Mindful Living in the New Year: Where Movement, Mindset, and Gratitude Meet

Hello Friends and Happy 2026–

I’m grateful you’re here and wishing you healthy, happy days ahead. We’re a week + into a fresh new year, how are you all feel’n? It’s nice to have a time where the holiday hustle fades a bit and we can un-plug between Christmas and New Year’s before we all head back to our routines, isn’t it? There’s a natural tendency to pause and reflect about the year ending and think about the new year that lies ahead. I hope if you didn’t get a chance to do that, give yourself at minimum, an hour or two one day soon to do it. There’s no expiration date for taking inventory of what’s working and not working to support our well-being. When you feel that calling, lean in. I’m just now able to carve out some time this Monday if that inspires you too!

The start of a new year often arrives with pressure — to change, to fix, to do more. But mindful living invites a different approach. One rooted in awareness, compassion, and a deep respect for the body you already inhabit. If you’ve ever stepped into a yoga session with me, this is a mindset I often hope to connect us all a little deeper to.

As a wellness curator, healthy lifestyle advocate, and yoga teacher, I believe the most sustainable transformation doesn’t come from force or perfection — it comes from connection. Connection to breath. Connection to movement. Connection to the quiet wisdom of the mind & body that whispers to us all the time.

This is the heart of how I approach mindful living, and why I intentionally weave positive mindset, mindfulness, awareness, and gratitude into every yoga or mindfulness class I teach.

A New Year Rooted in Mindful Living

Mindful living isn’t about rigid routines or extreme resolutions. It’s about learning how to listen — to your body, your nervous system, and your inner dialogue — especially during moments of movement.

In the new year, many people come to their mat seeking strength, flexibility, or physical change. What often unfolds instead is something deeper: a sense of presence, emotional release, and renewed self-trust. When movement is paired with intention, it becomes more than exercise — it becomes a practice of self-awareness.

After recently listening to guest, Chris Williamson, on the podcast Diary of a C.E.O. - a few powerful questions he proposed we could ask ourselves resonated with me and have been themes in my recent classes.

• “What would you be proud of at the end of 2026?”

• “How do you want to feel?”

• “What can you put down, ie. remove, to make space to add new things in?”

  I love these for the invitation to embody the results we’re envisioning, so then clearer steps unfold as to what we need to let go of or stop doing and what habits we need to continue or begin to get there. Connecting to how I’d love to feel strong and calm does a little something more than me just listing strength train 3x and meditate daily.

Vinyasa Flow as Therapy in Motion

Students often share that my classes feel like therapy and movement wrapped into one. I have gained so much value in the teachers I’ve trained from who’ve incorporated mindfulness and philosophy as it relates to daily life. So the idea that people feel like they can show up exactly as they are, feel safe, and allow an experience to unfold is intentional and important to me as I teach. Vinyasa yoga offers a powerful container for transformation because it mirrors life itself — steady breath through changing shapes, moments of effort balanced with surrender. Within this type of flow, I guide students to:

• Notice thoughts and their state of presence without judgment

• Acknowledge how their strength can meet their grace in nourishing ways

• Honor where the body is today, not where they think it should be or appear to be on an instagram highlight reel

• Breathe into gratitude for everything their bodies can do IS a blessing

This approach helps cultivate a positive relationship with the body, something many of us are still learning after years of pushing, comparing, or ignoring our needs. I often add a little humor by reminding students “please don’t argue with your body, it will win”.

Gratitude as a Living Practice

Gratitude isn’t reserved for the end of class — it’s woven throughout the experience. I know how much a gratitude practice can change negative thought patterns and I believe anyone can shift energy through gratitude. We pause to recognize what the body is already doing for us:

• Lungs breathing without instruction

• A heart beat responding to movement

• Muscles supporting us in both strength and rest

• The choice we made to arrive and support our well-being

When students begin to value their bodies for their function rather than their appearance, something profound shifts. Gratitude becomes grounding. Empowering. Healing. We can bless our bodies with our thoughts. This mindset extends far beyond the mat — into daily routines, relationships, and the way we move through the world.

Wellness as a Curated, Whole-Body Experience

As a wellness curator, my work extends beyond yoga classes. I thoughtfully design experiences that support the whole person — physically, mentally, and emotionally. I love doing this in collaboration with other aligned brands, spaces and wellness professionals to elevate experiences beyond my own passions and teachings.

True wellness is not one-size-fits-all. It’s an evolving relationship with yourself that includes:

• Mindful movement

• Nervous system awareness

• Positive mindset practices

• Moments of stillness and reflection

Whether I’m teaching a group class, working one-on-one, or collaborating with brands and organizations, my intention remains the same: to help people feel more at home in their bodies, more alive in their souls and in harmony with their mind.

An Invitation for the Year Ahead

As you move into the new year, I invite you to soften the need to overhaul your life and instead begin with presence and a small step toward consistency with doing something that makes you feel proud and good.

Ask yourself:

• How do I want to feel in my body this year?

• What would it look like to move with kindness instead of force?

• Where can gratitude become a daily practice?

Mindful living begins when awareness meets compassion — and the mat is often where that conversation starts.

Continue the Journey

If this resonates, I invite you to:

• Explore my Mindful Living Journal more here.

• Join me for an upcoming Winter Renewal Retreat with WellAway and MacArthur Place or try a vinyasa flow class rooted in awareness and gratitude in Sonoma, a 4-week pop up at HEATWAVE Studios in Napa or on-line; YouTube or the HowToPracticeYoga Platform.

• Subscribe to my Substack for reflections, rituals, and tools for intentional living as I ease back into my love for writing.

• Explore ShopMy for aligned products I use and believe in with discount links.

Here’s to a new year guided by presence, connection, and trust in the wisdom of your amazing mind & body. Thank you for being here.