As we enter 2023 I am feeling grateful for Chinese medicine. It is such a powerful support to ones health - not only in times of illness but also to maintain wellness.

As the new year turns, many people set resolutions for themselves. I think about how this is a yin time of the year where we are gathering and storing energy, resting and nourishing ourselves. I wonder if energetically this is more a time to set the goals and work towards really incorporating them into our lives in the Spring season.

As we continue to use this yin time to replenish we can work towards creating the habits that we would like to see in ourselves. This allows us to move in accordance with nature and give ourselves time to incorporate the habits we would like to create. This is slightly different than a resolution where you place the expectation of change based on the switch from one day to the next, during a yin time of year, to accomplish more yang goals like regular exercise, quitting something you feel is unhealthy or dieting.

I often think about the Daoist concept of Yang sheng, which means Nourishing Life. Yang sheng is considered the foundation of health in Chinese medicine. It is a Daoist Cultivation. Yang sheng looks at exercise (qi gong), diet, sleep, meditation and living with the cycles of nature.

I like to ask myself at this time of year - how do I nourish my life? In asking this question I can see the ways I support myself as well as the ways I would like to create a healthier way of being. This works with the season and allows me time to incorporate positive change that will become lasting change in the Spring. When I view resolutions as goals that I am making space for, I am much more successful than if I say I am going to start this task on the change to January 1st. It allows time for me to figure out how I want to meet my goal and how I will make changes in my life to make space to be successful.

I share this with you as someone who has set resolutions and felt frustrated with myself for not meeting the “I quit” or “I will” statements. When I learned about Yang sheng it really struck me as powerful. The more I move with the cycles of nature I found that I was able to make more successful shifts in the springtime when the energy is moving from yin to yang. I hope this is helpful for you as it may offer a different perspective. We all have ways to improve ourselves and Chinese medicine and Yang sheng have been an excellence guide of me!

Best of luck meeting your health goals in 2023!