Thursday 26 October 2023

HER WISDOM - Mina Burden


I’m thrilled to finally bring you a new HER WISDOM interview and this one features a woman who has taken a literal journey over the summer to completely upend her life and follow her dreams of living abroad with her family. I’m so glad to say I got to know Mina Burden a little before she made her big move to Australia, she was a part of the co-working group I go to each month and she has been so missed already! Mina is thoughtful, engaging and the biggest cheerleader, as well as being a mum of 4 and a small business owner. So with that said, on to the interview...


How do you begin your day? What are the things you do to get started in the morning?

I (try) to start my day with a walk, 3-5 kilometres and if time 20/30 mins of yoga. The walk happens 70% of the time and the yoga 50. I’ve realised over the years that I often put myself last, so this sets my day off with making time for myself plus I notice it sets the tone for when I get home and get the children ready for school and it all around feels so much better for doing it. 


Share your favourite piece of wisdom and why it means something to you

‘This too shall pass’ has been my favourite mantra since my now 12 year old was born and one I’ve held very close over the years. There will always be ups and downs, but by reminding myself of this, especially in the tougher times, has been a massive help.


What is your go-to thing when it all gets too much?

Yoga, it’s always yoga! For me yoga has always been more about helping my mind than my body, as an ex dancer/dance teacher, I questioned why I should start yoga. Boy was I wrong….. The amount of times it’s helped me mentally. When things get overwhelming I try and tune into my breath and take it from there. The message is often the same: ‘Start where you’re, use what you have and do what you can’.


Who are the women that inspire you and why?

My grandmother is at the top of the list, my grandad persuaded her to move to the UK from Morocco when she had 5 small children, where he then left her to raise 6 children on her own (she had a sixth once in England) in a country where she could hardly speak the language. She is strong, resilient and a force to be reckoned with. She’s warm, caring and inspires me everyday. There are lots of other woman too, but the one I want to end with is one of my best friends who continually rides the waves, constantly going against the grain showing us that it doesn’t haven’t to be like it always is. You don’t have to run a business in the traditional sense, to listen to your body, to say yes to the things that feel good, to set better boundaries. Totally in awe of her too and am grateful every day she is a part of my life. 


How do you see yourself and what makes up your sense of identity? 

Ooo, this is a hard one…. I actually have felt pretty lost for the last few years and not sure if I’ve fully got to grips with my sense of identity since becoming a mother. I’m slowly getting it back and trying to find that question out.. I think I’ll have to get back to you next time. 


If you could spend 5 minutes with your younger self what would you tell her?

I’d tell her to trust, trust that everything is going to be okay, trust that she is right where she needs to be, trust that you’re on exactly the right path.


What does confidence mean to you, what builds yours? 

Confidence to me means being so secure, mentally in your own abilities. This is a hard one at times because imposter syndrome can kick in quite a bit in my confidence. However, I’m working on it. I’ve recently started journaling and asking myself ‘is that really true’ type questions when I’m having self doubt or a lack of confidence. I also have recently started saying affirmations every morning on my daily walk. Funnily enough, since saying a certain set of affirmations on confidence and being open and available I have received 3 massive opportunities. 


What's challenging you right now?

Getting my yoga business started properly and being consistent with it. In all honesty I wasn’t sure what I really wanted from it. It’s only been the last week that I’ve been much clearer. But now it’s making that happen. I’ve repeated certain patterns over the past that are still holding me back a little. I’m scared I’ll repeat them again, plus I have a bit of a perfectionist syndrome, so I struggle to put stuff out unless it’s how I think it should be. 


Tell us more about your latest or next project.

I spoke about my yoga business, that’s my latest project. We’ve recently (10 weeks ago) moved to Sydney from England. So it’s about finding what I want it to look like here. The more women I speak to, the more I realise they, like I spoke about in the first question, don’t put themselves first. I would love to create small retreats, rest and restore two hour type retreats, exactly for this. And then to grow into full blown weekend/week retreats exactly for the ladies that need some me time the most. 


Mina is a mother of four amazing girls, who recently embarked on an exciting journey from England to the vibrant city of Sydney. She has a massive passion for movement and mindfulness and is a qualified dance and yoga teacher.


Now calling Sydney home, she’s ready to embrace a new chapter and share her love of yoga with the local community.  You can follow Mina’s journey on Instagram: @minaburden 


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