Newsletter 5

One small Pilates cue + one habit shift for your week.

Pilates tip of the week: Make Space to Breathe

When we open the chest and find gentle spinal extension, we create more space—not just in the body, but in the breath.

Think about what happens when you round forward: the chest collapses, the shoulders come forward, and the breath can feel smaller.

Now try the opposite. Lengthen through the spine, gently open across the collarbones, let the shoulders soften back, and take a slow, full breath.

Spinal extension doesn’t mean forcing the backbend. It’s about creating length, opening the front of the body, and allowing the breath to move freely.

Try it today: sit or stand tall, take a gentle extension, and breathe into the openness.

Sometimes, creating more space in the body is all we need to take a deeper breath.

Habit tip of the week: Part 3 of Our Dopamine Series: Rehearse Your Anchor

When you picture yourself doing a new habit before you actually do it, your brain begins rehearsing the reward before the work begins.

That mental image — vivid, specific, and enjoyable — triggers small releases of dopamine, the same neurochemical that fuels motivation and anticipation. And because dopamine isn't just about pleasure but about wanting, each positive visualization quietly makes the next step feel a little more inviting.

The key is to imagine the version of yourself (your Anchor) that already does the habit with ease, not the version who struggles to start. Over time, that image becomes a bridge between intention and action, and the habit begins to feel less like a “should” and more like something you want.

See you on the mat,
Amie & Amy

P.S. Our next ALIGN Weekly Session is Monday August 24th at 6:00. Bring your breath. We'll handle the rest.

Sign up here: www.alignwithamieandamy.com/align