Caring for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Just like the airplane oxygen mask instruction, putting on your own mask first allows you to show up fully for others. Through our yoga classes in Bali, we learn to honor our needs, cultivate self-compassion, and practice mindful presence on and off the mat.

Made arrives at my studio every morning at 6:30 AM, carrying small woven baskets of flowers and offerings. Watching her, I learned that self-compassion doesn’t start with elaborate routines—it begins with presence, gratitude, and attention. From her unhurried movements to her laughter at escaped chickens, Made taught me to treat each task, each moment, each imperfection as sacred. Self-compassion, I realized, lives not in grand gestures, but in the gentle, consistent care we bring to our daily lives.

We are born to express, not conform. In a world where creativity is numbed by technology and societal programming, our path back to wholeness lies in honest communication and soul-led expression. Through body, voice, art, and silence—we rediscover who we truly are.