around myself & I want to change that' then I am here for you ! I run a new fit challenge group every month where you'll learn every aspect of a complete healthy lifestyle - from what to eat & why (also how to make it!), to different workout styles & finding what suits you , to healthy mindsets around body image & success ! Either visit my 'connect' page on my website here or provisionally check-out my fit challenge group page intro video by clicking here ! I would love to connect more with you as well as chat specific personal goals !  

Being busy with so many projects ,but my main take-away so far this month is definitely the importance of taking time to properly REST. Just as when your muscles recover & build stronger on their rest days - your mind does too when you make a little r&r priority in your day! 

     Love & Light,

​  Abi Xo

NEXT MONTH : How horses have been a healing influence & what style tips I swear by ! 

Hello ! 

To kick-off my very first blog-post I want to firstly say hi ! Expect everything coffee, horse, body positivity, mental health & personal style in my monthly posts here ;) .(My life story is a long & complex one, but I promise to share a little of it in every post so that we get to know each better too !)  That being said, I wanted to touch on the key lessons I've been learning so far in lockdown with you all. :)

On that note ,if you are reading this from the U.K. you'll currently still be in some phase of lockdown  being lifted (Scotland is still in the first stages of this!), whereas my international friends will have to bear with as I ask you to cast your mind further back to when it first began.

Admittedly, initially when I first heard the news I was confused but not panicked. Reason being I have a really strong faith in God & am extremely blessed to say when worry surrounds me, my trust goes up to God as I know he is bigger than anything this world has in store for us. The very initial lesson (being totally honest) was the gratitude for my faith . Even when numbers were rising, my own Papa got sick with the virus (he's 78 this year but has since fully recovered!) ,when friends were feeling pain in their lives as a result - I did not worry or get wound up or despaired for too long as the reminder God is GOOD & for LOVE & sees & hears it all, brought me back to balance. Making real time every Sunday for virtual Hillsong church with my family (if you want to join an online service  here's their webpage : https://online.hillsong.com/), actually reminded me of the fact I've not been prioritising my spiritual health up until now so sorting this out was key ! 

Lesson 2 - how much TIME I actually, genuinely spend doing what activity each day & it says about my priorities ! Taking huge time blocks that you would usually spend at certain jobs each day out of the equation when beforehand barely being home during the week , definitely made me take time expenditure more seriously as an important value. It is one of the only aspects of life you can give but never get back. So began the planning & scheduling of my days . Now don't get me wrong- not every single day have I been 'Kon-Marie' style organised (anyone that knows me closely can appreciate the reference here- Marie Kondo super-fan in the making ;)), because you have good days where you're basically super-woman ,then more down-to-earth days when you're super-distracted (doesn't make you less of a superwoman in general though, just saying). However, I purchased a planner that was 1-dateless & therefore took the pressure off & 2-filled with different sections to plan in different styles (perfect for my butterfly-like-at-times mindset!).

Time spent on those & what you love, is honestly never wasted. Actively making time in your daily schedule for these aspects should be a priority ! Would highly recommend scheduling out your next week & weekend - not only to be more efficient & organised, but also to get REAL with yourself & what you're truthfully giving value to!

Third lesson came in the silhouette of energy & where mine was going. You can directly link this to time management in a sense, but I noticed the energy of those I was speaking to had direct impacts on my own (& also how much my nutrition affects this too-more of that further along though!). If I did not stay mindful of my personal mindset when entering specific conversations with negativity, I could feel the surrounding impact of that on my conscious. Choosing to exert energy in places that were serving to myself & therefore allowing me to give back REPLENISHED rather than depleted - gave freedom to my positive ,up-beat energy & allowed me to carry this into area's where it was maybe not so obvious . Such as my ladies wellness group I set up on facebook for everything uplifting (join in as a member here :www.facebook.com/groups/2731258036973543/aboutabout) !

Horses have always been my 'happy place' as well as my workouts so I've been sure to give the 2 main guys (a pure-bred Morgan horse called Cheerio who's in his 20s & a miniature Shetland rescue pony called Tigger who's in his teens) I've been helping to care for since I was 14, plenty of TLC at the moment especially! One of my favourite parts of the warmer ( I say that in humour as Scotland isn't known for it ) weather is the horses losing their winter coats to reveal their beautiful short & (if you're horse-nutrition is on point) glossy coats ! They've also just been bought citronella fly repellent gel - so they basically walk around smelling like summer too ;). Their fields are directly next to a public pathway so their 'fan-club' of adoring passers-by has been steadily growing also! 

Energy to make sure REST is a priority is actually really important. That's always a work in progress but learning always from those who have truly achieved this ! :)

Side note for a minute : I'm literally loving the fact I can use this time to experiment with personal style but alternatively be able to live in matching workout gear ! I'm big on supporting clothing lines with a just cause & recently started as an ambassador for an Italian clothing company that directly supports cancer support in East Africa as the CEO is a breast cancer survivor (breast cancer is something close to my heart as my family has had direct experience with it so supporting this is really important to me) ! (Find them at : mionovafashion.com, where 30% of their sales are donated to breast cancer patients -go check them out & keep tuning in for discount codes you can use too;)! )

4 - NUTRITION & FITNESS ! As a fitness coach, we are trained to follow in accordance with all the latest proven tips , guidance & programmes when it comes to what we eat & why , yet I found myself not being completely mindful while going about my day- to -day so decided to educate myself further to not only benefit my clients but also myself as well to staying on track ! I really made eating enough everyday (I get so busy in my 'to do list' ,accidentally forgetting to eat is surprisingly easy to do at certain times!) a clear priority with reminders to myself ! One of my hands- down best tools that I use myself & with my fitness challengers - is definitely the superfood smoothie blend ! Not only have I found it curbs all my chocolate cravings (this is a breakthrough for me ;) ), contains the protein I need for growth & repair of my muscles for my work-outs, it also has countless digestive & immune system benefits PLUS its ethically & sustainably sourced (also comes in whey OR vegan !)! Fitness-wise I have just completed my 2nd round of the Barre blend programme I've been doing for 8 weeks now & starting round 3 with my sister so look out for my updates on social media for how it goes !:) I can't believe how much overall stronger I feel! What I love about this one in particular is it honestly challenges you physically ,improves you mentally & makes sure you improve your flexibility. Every single workout is different so if you're like me & don't appreciate predictability - this one is for you ! Being so busy throughout the day I also really appreciate (& so do many mumma's I work with!) the 30 mins base workout time ! (Get your superfood blend/start working out with me online by hitting the 'connect with me' button on my homepage & dropping me a message - alternatively join my June Fit Challenge Group for Ladies  at : www.beachbodyondemand.com/groups/5aad4f60-cffa-451b-aa9f-fbcb2c8fac11/2103008 &  for Men at: www.beachbodyondemand.com/groups/6d3ef908-0ceb-4470-9689-5a644fa62a0d/2103008!).

Having the ability to workout from home & stay fit & healthy when gyms are in the last category of lockdown being lifted is completely invaluable ! :)

Last, but certainly not least, has to be overall MINDFULNESS & MINDSET. Self-awareness is perhaps one of a human-beings most precious powers. Knowing what you're doing, saying , feeling & why can be invaluable in getting to deeply know & love yourself. 

If there's anything I will remember about this globally different season, it is I was blessed to continue to learn & grow because our true POWER & worth is internal - WITHIN each & every one of us. 

   Love & Light,

​  Abi xo

NEXT MONTH : My journey with mental health on body image & online university decisions !