We’ve compiled our top 6 tips to shift your mindset so you can make your 2023 resolution stick.

It’s the beginning of a new year and if you're like most of us, you’ve set intentions to live a healthier lifestyle by analyzing what you’d like to change in your life. Then, per usual, life gets in the way, old patterns persist, and we find reasons to quit before we’ve really even begun.

Like we said last week, our goal is to change the tone of healing so we thought we would share some tips to help you create realistic resolutions that will lead to lasting change. (If you missed last week’s newsletter, read it here)

If you’ve struggled to stick with new year’s resolutions in the past, then the first thing you need to do is shift your perspectives on how to approach change.

Shifting your thinking will influence how to change your habits… for good. If you first focus on changing your mindset, then your actions will naturally align with less energy and greater success. It’s this shift that allows you to discover the deeper meaning, address the root cause, and truly allow yourself to change.

1. Change Takes Time.
We live in a time when we are conditioned to expect instant gratification. Real sustainable change will not happen overnight, nor should it. There is value to this process. Give yourself permission to cultivate patience when it comes to change. Struggling to find patience with change?

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2. Healing is not sexy.
Looking good on the outside, despite how you feel on the inside, will not give you long-term results. Hiding toxic behavior behind materialistic wealth isn’t a sustainable healing practice. Superficial wellness is not the answer to your struggles. It’s hard work to discover real, sustainable change and it’s not going to be sexy, but the value of feeling confident in your true self and honoring your needs IS the new sexy. And because it’s not superficial, it will not dull or fade and more importantly, no one can take it away from you. Struggling with finding your inner sexy?

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3. You can be balanced and imbalanced at the same time.
We like to think in extremes (right or wrong, black or white) but in reality, the answers to life are not one or the other - it's usually something in between or a combination of truths. This can be really confusing when we’re aiming to do things “right." Take a moment to recognize that you are an amazing person, but there are aspects of your life that you’re still working on. Struggling with feeling overwhelmed on where to start?

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4. Don’t be a shit talker.
The way we talk to ourselves matters greatly and our inner monologue can be brutal sometimes. The truth is that our chances of reaching our goals without believing in our abilities, cheering ourselves on, or giving ourselves the permission to “fail” and trying again, will ultimately sabotage any chance of success. We need to learn to be our own biggest cheerleader. Struggling with shit talking yourself?

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5. Your answer lies within.

If we don't know what we want or why we want it, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to achieve it. We need to really get to know ourselves. We need to learn to like ourselves and believe we are worthy of change. The best way to connect with yourself is by being in an environment you feel comfortable in, supported by others who connect with your journey, in a space that is quiet and calming.

ming+ming classes are designed to support you exactly here you are. Join our yoga and meditation classes to start connecting with your true self.

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6. Show up for yourself.
Our first actionable step towards change was to show up for ourselves consistently. Creating the habit of doing something for ourselves is the first pattern we had to build. We had convinced ourselves that we should be serving others before considering our own needs. This mindset made us feel lost, unhappy, and confused because we thought we were doing everything “right.” The reason we only sell membership packages is because it’s designed to make it easy to show up for yourself consistently. If there is only one commitment you make this year, we can guarantee you'll see real changes in your life by just consistently showing up for yourself.

ming+ming packages

“...and a mug for tea,” the description read. It randomly caught my attention as I was looking up activities for my kids in our city’s Parks & Recreation catalog.

I read the class description outloud to my husband and he looked at me with concern. I knew he’d been watching me morph into a dull and frail version of myself. I told him that I thought it was a sign and enrolled myself for “Exploring the Deep Spine, Moving from Your Core.”

I was in the very early stages of my healing journey. I knew I couldn’t stay in bed for the majority of my day anymore. I needed to get moving and out of the house. I was stuck in the mindset that spending money on myself was a scarce privilege so the class description and the price point was too perfect to ignore.

To be honest, I thought it was going to be a slow moving barre class, one that would focus on my core muscles. I really didn’t expect the class to be any different than any other I’d taken at a community center… not even when I pulled into the parking lot of the Senior Center.

When I walked in and others began to gather, I was approached by a woman who smiled with her entire body and immediately made me feel warm. She introduces herself as the instructor, then proceeds to say “you might have noticed that you’re significantly younger than the others.”

It was hard not to notice.

She asked about myself and told me a bit about the class I was about to take. She then says “you are exactly where you are supposed to be and I am so happy you are here.”

Tears immediately began to well up in my eyes. Because when you're lost and scared, those are the best words you could hear from someone else. It turns out I would cry 3 more times by the end and I knew I had found my people.

Never had I been with a group of individuals who knew what it felt like to live in chronic pain, tired and worn down. I felt seen and understood immediately. It was quite the contrast from always pretending to look like a healthy 37 year old. I found a spark of hope when a woman, a full generation ahead of me, declared “I wish I had found this class when I was your age.” I could see the honesty in her eyes, and perhaps, even a bit of jealousy. It gave me the first positive shift in my mindset.

I CAN help myself and it WON’T be all for nothing. I accepted that I’d have to sacrifice to go down the long and demanding road up ahead, but I decided to give myself this gift. It was a gift to invest one hour a week with my people. And I had never thought about it that way before, until now.

At that time, I was constantly overwhelmed with feelings of hopelessness. Always throwing energy towards damage control and never for preservation. I had no energy left to take care of myself. I spent my money to maintain my image instead of maintaining my health. And that’s how I found myself working out at the senior center at age 37.

This wonderful class is called Rosen. Rosen movement breaks down how to use our bodies correctly. Our demanding world doesn't allow us to slow down enough to realize we don’t always need to be pushing. From standing up straight to running a marathon, our bodies can perform without brash demands. We just need to be aware of our bodies, how they naturally work, and to be kind enough to give them what they need.

Though initially working out with retirees was a swift kick to the ego, it only took a few vulnerable words, some warm touches and empathetic eyes to not care how it looked anymore. I was where I needed to be, at the appropriate level – it was the right next step for me.

My newfound community may have weathered hands and worn souls, but they remind me that today’s investments will be worth more to me as the years go by. And though our current personal growth journey may seem uncomfortable, daunting and overwhelming, investing in our health now allows us to preserve the quality of years we have left.

“In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

–Abraham Lincoln

With love,

Ming-Cee