December 2025
Hello Pilates People! I am so excited to be sending out my first Letter From Becca. Each month, I'll be sending out a fun, quick read on the small yet vast topic of Pilates. The Pilates Center clients continually inspire the teachers and trainees alike, motivating us to continue learning and exploring. Through these letters, I hope to return the favor, inspiring curiosity, sharing our passion, and spreading joy throughout the community. If you ever have thoughts, questions, or feedback of any sort, please reach out to me directly at Becca@thepilatescenter.com. I would love any community involvement! Thank you, and enjoy!
I hope that you've all had a beautiful Thanksgiving filled with loved ones, joyful moments, and a bit of rest.
Taking time off for Thanksgiving has given me time to reflect on the many ways that Pilates enhances my life. I couldn't help but notice that it is the perfect antidote to the inevitable stress and overwhelm that is often synonymous with the holiday season. In Return to Life, Mr. Pilates writes about the many benefits of incorporating Pilates into one's life, emphasizing the fact that a regular Pilates practice will unite your mind, body, and spirit. He explains that such unity "restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit." How can this not be what we all need to help us move through the season with ease?
But it isn’t just making time for your Pilates exercises that helps us move through life with more zest and pleasure. We must truly embrace Pilates as a lifestyle. Yes, performing the exercises four days per week, as recommended by Joe, will make us physically stronger and more uniformly developed, resulting in greater stamina and more abundant energy. And yes, performing the exercises with concentration calms the nervous system, reinvigorates our minds, and builds confidence within. And yes, the resulting internal shower does cleanse you of toxins and flush out fatigue, revitalizing every cell of your body. There is no doubt that all of these immense benefits will help us move through life with a bit more ease. But I also feel that personal responsibility is involved in choosing to incorporate the other pieces of the puzzle necessary to live a healthy, balanced life. In both Return to Life and Your Health, Mr. Pilates' first book, he writes about eating well to nourish the body, proper sleeping practices, stimulating circulation externally through adequate bathing hygiene, breathing fresh air, bathing in sunlight daily, enjoying hobbies and recreational activities, and spending time with loved ones and friends. Practicing Pilates exercises will give you the energy and renewed excitement to make these aspects of health a priority, but it is ultimately up to us to follow through. Taking a quick walk after lunch, or in the evening with loved ones to look at neighborhood holiday lights, is a simple and fun way to check multiple boxes. I wholeheartedly believe that embracing a Pilates lifestyle will result in a more enjoyable, less stressful holiday season and is well worth the time invested.
The gift of health can come in so many fun and different ways. It could be as simple as following through with your Pilates exercises 4 days per week, either at home, in a class, or in a private lesson. It may be taking a friend to class with you - Zoom is a fun way to connect from afar! But it can also be as simple as taking that nightly walk with loved ones, choosing homemade versions of your favorite holiday treats rather than store-bought, or simply getting a good night's rest. Below is a list of ideas that I enjoy gifting to those who mean the most to me. Borrow these ideas or let them inspire you to think outside the traditional gifting box.
Cooking lessons or a cooking class
New walking shoes
Local spring/summer CSA or local honey, breads, eggs, etc.
Tickets to the Denver Botanical Gardens to enjoy together
Clean soap, deodorant, makeup
Wood or bamboo wet/dry brush for showering - preferably one without a handle!
Book, magazines, newspapers, puzzles, or games (Return to Life, maybe?)
New gardening tools or heirloom seeds
Breathable layers to enjoy the winter months in comfort
New pillow or sheet set
Air purifier
Purifying house plants: Snake plants, Rubber tree, Monstera Deliciosa
National Park Annual Pass
A Magic Circle or new floor mat
A sun hat or sun block (my favorite is Tizo photoceutical)
Plans to go hiking, skiing, golfing, etc., together
Tickets to a concert, play or ballet
