How Sense helped rebuild my confidence

As part of our Break the Barrier campaign, we caught up with Pat, 76, who attends regular, accessible yoga sessions at Sense TouchBase Pears. She started coming to our sessions to combat loneliness and build her confidence.  

When my husband of 55 years passed away, it was a big, big wrench. While I was in the process of grieving, I myself became poorly and within 2 months of losing him, I discovered that I’d got cancer.  

I had to have a major operation followed by radiotherapy. It all became too much really. I was struggling with everything, mentally and physically.  

My lack of confidence was a barrier 

When my treatment was finished, I knew I had to find something to do to help myself. That’s when I came across Rebecca, the yoga teacher through Sense Active. I went to a couple of evening yoga sessions but I struggled. A lot of the work was on mats on the floor and the people there were a lot younger than me.  

I loved going out to my classes. It’s one of the main reasons that I started going. Because of losing my husband, I needed a reason to get out of the house and go somewhere, to have a purpose. But I just couldn’t keep up. 

I felt self-conscious and told Rebecca I couldn’t do it. So she told me about chair yoga at Sense TouchBase Pears. I started coming and it was absolutely wonderful. I really enjoyed it.  

Staying motivated 

Coming to chair yoga helps me to stay motivated. It’s helped an awful lot. We even did yoga online on Zoom from home, to keep us going during the pandemic.  

I had been through a tough time but the whole thing of yoga, it’s helped me break that confidence barrier. It’s helped me to help myself.