Why We Must Bring the Body into the Workplace

I recently completed a negotiation course for work, and I was struck by something simple but profound.

The skills that make someone a strong negotiator—things like emotional regulation, deep listening, non-reactivity, presence, and clarity—aren’t just business tools. They’re human tools. They're concepts I teach in yoga. And in today’s world, they’re more critical than ever.

So much of our communication today is remote, fast, and often anonymous. Ten years ago, I began to feel a deep sense of unease at the environment I saw playing out digitally, especially on social media. These spaces draw out reactive behavior we wouldn’t dream of expressing face-to-face. Add to that the chronic stress many of us carry, and you have a recipe for disconnection, conflict, and burnout.

But my journey these past 5 years has led me to an empowering realization—the path to grounded, wise leadership is already within us.

The key? Our bodies.

Books like The Body Keeps the Score emphasize this truth: mental and emotional health cannot be fully addressed without including the body. Somatic awareness, nervous system regulation, and embodied practices are not fringe wellness concepts—they’re essential components of becoming resilient, present, and compassionate people.

Trying to cultivate emotional intelligence without tending to the body is like trying to balance a three-legged table on just two legs. Something important will always be missing.

This is why I do the work I do—both in the yoga studio and out. Because true transformation, whether personal or professional, doesn’t happen only in the mind. It doesn't happen by reading another self-help book, listening to that podcast, or sitting through a training. It happens when we reconnect to our full selves: body, mind, and soul.

And it’s time we brought these conversations into our workplaces—not just for wellness programs or self-care perks, but as core tools for leadership, communication, and collaboration.

Your body is not separate from your performance.

It’s the foundation.