May Newsletter

Hello amazing Mothers & Mothers-to-be!

How are you?

I've just had my birthday, so I'm thinking about ageing and what makes a successful life - as you do!

In our youth obsessed culture that invisibilises (is that a word?!) older women and mothers, there is a lot of conditioning that comes up around ageing. When the alternative is dying young, it feels to me like a privilege to age.

I read somewhere recently about the first half of life where we're focused on creating a container for ourselves - career, work, relationships, money, home, community, family etc. The emphasis is external. And the second half of life is about creating meaning inside our container - refocusing on purpose, connection, joy, self expression. The emphasis is internal.

As a midlife woman this seems very poignant. I’ve literally spent the last 30 years solidly working, working, working (alongside bring up two daughters of course). I feel a deep pull now to look inside the container I’ve spent so much time and effort creating. To stop building towards some future life, and to actually relish in the days of the moment. It’s a big adjustment to make!

To start to move towards this, I’m taking a semi-sabbatical from August (‘semi’ because I will be teaching some classes, but also dropping a number of things from my timetable/ Although adding some workshops too). So you’ll find big timetable changes after July for the rest of the year (eeeek, this feel massive!). I’ll be doing more of my art over this time, and I’m really excited.

I hope, as always, that this newsletter will provide you with some things to help you take a little pocket of time for yourself - to be inspired, to bring some joy and to help you support yourself with simple self-care. Something all mothers need more of!

Scroll down for my monthly yummy recipe, 2 minute self-care practice, a guided May meditation, a morning ritual to try, Mays moon, and some inspiration - a book, a podcast, nature, art to see, workshops to do, places to visit & things to think about, plus a poem to enjoy.

Here’s an affirmation for birthdays, and well every day!

I have been younger and I will be older.
I will not be this age again.
So I choose to embrace this day and live it with awe, joy and gratitude.

Wishing you a relaxing upcoming bank holiday, and looking forward to seeing you soon (how and when to join me at the end of the newsletter).

Susan x

PS Don’t forget you can also join me on my Instagram and Facebook pages too:

A simple monthly recipe

blood orange granita

I’m not exactly sure this is even a recipe it’s so blummin simple. But it is exceptionally delicious, cooling and zingy - perfect for hot Summer days. Fingers crossed!

Ingredients:
1 litre of blood orange juice (buy a carton in the supermarket)

How to make it:

Pour the juice into a large shallow tray, or a tupperware tub.

Put into the freezer, scrape with a fork every few hours to form delicious ice crystals (don’t fret if you forget)

To serve, scrape / scoop shards of the granita into glasses or ramekins. Serve immediately.

Some things I’m loving right now & you might like too…

This month my inspiration to click on, I hope you enjoy them too.

I got this book for my birthday. Anna Jones never fails to deliver! And her new ‘Easy Wins’ book is obsessively in my hands now most evenings!
This woman was a real trailblazer in music and radio, here’s her desert island discs
A podcast by one of the most inspirational women ever!
Support the people of Palestine by buying these products. The bath salts, olive oil soaps and the spice blends look gorgeous.
A big deal in art, here in York. The Water Lily Pond by Monet
These local floral workshops look amazing!
And another inspiring read Women are not usually seen to be resting
Events to inspire you in York in June (get your diary out)

2 minute self-care.

breathe better, feel better

for modern mothers 2 minute aelf care header

A simple practice to connect to your breath

Let your hands rest palms upwards on your lap or legs.

~ As you breathe in, open your hands, gently stretching open your fingers and palms.

~ As you breathe out, curl in your fingers and thumb to make a gentle fist.

Repeat six times

Feel how the movement of your hands echoes the movement of your ribcage. How opening the hands creates a sense of expansion, and closing them engages the diaphragm, cultivating a more complete exhalation.

A poem

Words can be powerful and inspiring. I was lucky enough to see Lemn perform at the York Literary Festical recently. Such an inspirational man. Here’s a beautiful, simple poem for you:

by Lemn Sissay

'How do you do it?' said night
'How do you wake up and shine?'
'I keep it simple,' said light
'One day at a time'

From his book Let the Light Pour In

Lemn Sissays poems are fuelled by resilience and defiant joy. He writes a poem each morning (and has done for a decade). What an amazing morning ritual.

A daily ritual

Barefoot walking

Feeling the earth beneath your feet can have both physical and mental benefits. And now the ground is a little warmer it’s a great time to start doing this, just for a few minutes a day.

