Just a quick note…Some of you will be receiving this message for the first time because there were a few errors importing addresses when I was creating my email lists for: Family & Friends; YFC Alumni; Current YFC Tribe; New Subscribers. If you missed the first one, my apologies. Here is the link: End of the Year Note From the sidelines…This is a fascinating time of the year, the time when the fitness industry is electrified by thousands of enthusiastic individuals ready to roll with their new year’s resolutions. Clubs, studios and classes are at maximum capacity. Until about the end of January–most new year’s resolutions have fallen by the wayside, for many reasons. Although many of us know the difference between a resolution, a goal, a plan and an intention, I still find it valuable to refresh the distinctions between. A resolution is the commitment to an outcome. A goal is the definition of an outcome. A plan is the definition of the process. An intention is a commitment to a process.
For those interested in read-refreshing further, here is the link: Ryder Carroll. The opportunity to make a change, be that a goal or a resolution; a plan or an intention, is a commitment we can make anytime. Done mindfully and regularly, the process can inspire curiosity and creativity: both of which keep life interesting! Inspiring you to coach yourself…Personal fitness can be described and achieved in many ways. Despite the variations, there are elements of being well on this journey that are universal…some less “sexy” compared to the influences out there. This instalment begins with feet. Yours! If the weather is cool, your feet are likely layered with socks or protected by footwear during your waking hours–for some of you, socks are also worn at night. Your feet are the foundation for moving. So much so, some injuries and issues are connected to how well your feet are functioning. That said, I want to inspire you pay attention to your feet using two different lenses: form and function Form – take a look at your feet in their natural state; no socks, no footwear: What do you notice about the toes in relation to each other? What is the condition of the nails? What is the condition of the skin?
Function – sit or stand: Can you mobilize your toes…do some toes move but others remain stationary? Can you weave your fingers between your toes? When you stand on your feet, how is the weight distributed?Heel side? Toe side? More right foot than left? Something else?
We are all unique and so are our feet. Given what you know about your own feet, how do you address maximizing foot function on a regular basis? There are a number of great foot coaches out there, some of you have worked on routines from Yamuna, Katy Bowman and Jill Miller. I’ve been refreshing my foot fitness practice by checking in occasionally with The Foot Collective. I’m inspiring you to pay attention to your feet 👣 Inspiring myself…Fitness has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Despite the passage of time, I am still inspired to continually learn more. While I read numerous articles and books related to fitness, the most provocative reading of 2025 was a book called Born to Walk The Broken Promises of the Running Room, by Mark Sisson. You don’t need to have a history with running or currently be a walker to read this book. Sisson is part of a group of outliers challenging conventional fitness guidelines and practices. Whether we agree or not, we always need to be open to updating our knowledge base so we can revise our practice as required. What I’m digging into this year is all about muscle, starting with a book, On Muscle The Stuff that Moves Us and Why it Matters, by Bonnie Tsui. I’ve long been an advocate for strength training, especially for women. 💪🏻 On Writing…For those of you following my journey as a writer, thank you. If you purchased my first fiction book, Shadows of Silence, from Amazon, you may soon receive a notification that the book has been re-released. I have reformatted the layout of the book, not the story. These revisions are part of my ongoing study of book design. The second in the series, Confluence, is ready for release but I’m holding on a bit longer while I finish the third book…just in case there is a detail or two I want to revise. Gratitude…Current research suggests adult attention span on social media ranges from 1.7 to 10 seconds before switching or scrolling! If you made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read all the way to the end! Heather
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