Promo schmomo

Anyone who truly knows me can attest to the fact that I cannot stand advertising. I am the first to skip past a commercial if given the option. In the old days, when listening to the radio was a thing, as soon as the ads came on, it was on to the next station. As an adult, this inclination has led me to pay a premium for services to avoid advertising. I have always seen marketing as a form of manipulation. In this country, all day, every day, someone is trying to convince us something is wrong with us and they've got the fix. In my experience, this just has never been true.

I've been this running this yoga gig for more than seven years and have struggled with how to effectively communicate the service that I am offering without sounding so, promo-ey. The only thing that has ever felt "right" is when I have spoken from my heart. I know I am on the right track when tears start to form in my eyes. Yup, it's happening right now.

In the yoga industry, in particular, advertising tends to primarily focus on women who are thin, bendy, and white. Guess what folks. That isn't most of America. As a curvy black woman with tight hips and shoulders, I'm here to tell you that yoga is for every damn body. I cannot understand for the life of me how it is effective advertising to omit millions of people from your marketing strategy.

Let's be real. Yoga in its essence needs no promotion. Its roots are interwoven with Indian and Hindu culture and to me, the sacredness of the practice makes promotion all the more challenging. I am attempting to thread the needle of honoring the roots of the practice and make a living to support me and my family.

All of us are dealing with increasing amounts of stress and sedentary lifestyles. For me, this has always led to a personal crisis. That tension we hold in bodies is an energy zap. Think about how the muscle fails after prolonged periods of contraction. This is how I think about muscle tension in the body, it slowly exhausts the body over time until failure. In my experience, yoga, accompanied by other wellness practices can alleviate some of that strain and bring awareness to behavior habits that are contributing to that pain.

I am here to share this path with all people. We all deserve to live an abundant, purposeful life. Consider joining me on this path of self-discovery.

Thanks for taking the time.

Love you all