The inner work of building a business
Editor-writer-yoga teacher Arin Alycia Fong pens a guest post for Human Algorithm on why tending to discipline, contentment, and self-trust is a strategy for creators and solopreneurs.
Arin Alycia Fong is a yoga facilitator whose teaching practice meets people where they are. With her sensitivity as a writer and editor, she guides others to feel more grounded in their bodies and to see the lessons of yoga beyond the physical asanas. She weaves yoga philosophy into everyday life on her Substack, After the Exhale. Read her work at arinalycia.substack.com or find her on the mat at @arin.asana.
In the last quarter of 2023, I was on the cusp of the unknown. I had just been let go from my full-time job as an editor at an independent literary publishing house, while simultaneously training to be a yoga teacher.
Like many people, I’ve always craved stability and comfort, but the thought of jumping into another editorial role for the sake of job security, without a clear idea of what I truly wanted, felt more daunting than plunging into the deep end.
So I pivoted to freelancing as an editor, writer, and yoga teacher. I never imagined myself as a solopreneur, and this shift in identity has been wonderfully confronting.
Overnight, I became a marketer, a space-holder, a project manager, a creative, and a seeker of knowledge. The biggest challenge has not been the work itself, but the internal transformation of learning to embody all of these roles at once.
The internal world always shapes the outer world. It’s easy to fixate on metrics of success and overwork in the pursuit of growth. But can I spend more time examining why I do what I do? Can I cultivate enough self-worth to avoid jobs that don’t align with me? Can I root myself in values so that my decisions are guided by integrity rather than scarcity?
Investing in my inner life has become a growth strategy. I’ve been guided by the five niyamas — part of yoga’s ethical foundation, one of the Eight Limbs of Yoga created by the Indian sage Patanjali.
They are personal observances that cultivate inner integrity and discipline. Practised daily, they have given me more peace, clarity, and confidence to stay rooted on my own path, even amidst the chaos of a freelance journey.
Saucha (purity, cleanliness)
Saucha is the practice of purifying body and mind. By removing what clutters or drains us, we create space for a more tranquil mind.
This goes beyond food or movement; it extends to the thoughts and energies we allow in. For me, it has meant working through imposter syndrome as a teacher and writer, and choosing not to let intrusive thoughts paralyse me.
In business, saucha is also about clearing out toxicity: ending partnerships with draining clients, saying no to projects that don’t align with values, and resisting fear-based decisions. It’s showing up despite self-doubt, ready to serve whoever is in front of you.
Santosha (contentment)
Santosha is the practice of acceptance, which is being at peace with where you are in your journey. As a freelancer, it’s easy to measure yourself against other creators and entrepreneurs. But comparison distracts from the uniqueness of your own path.
I’ve been practising santosha by releasing rigid expectations of success and clarifying what I truly value. I may not need thousands of followers to make an impact. What matters is showing up fully for the people who trust me to guide them, whether on the mat, on the page, or in the editing room.
When we practise contentment, we stay focused on the present, not clinging to imagined outcomes or projecting scarcity into the future.
Tapas (self-discipline)
As an overthinker, I often default to inaction. Tapas — the discipline of devotion — has given me fire and focus. My Ashtanga Mysore practice and weekly strength training have cultivated consistency in my body, and that discipline has translated into my creative and professional life.
In a culture that glorifies hustle, tapas reminds me that discipline is not punishment. It is devotion to craft and self. It is the art of creating sustainable rhythms that support the life and business you want to build.
For me, that means mornings for movement, afternoons for focused work, and the wisdom to know when to rest and when to take action.
Svadhyaya (self-study)
Svadhyaya is the reminder that we are lifelong learners. Investing in curiosity, skills, and self-reflection builds confidence and strengthens intuition.
For me, this has meant asking: Who am I as a yoga teacher? Why do I write? What makes my voice unique? The deeper I’ve met myself, the deeper I can meet others, whether students, clients, or collaborators.
Your intuition is your greatest business asset. It’s what allows you to make aligned decisions and build authentic connections. Svadhyaya is the practice of tending to that inner knowing.
Isvara pranidhana (surrender)
This niyama is the practice of surrender, which is releasing control over outcomes while trusting in your ability to navigate what comes. It doesn’t mean defeat or passivity; it means believing that the seeds you plant will unfold in their own time.
It is difficult, especially when fear of the future looms. But the other niyamas prepare us for this: cleansing what is toxic, practising contentment, building discipline, and trusting our self-knowledge. Together, they make surrender possible.
Tending to the inner life is not indulgence. It is the foundation of a sustainable business. When you are your own boss, self-trust is the anchor that steadies you.
The more we cultivate these inner disciplines, the more present, resilient, and courageous we become, and that presence is what sustains the work we create in the world.
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