Welcome to the Slow Work & Business Series!
This is a space to explore how work can feel joyful, mindful, and less overwhelming. As someone navigating life after the rush of traditional work, I’m documenting my journey—projects, lessons, and all the highs and lows. If you’re redefining work on your own terms, let’s figure it out together with heart and ease.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how the way I talk about my work shapes the way I feel about it. Language holds so much emotion, and even small shifts in the words I use can change everything. Instead of saying, I need to find three more clients, I can say, I’d love to meet three more wonderful & fun people and help them in some way. That little change makes it feel lighter, more exciting—less like a task and more like something of a date with a new person. It adds so much flavour, excitement and wonder to this entire process.
I’ve also realized that anything I do over and over becomes easier, almost effortless. It’s not about talent or bravery—it’s just repetition. If something feels scary, I just have to keep doing it until one day, it doesn’t feel scary anymore.
I remember how nervous I used to be before my trial classes. I would pace my room up and down before a class, my palms would get sweaty, I would be more scared of my students than they would be of speaking in a foreign language. But now, after doing it so many times, it feels natural. I can wake up from a nap and have an awesome conversation with a new student. Also, students always sign up, not because I’m doing anything extraordinary, but because I’ve learned how to show up with ease and softness.
The same thing happened with going live—it felt overwhelming at first, but now I can start it a minute before and still know it’s going to be great. I didn’t get here overnight. I just kept showing up until the fear turned into familiarity. And I think that’s true for so many things.
I’ve stopped seeing work as just effort and results, and instead, I think about it as a rhythm, a system that builds on itself. If I set things up well, I don’t have to start from scratch every time. For example, if I were to apply for jobs, I would creat a small system for myself—organizing my materials, keeping track of applications, refining my approach each time. And now, applying doesn’t feel stressful because the steps are already there. And I can pick it up after 5 years, I would still know the steps to follow - a long-standing system. I do the same with other things too—planning a trip, launching something new, even grocery shopping. A simple system, like keeping a running list and having bags ready, makes everything flow more smoothly.
The way I approach people has changed too. I no longer see discovery calls or trial classes as something transactional, like trying to convince someone of something. I see them as conversations with people who are on their own journeys, just like me. Some of my students are balancing demanding jobs, others are learning English later in life, and that takes so much courage. As someone who is trying to learn a new language, I know how difficult that process can be, and it makes me feel deeply connected to them. I don’t go into these calls thinking about whether they’ll sign up—I just try to understand them, to help in whatever way I can. And somehow, that always leads to something good.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that trust in the process of work comes down to small shifts in perspective. Repeating something makes it easier. Creating little systems makes life flow. And choosing gentle, kind words for myself changes how I experience the world. It’s all unfolding, and I’m learning to trust it.
Read The Whole Series Below
Part 1: Why I Left Traditional Work
Part 2: Building A Life After Traditional Work
Part 3: Building My Work Boundaries
Part 4: How To Prepare Life After Traditional Work
Part 5: Why Slow Work makes More Sense
Part 6: Lessons From My First Meditation Course
Part 7: Years of Navigating Work Rush & Anxiety
Part 8: How I Am Learning To Trust The Process
Part 9: The Quiet Math of Worth: Self-Employment Reflections
Part 10: The Last One: Lessons from a Life-Designed Business
Let’s connect!
If you’re walking the self-employed path, or even just dreaming about it, I hope this postcard reminds you that you’re not alone. You’re not behind. You’re just building something honest, and that takes time.
And if you’re starting out or maybe experimenting with freelancing, teaching, or offering something personal to the world, here’s something to help you get going gently: Things I Created For Freelancers. I have created multiple things whatever has helped me over the years. Check it out, maybe you will find something that you will like.
It’s my dream to work with a therapist who is also has a Yoga business. If you know anyone out there looking for help with marketing, please do let them know that I am here, dancing and jumping up and down my chair waiting to meet them.
Here’s my beloved, I invite you to drop by→ Kaustubha
I hope you’re enjoying Kaus’ Postcards. I started this publication to cultivate a writing practice and connect with people through my writing. I’ve decided that after my 100th post, I will open the publication for monetary support. Currently at 76/100.