Embracing Lifes Next Chapter: Jenny Powells Journey Fueled by Energy, Joy, and No Limits
We were delighted to host Jenny Powell, a highly esteemed English television and radio presenter for a 3 night Yoga Retreat at Shanti-Som Wellbeing. With a remarkable career spanning 40 years in the entertainment industry, Jenny, now nearing 56, radiates boundless energy, wisdom, and charisma each day. Eager to delve into her vibrant persona, we sought insights into her enduring motivation and her lighthearted approach to transitioning into the next chapter of life. Our conversation with Jenny was both uplifting and invigorating, and we’re thrilled to share it with you, hoping it sparks the same sense of inspiration and vitality.
To see her Retreat experience click the link and to her Instagram and video of our interview.
Tell us a bit about your career in radio and television.
My career started when I was 16 so I’ve been doing it for 40 years. I started with the BBC on a television show at 16 called “No Limits”, a music show and from there went into Children’s television, day time tv and then game shows. Globally I’m known for Wheel of Fortune, I’ve done just about everything to the point where I’ve forgotten what I’ve done! And now I am on commercial radio, the best one in the UK which is called Greatest Hits Radio. I do a weekend breakfast radio and that’s 70’s, 80’s and 90’s music- so the best decades of music.
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Are you enjoying it so far?
Yes, I am, I’m quite exhausted as I look back at everything I’ve done as I started very early. 16 is early and there was no stopping. You’ve got to keep changing and evolving. Like when social media came in and you’ve got to handle Instagram and twitter and you become a brand now. But before you just had a personality and was recognised as the girl off the telly. But now it’s a brand and you have a bit more responsibility really.
What are your most memorable moments?
I was looking at the interview questions earlier and one of the Shanti-Som guests from the UK mentioned she loves Arnold Schwarzenegger. And I actually interviewed him and Sylvester Stallone. And those are my favourite memories because it was on stage in front of about 1000 people, and I basically had 2 hours to myself with them, and an audience. But selfishly speaking it’s great to have that amount of time to interview them. If it’s a tv show you get a 20 minute interview and they plug their book, but I had 2 hours and after awhile they start to relax and open up. And they’re huge icons, and that’s actually where Yoga comes into it. I remember standing at the side of the stage, and someone asking how come you’re not more nervous. How come you’re not shaking. And I said ‘it’s Yoga, I know how to breathe. Look I’m like steady eddy’. It’s a really great practice.
Is there anything from your career path that you regret or would have liked to do differently?
If I’m really honest when I did the Wheel of Fortune, I kind of regretted it because I wasn’t being a tv host or tv presenter. I was a glamorous hostess who just had to look pretty and turn letters around. Who does that? In this day and age, it’s unheard of. So sometimes I think why did I do that? And I got really bored! But that was sort of light entertainment and gave me a much bigger audience. From there I moved on to presenting again, but really, I don’t believe in regrets, they’re all learning experiences. It’s all a lesson.
What are your next plans?
Well, so I’m going to be 56 this year, so it’s time to think about the second half. And the second half is the best half. With all my experience of tv and radio, I’m going to change it up and I’m doing a Yoga teaching course.
I’m going to use my presenting skills, but I’m also going to use stories that have gone along side my Yoga journey. There’s such a synergy. Yoga served me during my career and life.
There’s a generation of people who have said they left it (Yoga) too late, and they think they can’t do it. And I say to them, it’s not about standing on your head, or doing the splits. Some of the most simple postures are the most effective. So it’s more an introduction for people who are feeling intimidated by it. That’s my aim, my vision.
What does a typical week of exercise look like for you?
It’s mainly Yoga and I try to do a bit of strength whether its kettle bells or I just hang off the trestle at home and do some pull ups. But really on Monday’s I always start with Yoga, and I’ll do an hour, hour and a half. There’s a lovely community where I am and it’s hot yoga. And it sets me up. A lot of people have the Monday morning blues. But this sets me up and then I’ll probably do Wednesday and then if I can Thursday and on the weekend. I probably do about 5 hours of Yoga a week. But you know it’s different types of Yoga and I try balance it out. In between I grab opportunities, and I find somewhere to hang off.
I think rather than schedule it, which gives you pressure, I just do what I feel. I think we just have to stop with the pressure. Most of the time we’re pressuring ourselves. I think especially with exercise which is hard for some people to fit in with work, or if you’re on holidays and travelling. I think the thing is to tap into how you feel and decide at the beginning of the week what you’ll do. But it has to be convenient. And then you’re not feeling that underlying stress.
When you overthink it (exercise), that’s when it becomes an issue and you feel you can’t do it. It’s about setting realistic goals.
Do you follow a meal plan or particular diet? What’s your typical breakfast look like?
I wish my meals look like the ones at Shanti-Som, that’s all I’m saying! I have a strange relationship with food and that’s one thing I’ve noticed when coming on this Retreat. The fact that it’s beautifully prepared, and real food as well.
