Yes, yes. Reading the title, I’m fairly certain that a lot of traditional yogis would roll their eyes so hard they could see their brains. But I urge you to read on without judgment. Listen to that silent voice of reason that you know resides inside your heart.
On the 9th of March 2015, I gave birth to a beautiful baby – my very own yoga studio in the heart of General Santos City, Bodhi Yoga Center. I haven’t been the same since. It’s no walk in the park being a part-time yoga teacher and a full-time representative of your own venture. And though there have been heartbreaks in the beginning – in the form of empty classes – things have been looking up. Where there used to be exactly ZERO number of students, I now teach an average of 8 students per class – some days less, but most days, really way more.
And while being a yoga teacher is quite fulfilling, being a yoga entrepreneur made me question the entirety of my existence. You see, when you get into a venture like this, you will be perpetually torn in between selfless generosity and mutual growth between you and the community you serve. As a yogi, you feel mandated by tradition to stick to the roots of dhana. But as a modern entrepreneur, you know that in order to continue your service and further your reach, you have to make rational business decisions.
But ultimately it boils down to passion. My passion to teach and serve will not be mummed by empty classes or zero revenues. Of course, that’s because I have other revenue streams I rely on to survive. So I’m not saying you should quit your day job so you can start your passion project. It’s really more complicated than that. Passion projects are inspirational, but only if you have a working capital and you can afford a 3-5 year ROI without resorting to starvation and destitution.
What works for me might not work for everyone. Hell, what seemingly works for me might not be even working as well as I’d hoped. But here I am, getting by, making sure I can keep doing what I love with the people who love it just the same.
Namaste! 🙏