Taking a daily bare foot walk in your garden can help to improve circulation, help stretch and strengthen feet, ankles and legs. It also helps you connect with nature - the temperature of the ground, the feel of the grass or pebbles underfoot, the sounds around you (the bird song is amazing right now), other things you notice in the garden - colours, smells, sun on your skin. There’s other benefits too - take a read more about them here.

Give it a go.

A May meditation

A garden meditation to help you connect to the bright Spring energy of this time of year.

Mays Full Moon

Mays full moon is on Thursday 23rd May, and at its moment of greatest fullness at 1.53pm. But you’ll still see it as full that evening once it gets dark (and how late that is right now, Summer evenings are here!). May’s full moon is sometimes called the Flower Moon, but is also known as the Mother’s Moon. Referring to the Ancient Greek goddess Maia, after whom May is named. She is associated with motherhood, midwives and nursing.

Something NEW

I’m really excited to let you know that I’m starting a new series of pop-up ‘Mothers Make’ workshops.

Lets start with something fun, yet also that you’ll use for years to come.

Join me to make a Happy Birthday garland for your home. Unique to you, and super special to hang up on your child/childrens birthday each year.

All the details and booking here

Lets Come Together…

NEW Return-to-work Coaching Workshop

Something that takes up so much headspace on maternity leave for SO many of the new mothers that I have in my classes is returning to work. It throws up so much, and it can feel like such a tricky time to navigate.

As a qualified life coach I’ve worked one-to-one with lots of women at this transitional time. But now I’m going to offer a group workshop, because I think it’s so needed to support women at this pivotal time in an affordable way. Coming in September. Email me if you want to go on the waiting list.

Come and find some time and space for yourself. Slowing down, taking some real me-time is so very important for your health and wellbeing.

My Slow Sunday Mini Retreats are time and space for you to press the pause button on the stress and busyness of modern life and modern motherhood.

They are simple yet deeply effective way of calming your nervous system, helping your body release deeply held tension, and giving your mind a break from that frazzled feeling that’s so common in us mothers (and all humans in general!)

Come and join me on these upcoming Sundays - 30th June, 21st July, 8th September for a gorgeous afternoon of rest, relaxation and self-care. Check out the ‘early-bird’ booking price too!

More info and online booking for my Slow Sunday here.

Here’s June & Julys full schedule of classes & events too:

Please note these are my LAST Mum & Baby Yoga and Hypnobirthing & Antenatal Courses for 2024!!

My September onwards timetable looks VERY different!

Wishing you a brilliant second May bank holiday weekend. And as I have an additional celebration for this bank holiday - it’s my birthday on Monday 8th as I mentioned. So here’s my special offer for you all. I’m celebrating with a massive 50% OFF all my online programs and courses, these includes:

~ The Online Pregnancy Yoga Program™

~ The Truth About Early Motherhood

~ Calm & Empowered Motherhood. A complete Mothers self-care toolkit to help you find calmness and strength, as you traverse the ups and downs of motherhood. Yoga, meditation, guided relaxations and more

~ What Nobody Tells You About Your Pelvic Floor

~ Meditation for Modern Life

~ ‘Blank Page’ - Journalling For Wellbeing Course. 12 different types of journalling to explore.

Simply use the code: CELEBRATE to get your 50% off any of these courses and programs. See them all and purchase here.

Susan x

PS Do drop me an email with any feedback on this new Newsletter, or any suggestions. It’s always lovely to hear from you.

Other things you might find supportive…

For Modern Mothers Podcast

You can also now listen to my podcast. This is a podcast to help mothers and mothers-to-be you thrive physically, mentally and emotionally in the modern world.

You’ll find no BS talks about all aspects of modern motherhood & wellbeing - physical, mental and emotional health, self-care, mindset, pregnancy, work, relationships, birth, cyclical living. This is a podcast to support, inform and empower you to find your own unique way through motherhood. Episodes include:

~ The Truth About Baby Sleep

~ Postnatal Bodies

~ Breastfeeding Myths

~ Self-Care For Mothers

~ Reconnecting with your Menstrual Cycle

Plus there are some guided meditations on there too. Use the link below or simply search for 'for modern mothers' on your preferred podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Google, Spotify, Stitcher etc). ttps://www.formodernmothers.com/podcast