My story, business and learnings

Truthfully, I wasn’t sure whether to share my story. For a long time, I feared being seen, especially in my vulnerability. But I’ve come to believe it’s important to speak openly about the nuances and complexities of being human, of running a business, of simply trying. We really do heal when stories are told in safe spaces. Writing this has also reminded me why I began sharing yoga in the first place.

I had always wanted to create something where people could feel at home, a place to connect to themselves and to others, and to feel safe being their most authentic selves. With that intention, I opened my yoga studio, wanting to share the practice that had opened my eyes and to build the kind of community I had always longed for. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

I had just signed the lease when lockdown hit, multiplying the stress of opening a business in ways I could never have foreseen. Not knowing when I’d be able to open the studio, I started a small coffee shop to keep things afloat and began teaching yoga online to stay connected and continue sharing what I loved. Meanwhile, my resources were tight and what had started as passion slowly became survival.

On the surface, it might have looked like I had it all together, but I wasn’t coping. At 23, I was running a studio and coffee shop, while navigating lockdown, my health, resurfacing eating disorders, family illness, and the universal chaos of figuring out who we are in our twenties(right). I was doing my best, but the pressure became overwhelming.

For a long time I knew I needed to pause, but I didn’t know how. I’d poured so much of myself into Wild Roots that stepping back felt like failure. I worried about letting people down, about what others would think, and about losing community if I had nothing left to offer.

Eventually, I found the courage to stop. I asked for help, committed to therapy, and started rebuilding from the ground up. I made my health a priority, returned to my practice, began lifting weights again, rested deeply, and finally learned how to truly take care of myself. It was uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but it was necessary. And it’s what brought me home to myself again.

Upon reflection, of course there were things I wish I’d had done differently or had the capacity too, and alongside my own experience, there was also so much goodness. I look back with genuine warmth for what we created and built, and with immense gratitude for the community, the people I met, and all the lessons along the way.