I skip breakfast which is terrible, I normally just have a juice because I like to do my Yoga first and then I’m more of a brunch person. It’s eggs, any which way, maybe with some spinach. For lunch it’s usually a soup, sourdough and I do like cheese things. I usually go for unpasteurized cheese, that’s better for you. And then for meal times I’m quite traditional. I love a roast dinner – roast chicken and roast potatoes. I don’t fret with what I eat. As long as it’s real food and not processed.
A little gem for you – if it didn’t exist 100 years ago then it’ll be fake food. Just steer clear of processed foods. But its difficult. I’ve got a 15-year-old and we’re all in and out at different times. And a 23-year-old, and she’s picked up my eating habits so we pick and go in and out of the fridge. But I just try to make everything from scratch. And keep lots of healthy snacks around.
It’s a lot of will power, but once you know your lifestyle then make sure you’ve got stuff that’s healthy and quick. Because that’s the excuse. If you can make sure you’ve get those healthier options, then you’re good to go. And then it’s just sugar- sugar’s in everything. Refined sugar, it’s even in spaghetti bolognese which is ridiculous! It’s the second ingredient, no wonder we are all feeling cravings.
I don’t have those juices which are full of sugar. And we don’t have any pop. It’s a treat. Like my 15 year old wants some but that’s a treat. We stick to water and kaffir. That’s really good for your gut. It’s a drinkable yoghurt. And kombucha is really lovely. And we try to eat a lot of sauerkraut, all good for your gut. If you’re gut’s good, your mind and energy levels will be good. It all starts in the gut. That’s where the ’gut feeling’ comes from.
Most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given, or can give to others
The most valuable piece of advise that I was given, is probably from my mum. So she had breast cancer a long time ago, and she’s fine now. But what that made her realise is, just don’t get stressed, nothing is ever worth getting stressed about. As long as you’ve got your health. Because we’re in a society where it’s inbuilt. There’s got to be a stress, or a drama. It’s not good for you, it can make you poorly. It can make you sick. And from that experience that she had, with breast cancer and her health she said ‘I do not get stressed Jenny, about anything’. And you can see it in her face. She looks amazing for her age. It’s a simple thing, maybe an obvious thing. But you think about how many times a day you get stressed.
I’ve quite often got kids in the car and they’re stressed with exams. And I’m like ‘right, stop the car. Breathe in for four, hold for two, breathe out for eight’. And this is going to stop you from being stressed. It’s all about breath work. Well, it’s a good start.
Another one which I tell my kids is- think outside the box. There are no rules. I don’t know where all these rules have come from. If you think about the paths that we have, some say they have already been assigned for us. If you’re in the system then we are all supposed to stick to them. But why? Who came up with them? So trust in yourself, and don’t think about rules or regulations or plans. Just go with it.
Again if you go by the book and the rules, my mothers and grandparents generation, you’d get to the age I’m at and it’s sort of game over. Instead, there’s a whole new generation in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s who are at that next stage. And that’s why I always like to encourage your second half- are you ready for your second half. And that doesn’t mean, are you going to wither away and fade, it means it’s your next life. What are you going to do for that second half.
If you could go back in time, what age would you be again and why
Now I’m not one for looking back. But if I look back in time, I suppose I’d probably have liked to have discovered self-care and wellbeing and all the tools to get to that point earlier. Because right now it’s a huge thing, that everyone is discovering. It’s quite a new thing. But I suppose, back in my 30’s I would have known about Yoga, I would have known about clean eating, about a slower pace of living. I would have liked that. But I’ve discovered it now, so happy days.
I’d love to connect with the younger generation, as we all want to, we want to pass on our recipes for life and healthy living.
What is your favourite thing about Shanti-Som?
I’m so happy I’ve discovered Shanti-Som. And I’m not just saying it because I’m here and it’s lovely, but I’m grateful. This is only my second retreat, and the first time I’ve come on my own. I either have a trail of kids with me, my partner or a group of friends. And I’ve realised from coming here, that firstly it’s like coming home. Going to Shanti-Som is literally like getting a big Shanti-Som hug, and that’s what I’ve literally felt like over the first 3 days. And that’s from Susanna, Juan and all the girls that I’ve met in the process as well as some of the guests.
Vicky has just done the most powerful spine-tingling Reiki session. Right listen to this, this is how personal and individual the treatments are at Shanti-Som. I booked in with Vicky for a massage and the longer I was here I felt like ‘is this what I need?’, maybe I need something more deep rooted. So I asked Vicky and she said maybe I can Reiki. And in the end, it was such a harmonious experience where Vicky just tapped into me, got me talking and it was all sorts of energy.
It (Reiki) was really soulful, spiritual. I felt like I was coached, counselled and nourished. I went straight back to my room and messaged my friend and was telling her about this most incredible experience. And that is the biggest praise I can give Shanti-Som so thank you. It’s changed me. And I hope you’ll have me back! It’s been such a beautiful discovery.
Click here to watch the video of our interview.