COVER Your amazing FitMind50 stories

With so many of you already inspired by our FitMind50 challenge, we meet the women who say daring to do something different has made them feel fantastic

‘Circus skills opened a new chapter for me’ Sharon Ginnis

E xcited, nervous, motivated, and hopeful… These are just some of the words so many of you have been using to describe taking on the FitMind50 challenge. Whether you’ve been learning a language, trying out a new craft, taking a day trip to a new city or just experimenting with a different recipe for dinner, you’ve said stepping out of your comfort zone has made you feel great. And we’re so happy to hear it! After all, we started FitMind50 last year as a challenge to encourage you to give 50 new things a go, based on the science that shows this can help protect your memory, boost your energy, grow your confidence and even lift your mood.

Now hundreds of you have signed up to the challenge and it’s never too late to join in. Take a look at what these amazing women say taking the plunge to try something new did for them…

When Sharon’s husband

Paul died, her world fell apart. Supported by loved ones, she was encouraged to channel her grief into doing something new and was persuaded to have a go at learning circus skills. A group of friends invited her along to circus festivals where she had a go at learning the trapeze. She’s never looked back. “I loved it,” says Sharon (59).

“It opened my eyes to what my body could do. There was also a daredevil thrill!”

Going on to try other circus skills at other festivals, Sharon decided she wanted to make circus skills a regular part of her life and so took lessons in wirewalking with The

Circus House Manchester. “You don’t start very high up and you do a lot of falling off, but the feeling when you make it across the wire is tremendous,” she says.

Now she is also part of the Northwich Juggling Club and her local U3A circus group, where she does everything from plate spinning to acro-balance: “It’s like going to the gym – it improves your strength, flexibility and dexterity but is so much fun. It makes me feel excited about the future.”