I had the joy of meeting Anandi in person at one of our LMP member events earlier this Summer but I feel like we'd already met from our communication via LMP, I feel that way about so many of us. Anandi is so warm and lovely and I can't wait for you to read her interview. Tea drinking, cosy books, reconnecting with her Sri Lankan heritage and finding a way of moving that feels kind, her story is full of things I know lots of you love. Enjoy.

A little trick I've learned is to say "I'll think about it." This buys time and allows me to thoughtfully respond, rather than instinctively react - it's so obvious, but easier said than done for some of us!

Where are you based?

I'm of mixed heritage - English and Sri Lankan - and did quite a bit of moving around in my early years, but I've been based in East Sussex, England, for many years now and did much of my growing up here. I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful area, with stunning countryside and good beaches both nearby. What more could a girl want ☺️

How did you discover Pilates?

I always had a vague awareness of Pilates and attended a few in person classes but nothing very regular. I came across Lottie on YouTube and loved her style of teaching but still only dipped in and out of taking classes. Somewhere around December 2022 I found myself feeling very disheartened about exercise and needing a new way to move my body because my previous beloved gym routine was no longer working for me. I decided to join the LMP platform for the 24 Days 3.0 challenge, thinking it would just get me through the winter and then I would cancel...hehe. I fell in love with Pilates and have not looked back. It is one of the best investments in myself I have ever made.

What’s your favourite class on the LMP platform?

There's no way I can choose just one! At the moment, I'm really enjoying challenging myself with some stronger classes (hello, July challenge!) and am so looking forward to the September strength challenge but, honestly, what first drew me to LMP was the gentleness of it and moving my body in a way which felt kind, without the noise of unrealistic aesthetic goals.

So, I will always love the slow, steady work of the Calming Signature Flows and the Essential classes, which can be deceptively challenging but always nourishing. The 20 minute Essential Pilates is a go to for me - when I have no energy, no time, or just have decision fatigue - I know it will always hit the spot. I also absolutely love a Lottie and Emily Strengthen and Stretch class, but who doesn't?!

Do you have a daily non-negotiable or self-care habit?

My daily non negotiable is a cup of tea in the morning, followed by a few more throughout the day! I always say that I come from both a tea-growing (Sri Lanka) and a tea-drinking (Britain) country, so I take my cup of chai very seriously 😂

Other than that, not really, but I know that simple things like movement, eating fruits and veggies, and at least a little time doing something restorative will always make me feel better and more able to handle the bigger things in life. I am trying to do these things with gentleness towards myself and grace for the times when I don't manage them so well.

And for the important stuff, what is your favourite food, or do you have a favourite recipe you’d like to share with us?

Luckily I married a man who is a great cook, because I don't love to cook. I do really love to eat good food though! I love Italian food, we honeymooned in Italy and everything was just so fresh and delicious. In my opinion, it's tough to beat an authentic Neapolitan pizza. I also enjoy a good dessert and will almost always have room for tiramisu. I'm so happy that Sri Lankan cuisine is having a moment, so it's possible to get really authentic Sri Lankan dishes even outside the big city.

Are you working on anything personally or professionally at the moment?

Ooh, great question! Professionally, I qualified as a Play and Creative Arts Therapist last year. I absolutely love it but am trying to figure out what moving forwards in this career path might look like for me and what my next steps are. It's been an amazing journey so far, personally as well as professionally.

Personally, I am on a journey of reconnecting with my Sri Lankan heritage and am loving learning more about the history and culture of my motherland. I'm reading, listening to podcasts and trying to recall the fragments of language buried in the recesses of my mind, helped a little by YouTube. I'm really looking forward to taking my husband and in-laws to see my beautiful 'other home' soon.

Are you reading anything at the moment?

I love audiobooks, so will often have an audiobook and reading book on the go simultaneously. I've recently finished listening to Go As A River, by Shelley Read, which was just beautiful and left me a little lost when it finished because it was such a tough act to follow. I'm on the lookout for my next cosy mystery, which is my go-to genre for light hearted escapism. 

I've just read Instructions for a Heatwave, by Maggie O'Farrell (seemed appropriate). I love her style of writing and was so engrossed I didn't want the book to end. My next book is The List of Suspicious Things, by Jennie Godfrey. I also love everything I've read so far by Fredrik Backman.

Lots of my recommendations actually come from the wonderful and very well read LMP community, which is an aspect of the platform which I really love.

Do you have any advice that has impacted you and that you’d like to share?

It's not exactly advice, but something I have been learning recently is the art of saying no. As a natural people pleaser I too easily overload myself to the point of burn out, which is helpful to no one and is more likely to end with me letting people down, which I hate doing. I'm trying to think about my future self and what she will realistically be able to manage, so that I don't over-commit myself. A little trick I've learned is to say "I'll think about it." This buys time and allows me to thoughtfully respond, rather than instinctively react - it's so obvious, but easier said than done for some of us!