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How Women Are Reframing Their Mindset To Level Up Inner & Outer Strength
“You’re looking for the magic pill—it absolutely is mindset.”
At this year’s mindbodygreen Revitalize event, a powerful theme emerged from the voices of two leading women in medicine and movement: becoming physically strong begins with becoming mentally unshakable.
In a wellness world overflowing with protocols, trackers, and tools, these experts reminded us that the most transformative tool is free—and it’s your mindset.
Whether it’s getting stronger bones, improving VO2 max, or showing up for your fifth strength session of the week, the foundation is not just discipline—it’s identity.
Thoughts → actions → confidence
Jamie Seeman, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN and integrated medicine fellow, sees it every day in her clinic. “Most women I talk to already know what to do,” she shared. “They know they should lift weights, eat protein, get sleep.” The gap isn’t in knowledge, it’s in belief, identity, and consistency.
Seeman explained that our thoughts act as software in the brain, driving behaviors automatically. “Your thoughts create your actions, and your actions build your confidence.” This dynamic can move you toward health or away from it, depending on what you believe about yourself.
She challenged attendees to ask a core question: Who am I? Her own transformation began when she decided to live into the identity of “Dr. Fit and Fabulous”—a name she created during a low point in her life. “Dr. Fit and Fabulous describes who I knew I really was deep down inside.” And all she had to do was to start acting like that person.
Heartiness over hustle
Vonda Wright, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and author of the upcoming book Unbreakable, introduced the concept of “heartiness”—a form of psychological resilience that powers long-term strength.
“Heartiness is the part of resilience that we can train like a muscle,” she explained. “It’s the belief that you have control over your life, that you’re committed to your goals, and that you have agency—power to make small choices every day that change your trajectory.”
This isn’t about toxic hustle culture. It’s about showing up for yourself, day after day, in ways that build physical and mental fortitude. Wright emphasized that while aging is inevitable, fragility is not. “We are not victims of the passage of time,” she said. “We are active participants in how we age.”
Rewire your inner script
So how do you train your mindset like a muscle? These experts offered practical strategies to strengthen your inner game:
- Rewrite your self-talk. Instead of saying “I’m not consistent,” try “I’m becoming the kind of person who shows up for herself.”
- Pair resistance training with resilience training. Use workouts as opportunities to practice grit. Every rep is a vote for strength—in body and mind.
- Use setbacks as evidence, not excuses. Didn’t sleep well? Show up anyway, even if it’s 70%. Don’t aim for perfection, change your perspective.
The takeaway
A foundational message to carry forward from mindbodygreen’s Revitalize: Your strongest self is not behind you—it ’s still ahead. In midlife and beyond, women have the opportunity to build strength, agency, and mental toughness like never before.
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need every tool. But you do need a perspective shift. Because once you believe you're worth the effort, the habits follow.
As Wright put it, “You are worth taking up space. You are worth being strong.”