Six months of intensive yoga has reshaped not only my body, but also my perspective on life, business, and art. I came to yoga hoping for strength and healing, and what I found was far more profound: courage, clarity, and a deeper connection to myself.

Healing From Corporate PTSD

For years, I carried invisible scars from corporate life, what I call corporate PTSD. The constant politics, high pressure environments, and unrealistic expectations left me restless, self doubting, and weary. When I turned to art, I found a path of freedom. But it was yoga that gave me the resilience to stay on that path with courage and clarity.

Beyond Toxic Positivity

Before yoga, I tried to fight negativity with what I thought was positivity. I forced myself to smile, told myself “everything is fine,” and repeated affirmations in the hope that they would manifest into reality. In truth, I was hiding behind a mask of pretense and denial.

I remember days after leaving corporate life when I would stand in front of the mirror, repeating, “I am strong, I am successful, I am happy.” But deep inside I felt the opposite. Modern psychology calls this fake it till you make it. While it may work for a short while, over time it becomes exhausting. Pretending to be positive when you are breaking inside drains energy instead of creating it. It invalidates real pain, delays healing, and often makes negativity worse. What looks like optimism on the surface quietly eats away at mental health. The constant performance of cheerfulness left me more fractured than before.

Yoga gave me a different way. On the mat, there is no mask. My body shakes, my balance falters, my breath reveals the truth of how I feel in that moment. Yoga taught me to stay with the discomfort rather than cover it up. Off the mat, the philosophy of yoga gave me tools that no amount of forced self talk could provide.

Karma Yoga showed me the freedom of focusing on effort rather than outcome. Raja Yoga trained me to quiet the mind and discipline my thoughts instead of forcing them into empty cheer. Bhakti Yoga softened me through surrender and devotion, turning struggle into love. Jnana Yoga guided me to self inquiry and truth, cutting through denial and teaching me to face reality with wisdom.

The Yoga Sutras say, “Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.” (Yoga Sutra 1.2) That clarity comes not from pretending, but from seeing things as they truly are. Instead of living behind a mask, I now live with awareness. Instead of denying pain, I breathe into it, allow it, and let it transform me. That is real healing—deeper and far more sustainable than pretending everything is okay.

Courage to Share Failures

Perhaps the biggest shift has been in courage. Yoga has given me the strength to not only overcome fear on the mat, whether in wheel pose or headstand, but also to face fear in life.

For the first time, I find myself open to sharing my failures with the world. I no longer hide behind perfection. Just as a wobble in Tree Pose does not make me less of a yogi, a failed artwork or business setback does not make me less of an artist. Each fall teaches balance, each failure teaches resilience.

Balance, Focus, and Breath

Asanas trained my body to balance. Breathing trained my mind to focus. The lessons are inseparable. Balance is not about never falling, but about learning to rise again with grace. Focus is not about shutting the world out, but about returning to the breath no matter what distractions arise.

Even in my art practice, this shift is clear. Before yoga, I sometimes forced myself into a “positive mindset” while painting, even when I was tired, uninspired, or doubting myself. The result was strained work that lacked authenticity. Now I approach the canvas the same way I approach the mat: with presence. If I feel resistance, I breathe into it. If the painting falters, I do not cover it with false positivity. I stay with the process and allow it to transform, just as yoga taught me.

Knowing Thyself

Another lesson yoga has given me is the power of self knowledge. In the past, I was often shaken by the opinions of others. Praise lifted me too high, criticism cut me too deep. I felt constantly pulled in different directions by what others thought of me and my art.

Through yoga, I learned the value of svadhyaya, self study. Knowing myself means I no longer need to define my worth through external voices. I see myself more clearly, strengths and flaws together, without judgment. This inner steadiness makes me less reactive to outside opinions. I can listen, I can consider, but I no longer live or create by someone else’s approval.

The Upanishads remind us, “Know the Self, and you are free of all fear.” This wisdom has freed me from the endless cycle of seeking validation. In my art business, it has been transformative. I no longer chase recognition. I choose projects, collaborations, and exhibitions that align with my truth. By knowing myself, I have freed myself from the weight of others’ expectations.

A Stronger, Happier Self

Today, I am stronger, healthier, and more grounded. I have found joy in being by myself, ease in my own skin, and freedom in painting and living by my own terms. Yoga has taught me that happiness is not in constant smiles or external approval, but in presence, discipline, and surrender.

Yoga and art are both acts of devotion, one to the body and breath, the other to the canvas and soul. Together, they remind me that life is not about chasing perfection, but about finding freedom, authenticity, and courage in every moment.

Preparing to Share the Wisdom

As this journey continues, I am completing my yoga instructor exams and preparing to share the wonderful wisdom that yoga brings. What began as a practice to heal myself has become a calling to guide others. Just as I share joy and transformation through my art, I now look forward to helping others discover the strength, clarity, and freedom that yoga offers.