Journal · November 2026

A Gift to Your Future Self

The choices we make today become the life we live tomorrow.

On the final morning of our recent retreat in Rishikesh, we explored Surya, the sun, and the way its light brings warmth, energy and life to everything it touches.

We also discussed how our yoga practice doesn’t end when we roll up our mats, leave a retreat or return to the familiar rhythms of everyday life. In many ways, that is where the real practice begins.

Because yoga is not only about what we do on our mats. It is about how we live, how we respond to life’s challenges, the habits we cultivate, the choices we make and the way we care for ourselves and others.

One of the reflections I shared that morning was the idea of our future self being grateful for the things we choose to do today.

And the more I sit with that thought, the more meaningful it becomes.

Every choice we make today is, in some small way, shaping the person we will become tomorrow.

The way we nourish our bodies with healthy, delicious food, remembering to floss before we sleep at night, the time we make for movement, the conversations we choose to have, the boundaries we learn to honour, the rest we allow ourselves and the kindness we offer, both to ourselves and to others. None of these things may seem particularly significant in the moment, but over time they become the habits, patterns and experiences that shape our lives.

I often think about how easy it is to put things off. How we can distract ourselves with folding the laundry or tidying our essential oils. We tell ourselves we’ll start tomorrow, read the chapter of the book when we’re less busy, lift weights when we have more energy, or reach out to a friend when life settles down a little.

We even promise to return to our yoga practice next week, to make time for meditation when our minds are quieter. To start looking after ourselves when everyone else has been taken care of but life rarely presents us with that perfect moment. Maybe the most compassionate thing we can do for ourselves is to begin exactly where we are. It doesn’t have to be crazy. Start with a few minutes a day, softly, gently, prioritising our wellness and even the shitty jobs that have to be done to bring greater freedom. The choices we make today can become gifts to the person we will be in the future.

There is another side to this reflection that I find equally important.

Our present self is also the future self of someone we once were.

Allow yourself to ponder on that for a moment. There are things you did five, ten or twenty years ago that you are benefiting from today. There are challenges you found the courage to face, difficult decisions you made, relationships you nurtured, others you walked away from, lessons you learned and moments when you chose to keep going, even when life felt uncertain. Some of those choices have brought you to a place of greater wisdom, strength or understanding. Others may have led you down paths you would not choose again, even those experiences have shaped who you are.

I think there is something deeply compassionate in being able to look back at our younger selves and recognise that, with the knowledge, resources and understanding we had at the time, we were generally doing the best we knew how. We can take responsibility for our choices without continuing to punish ourselves for them. We can acknowledge the consequences of our actions while also recognising the wisdom we have gained and we can choose differently now.

This is where our yoga practice becomes so much more than movement and what happens on the mat. It teaches us to notice, to pay attention, to recognise our patterns, our reactions, the stories we tell ourselves and the habits we return to. It’s within this spaciousness and awareness that lies the opportunity to choose.

We may not always be able to change our circumstances, but we can often change the way we meet them. We can choose to pause before reacting. To speak with kindness when criticism comes more easily. To rest when our bodies are asking for rest, rather than continually pushing through using caffeine as a tool. To make time for the people we love. To move our bodies because we appreciate what they allow us to experience, rather than because we believe they need fixing…and to create a little more space for the things that bring meaning, joy and peace into our lives.

Of course, none of us will get this right all the time. There will be days when we choose convenience over commitment, when we react rather than respond, when we put things off or fall back into familiar patterns. It is all part of being human. The invitation is not to become perfect, but to become more conscious to recognise that every day offers another opportunity to begin again.

And that brings me back to Surya. Every morning, the sun peeks over the horizon, not bothered with what happened yesterday or whether we made the most of the day. It simply brings its light, radiance, warmth, vitality and the opportunity to start again.

Although we cannot know exactly what the future holds, we can make choices today that reflect the kind of life we hope to live and the kind of person we hope to become. So the next time you find yourself hesitating over something you know would nourish you, whether that is rolling out your yoga mat, taking a walk, having an honest conversation, sitting with a cat and a cup of coffee, setting a boundary or simply allowing yourself to rest, consider asking:

What would my future self thank me for today?
What would be a genuine act of care for the person I am becoming?
And just as importantly, can I offer some gratitude to the person I once was, whose choices, courage and experiences have brought me to this moment?

Because we are continually becoming and the way we choose to live today is part of the life we are creating for tomorrow.

Looking Ahead — Some Lovely Things on the Horizon

There is so much happening behind the scenes at Karuna Yoga Journeys, and I’m excited to share a little of what is coming.

As I look towards these upcoming experiences, I’m reminded once again of the theme of this newsletter. The things we begin today, the relationships we nurture, the opportunities we embrace and the time we give to what truly matters all become part of the life we are creating. I hope that somewhere along the way, our future selves will look back with a smile and a little gratitude for the choices we made.