Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the very first edition of ‘The Leanne Weekly’!
I’m honoured to have you here, and I truly thank you for subscribing. This is where I’ll be showing up wholeheartedly - not just as the instructor many of you know me best as, but as a woman navigating this wild, sometimes beautiful, often complicated journey right alongside you.
A newsletter has been on my mind for just under two years. Initially, Ben and I were going to do one together (more on that another time), and then I stepped away, thinking there were too many newsletters out there. Now, I’ve come back around, and in a wildly over-polished online world, I believe there’s still space to connect on the deeper level we all crave.
So here we are… a little further down the line, and so ready to (over)share!
Here Is What You Can Expect…
Weekly unfiltered conversations about the stuff that actually matters, the real story behind what you see on screen, and the kind of honesty that makes you feel less alone in your own struggles and victories. This isn’t about perfection or flawless execution, it’s about redefining what strength looks like.
Each week, I’ll cover topics across women’s health, life, and mindset, plus something to keep us inspired with a few tips, tricks, and giggles along the way.
Over the years, I’ve learned that true strength runs deep - it’s about how we show up for ourselves in both the BIG moments and the QUIET ones, how we ADVOCATE for our bodies, and how we REWRITE the rules of what it means to be a STRONG woman in this world.
So settle in, and let’s dive into the real stuff.
Something A Little Special For Newsletter 1…The Big News…
I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to write this one, and in keeping with the promise of unfiltered conversation… I’m pregnant.
I’ve recently shared my news publicly, but I want this to be a space where I can really get into it. It is such a privilege, not a given, to be able to become a mother. Truthfully, it hasn’t been the smooth journey I once thought it might be. It’s not been the Instagram-filtered, rainbows-and-sunshine experience we’re often led to expect as girls growing up. For anyone out there navigating the complex world of fertility… I see you.
For me, it’s been something that has touched several chapters of my life: from a miscarriage in 2022, to emergency egg retrieval prior to breast cancer treatment a few months later, to watching so many friends and colleagues start and grow families while I was in a medically induced menopause as part of my treatment. Facing head-on the reality that “life after breast cancer” is a world I really never knew, entering my first round of IVF was simply another milestone.
I still consider myself a very lucky person for so many reasons, but make no mistake, it’s been far from easy. What my body has gone through is one thing, but trying to stay mentally focused over the last few years, while fighting off the feeling of being ‘behind in life’, is a struggle I’ve somehow (mostly) made peace with.
I share this because there have been SO many times on the road to motherhood when I haven’t felt seen or heard. As a society, we still don’t talk enough about the struggles, especially in women’s health. I really hope to make a difference with this. It’s taken me a long time, and a LOT of therapy, to manage my health anxiety, which still follows me into pregnancy.
I do truly believe that talking to each other, creating space for the difficult conversations, and surrounding yourself with a support system makes all the difference.
If I can be a tiny part of your support system, that is a true honour for me and something I feel deeply passionate about. Being able to write about my experience is something I will treasure. This newsletter won’t be “baby” all the time, but it will be human-to-human honesty, with a big dollop of vulnerability.
The Mindset Shift That’s Changing Everything…
I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of mindset lately… not the toxic positivity kind that tells you to ‘just think happy thoughts’, but the real, grounded kind that acknowledges the hard stuff whilst still choosing to focus on what’s possible.
For me, mindset isn’t about pretending everything is perfect (how boring!). It’s about training your brain to look for the good - the ‘gifts’ - even when life feels heavy. It’s about:
Noticing the small wins
Reframing setbacks as learning opportunities
Remembering that you have more control over your experience than you think
This shift has been a game-changer for me, especially when dealing with health challenges and the inevitable ups and downs of life. Since 2022, instead of spiralling into ‘Why is this happening to me?’ (so easy to do), I started asking: ‘What can this teach me?’, “Why not me?” or I focused on how I could pay my life experience forward one day, and give back.
It’s not about always being grateful for the challenges in life, it’s about finding your power and resilience within them. I’ve realised a positive mindset isn’t something you either have or don’t have; it’s a practice, nourished with consistency, just like strength training or meditation.
Some days it comes easily; other days it feels like the hardest work you’ll ever do.
The more you practice looking for the sparkly moments, the more naturally they appear, even in the toughest times. And that? That’s a superpower we all have access to.
Here’s my weekly want for YOU…
For the next week, look for ONE win every day. It can be big or small. Write it down if it helps. It’s one of the simplest, yet most brilliant ways to see your own resilience in action.
List Of Joy…
📚 Reading: Untamed by Glennon Doyle. This was a read of mine on my most recent holiday, and to say I felt so liberated to be completely myself as a woman once I finished it, would be the understatement of the year!
🎧 Listening: Emma’s Blueprint: 10 Principles That can Change Your Life, I love a great podcast and I am obsessed with this one from Emma Grede right now. She’s to the point, and I love that she’s handing such wisdom to us. We’ll take it, Thank You!
🎤 Quote from me to you: “You don’t have to have it all figured out, but don’t give up. Slow if you need to, but don’t give up.”
LTK Of The Week…
Here are my favorite products of the week: A mix of my daily make up staples, the perfect summer leggings and my favourite suncream for the face!
Lululemon, crop leggings
Charlotte Tilbury, plumping lip gloss
Rhode, lip shape lift
Hourglass, scattered light glitter eyeshadow
Heliocare, gel SPF50+
That’s a wrap on newsletter #1! Thank you for trusting me with your time and for being here as we redefine strength together. If something in here resonated, hit reply as I’d love to hear from you, and keep the conversation flowing. If there’s a topic you’re craving, tell me! This is as much yours as it is mine.
Back with you next week, friends.
