the power to choose
Hello friends,
Caring for the natural world is deeply important to me. What makes me really light up is planting trees and protecting wild places. I can’t do those things every day, but I have been examining the every-day choices that I make. I began this year challenging myself to not buy anything new for 2025 - it’s been harder than I expected but I’m also doing pretty well. I’ve grown increasingly uncomfortable with the fashion industry over the years due to its entanglement with overconsumption, waste, and the commodification of identity. I know that one person not buying anything new doesn’t add up to much, but I do feel empowered & in alignment with my values every time I say no.
Recently I was offered a professional opportunity that, on the surface, seemed incredible. The kind of “shiny” offer that promises visibility, prestige, and the illusion of success. But as I sat with it, I felt an internal tension—an inner conflict between what looked like a dream opportunity and what I know to be deeply true in my heart.
Taking the opportunity would have given me the ability to share the Yoga I love with an enormous platform, but the offer was also tied to the fashion industry— while the collaboration might have elevated my professional profile, it required me to compromise my values around mindful consumption, sustainability, and authenticity.
I kept asking myself: If "success" means abandoning what I believe in, is it really success?
Yoga has taught me to listen inward, even when the outer world is loud with praise or promise. To observe my attachments. To stay rooted in satya (truth) —not just on the mat, but in every decision I make.
So, I said no.
And it wasn’t easy. People I trust told me to do it. There was grief, doubt, even a flicker of FOMO. But also, there was peace. A deep knowing that I had chosen alignment over approval. Integrity over the image of success.
Our practice is not so much about how we move, but about how we choose.And sometimes the most courageous choice is the quiet one. The one no one applauds. The one that keeps us honest.
May we remember that we always have choice, and that our choices matter.
With love and gratitude,
Uma