How Qigong Helped Ying Tan Reconnect with Herself, Her Confidence, and a New Vision of Wellness For much of her life, Ying Tan understood what it meant to be seen. As a model, she spent years in front of cameras, learning how to present herself with confidence, grace, and poise. Like many women who enter the industry at a young age, she became highly aware of appearance long before she learned to appreciate the deeper capabilities of her body. Looking back, she recognizes that her earliest relationship with movement was shaped largely by external expectations. “I entered the modeling industry when I was young, and like many women, I became very aware of how my body looked before I ever learned to appreciate what it could do,” she says. At the time, movement was closely tied to presentation. It was about learning how to pose, how to carry herself, and how to occupy space in a way that aligned with conventional ideas of beauty. Yet life has a way of changing perspectives.
Over the years, fitness gradually became something much more meaningful. The questions she asked herself shifted. Instead of focusing solely on appearance, she became increasingly interested in how movement influenced her overall well-being. “Instead of asking, ‘How do I look?’ I started asking, ‘How do I feel?’ Could I feel strong? Could I feel energized? Could I trust my body?” Those questions would eventually lead her toward a practice that transformed not only her fitness journey but her relationship with herself.
Learning to Appreciate What the Body Can Do
Long before she discovered Qigong, Ying experienced many of the same struggles that countless women face. Life became increasingly centered around responsibilities, relationships, business ventures, and family commitments. Like many mothers, she found herself giving endlessly to the people around her. The demands were constant. There were children to care for, businesses to manage, commitments to fulfill, and expectations to meet. Somewhere amid those responsibilities, she realized that she had become disconnected from parts of herself. Motherhood, in particular, brought both joy and unexpected challenges. “I had this expectation that I would bounce back,” she recalls. What followed was a period of adjustment that extended far beyond physical recovery.
Her body felt different. Her routines changed. Her priorities evolved. The woman she had been before motherhood no longer existed in quite the same way. Rather than trying to recreate a previous version of herself, she slowly began recognizing that growth required a different mindset. “I had to stop chasing the woman I used to be and start getting curious about the woman I was becoming.” That shift became one of the most important lessons of her adult life.
Discovering Qigong
Ying’s introduction to Qigong happened during a period when she was searching for something deeper than traditional fitness routines could provide. She had already explored numerous approaches to health and wellness. While many offered physical benefits, something still felt incomplete. “I had tried many forms of fitness, and while I appreciated the physical benefits, I still felt disconnected from myself.” Qigong immediately felt different.
The practice emphasizes gentle movement, controlled breathing, and intentional awareness. Rather than focusing on intensity, competition, or performance, it encourages practitioners to cultivate energy, balance, and presence. For Ying, the impact was immediate. “The movements were gentle, but the effects were profound. It wasn’t about burning calories or pushing harder. It taught me how to slow down enough to actually listen to my body.” That lesson proved surprisingly powerful.
Modern culture often rewards busyness. Achievement is celebrated. Productivity is praised. Rest frequently feels like something that must be earned. Qigong offered a different perspective. “There is this beautiful philosophy in Qigong that we are constantly cultivating our life force, our energy, our presence, our spirit.” More importantly, it gave her permission to approach wellness with softness rather than force. “It gave me permission to soften. And ironically, that’s when I became stronger.”
The Journey Back to Herself
Among all the physical and mental benefits Qigong brought into her life, Ying believes the greatest transformation was emotional. For years, she had dedicated herself to supporting others. Like many women, she became exceptionally skilled at showing up for everyone around her. The challenge was remembering how to show up for herself. “Emotionally, Qigong brought me back to myself.” The simplicity of the practice created space for reflection, awareness, and healing. Instead of constantly focusing on what needed to be accomplished next, she began reconnecting with who she was beneath the responsibilities. “I spent years pouring into everyone else,
my children, my businesses, my relationships. Somewhere along the way, I forgot who I was outside of what I could do for others.” That realization became a turning point. Qigong created a pathway back to balance, helping her reconnect with her own identity and needs. “Qigong became my homecoming.” The effects extended into every aspect of life. Physically, she noticed improved posture, balance, and vitality. Mentally, she became calmer and more present. Emotionally, she learned an important lesson that many high-achieving individuals struggle to embrace. “The greatest transformation has been learning that I don’t have to earn rest. I don’t have to constantly strive. I am allowed to simply be.”
Teaching Others to Slow Down
As her personal connection to Qigong deepened, Ying felt compelled to share it with others. She recognized how many people were searching for the same thing she had once been searching for. Not another complicated wellness protocol. Not another extreme challenge. Not another promise of rapid transformation. Instead, they were looking for a sustainable way to reconnect with themselves. “I wanted to create the kind of space I wished I had when I first started.” Teaching online became a natural extension of her mission. Through her classes, she helps people discover that healing and wellness do not always require complicated solutions.
“Many people think wellness has to be complicated or expensive. Qigong reminded me that healing can begin with simply standing, breathing, and moving with intention.” Teaching has also strengthened her own practice. Rather than positioning herself as someone who has everything figured out, Ying approaches her students with humility and authenticity. “Some mornings, I show up tired. Some mornings, my mind is elsewhere. But my students remind me that perfection was never the goal. Presence is.” The experience has reinforced her belief that personal growth often happens within supportive communities. “Healing happens in community. We borrow strength from one another.”
Redefining Confidence
One of the most personal chapters of Ying’s recent journey emerged through a photoshoot with acclaimed photographer Jamie Watling. The collaboration became far more meaningful than a creative project. It became a personal challenge. A decision to step outside her comfort zone. A choice to be seen. Having known Jamie for nearly fifteen years, Ying trusted him not only as a photographer but as someone capable of creating a safe and encouraging environment. “I booked this shoot as a way to push me out of my shell and to have a personal challenge to put myself out there more.” What followed surprised her. Throughout the shoot, Jamie’s energy, creativity, and encouragement helped her move beyond insecurities she had carried for years. “He had this incredible ability to make me feel confident and comfortable in my own skin.” The experience ultimately helped her realize something important about confidence itself. Her struggles had never truly been about appearance.
They were rooted in something deeper. “I’ve realized that my confidence struggles were never really about my appearance. They were about feeling worthy enough to be fully seen.” That realization stayed with her long after the camera stopped clicking. For years, she had minimized parts of herself, worried about being too much or not enough. The shoot challenged those beliefs. “Jamie had this beautiful way of seeing the potential in me and reflecting it back without judgment.” More importantly, it reinforced a lesson she now carries into every area of life. “Confidence isn’t something you suddenly acquire one day. It’s the practice of showing up as yourself, taking up space, and trusting that who you are is already enough.”
Becoming More Herself
Today, Ying continues to balance teaching, modeling, travel, family life, and personal growth. She begins every morning with Qigong, even if only for twenty minutes. The practice serves as an anchor before the demands of the day begin. She also prioritizes nourishing food, time outdoors, and moments of stillness whenever possible. Most importantly, she no longer chases the illusion of perfect balance. “There are seasons when motherhood takes center stage.
Seasons of study. Seasons of creativity and modeling.” Rather than striving for perfection, she focuses on alignment. That philosophy now guides both her personal life and professional ambitions. Currently studying Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture, Ying hopes to continue bridging ancient Eastern wisdom with modern life. Her mission is simple but powerful. “I want to help people feel empowered in their own healing journeys.” For someone who once measured success through external standards, the goal feels fitting. Because after years of growth, reinvention, and self-discovery, Ying Tan has found something far more meaningful than perfection. As she puts it herself: “I simply want to keep becoming more myself.”
Photographer: Jamie Watling Photography: www.jamiewatlingphotography.com
