By Sab — Founder of Inner Zest with Sab, Certified Yoga Teacher, Life & Career Coach - My LinkTree
For years, I thrived in the structured, high-performance world of corporate environment. I knew how to manage, lead, deliver, and push the limits — not giving 100%, but 300%. Be more, achieve more, earn more, let’s be honest this is the philosophy. But somewhere between the back-to-back meetings and relentless deadlines, I started feeling a quiet disconnect — from my body, my creativity, and what truly mattered to me. Then came COVID-19. Like for so many, the pandemic disrupted not just routines, but perspectives. It was a game changer — professionally, emotionally, and personally. It cracked something open in me, forcing me to re-evaluate how I was living, working, and showing up in the world.
That inner nudge didn’t lead me to quit everything. Instead. It invited me to take a different path — not through a dramatic leap, but through intentional layering.
Step by step, I began building something alongside my full-time job aligned with my principles and values: my own coaching and yoga practice. It started with trainings, small but meaningful lifestyle shifts, and a fresh set of goals rooted in alignment rather than performance. One of the most liberating shifts was learning to choose progress over perfection. I still set goals, but the constant pressure to perform within rigid timelines no longer weighed on me. Instead, I gave myself permission to grow at my own pace — with intention, trust, and self-respect.
Another important — and often overlooked — realization was simply this: like everyone, I’m growing older. And with that came a deeper awareness that my physical and mental health needed to become a true priority. I want to live fully, vibrantly, and in good health for the long run — not just survive the days but truly feel alive in them.
As a result, my work as a professional coach and yoga teacher gradually became a true space of alignment. It offered grounding, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose — but also something I had deeply missed: meaningful human connection beyond the walls of the corporate world. Through this journey, I opened myself to diverse experiences, fresh perspectives, and the richness of learning and growing alongside others on their own paths. It gave me room to explore new facets of who I am — all while maintaining the stability and structure of my corporate career, without needing to walk away from it immediately.
And in 2025, I believe more and more people are waking up to this possibility:
You don’t need to quit your job to find purpose. You just need to make space for what matters to YOU!
Why Start a Side Hustle in 2025?
We’re living in a time of unprecedented access — to knowledge, tools, communities, and platforms that make it easier than ever to:
But beyond the technology and opportunity, there’s something deeper happening in 2025:
Many of us are feeling the call to realign with what matters.
A side hustle today isn’t just about extra income — it’s about reclaiming authorship of your life.
It’s a way to express a part of yourself that may not fully shine in your 9-to-5.
It’s a space to test ideas, build confidence, follow your curiosity, or start planting the seeds of something that might grow into your next chapter.
More and more professionals are embracing side projects — not because they’re dissatisfied with their full-time jobs, but because they crave a fuller expression of themselves: intellectually, creatively, and emotionally. It’s not about boredom or rejection of one’s current role. It’s about expansion. About exploring different aspects of who we are beyond the professional identity we’ve built.
We all evolve.
Life brings unexpected experiences that shift our perspective and open new doors.
For me, yoga entered my life in waves — for reasons I’ve shared more deeply in this article: Healing After Trauma, and especially after an accident that marked a turning point. That moment invited me to live differently, to reconnect with my body, and to honor a part of myself that couldn’t be fulfilled by a 9-to-5 alone.
I wanted more — not just for myself, but for others.
And while some people feel fully content in their corporate path, I’ve discovered that I thrive in doing both.
My corporate journey gave me structure and leadership.
My coaching and yoga practice give me purpose, presence, and a deeper connection to the human experience.
Whether it’s coaching, writing, crafting, teaching, or launching a small service or product, a side project can become a living lab for growth, purpose, and joy.
And perhaps most importantly: A side hustle is a way of saying yes to yourself — without having to say no to your career.
👉 If you’re curious about how a side hustle can transform not just your schedule, but your entire outlook on life, I highly recommend watching this inspiring TEDx Talk by Monica Bassi: “3 Ways A Side Hustle Can Change Your Life.” It’s a powerful reminder that small steps outside your 9-to-5 can lead to meaningful growth, confidence, and fulfillment.
VIDEO LINK : 3 Ways A Side Hustle Can Change Your Life
The Mindset Shift: Side Hustle as Self-Alignment
A side hustle doesn’t have to generate income right away — and it often shouldn’t. It can begin as a container for clarity: a space where you reconnect with your voice, explore ideas, and rediscover what truly lights you up.
That said, let’s be real — building something meaningful on the side often requires more than just time and passion. It also requires investment.
I can personally vouch for this. On my own journey, I’ve invested significant time, energy, and yes — money — to grow. From professional trainings and certifications to traveling for retreats, conferences, and events that expanded my vision and network, every step required commitment.
Depending on the kind of side hustle you're exploring, you may need to invest in education, tools, mentorship, or connection opportunities. But here’s the truth: those investments are rarely just about the hustle. They're investments in yourself — your growth, your confidence, your expansion.
So don’t be afraid to put something on the line. When you're building something aligned with your values and your future, every dollar and hour invested becomes part of your transformation.
For others, it could be painting, launching a podcast, trading, creating digital content, or guiding others through coaching or holistic practices.
But the real shift doesn’t come just from what you do — it comes from the fact that you’re choosing to invest in yourself.
You're no longer waiting for permission from others or a company or a perfect moment. You’re consciously shaping your path, transforming your life from the inside out, and writing a story that reflects who you are — and who you’re becoming.
And here’s what’s truly exciting:
You don’t need to reinvent your entire life to start creating your own story.
Sometimes, one intentional move is all it takes to shift the direction — to begin showing up as the version of yourself you’re becoming.
Each step you take is a powerful act of self-promotion, self-leadership, and creative reinvention.
How to Build Your Side Hustle & Keep Your Sanity
Here’s how I made it work — and how I support my coaches in doing the same:
Please, don’t wait for the “perfect” moment — because it doesn’t exist.
This is something I’ll never stop saying: the more you wait, the more your fire dims.
I know what it’s like to hesitate. To feel the fear. To worry about what others might think — to wonder if you sound delusional, unrealistic, too much, or not enough.
I’ve been there.
I waited too.
I held back because I thought I needed to be flawless, fully ready, perfectly positioned.
But deep down, what I really felt was that I wasn’t legitimate. That I wasn’t enough.
Until I realized:
You are already enough. Right here. As you are.
And the only thing you truly risk by trying… is growth.
You might not get it perfect. You might pivot.
But what you’ll never regret is listening to that inner pull — the one that’s asking for more, for expression, for truth.
Because if you don’t try, you don’t just miss the chance —
you miss yourself.
Life is far too short to sit on the sidelines of your own story.
So take the step. Say yes to the whisper.
Your future self is already thanking you.
Now, how to do it? How to start?
Pick a single micro-action to begin:
You don’t need to have the full plan mapped out to take your first step.
Just try something new tomorrow — something simple, something that excites you, something you’ve been thinking about but haven’t dared to begin.
That’s exactly how it started for me.
At first, I just followed curiosity. I began watching inspiring YouTubers who were living lives that resonated with something deep in me. Then I took a few micro-courses on platforms like Coursera, Udemy and Teachable. I dove deeper into my yoga practice. I explored personal development, then coaching certifications. Slowly, something shifted — and I stopped just searching for what I wanted to become and began embodying it.
I offered to coach volunteers. I looked for small yoga teaching opportunities. I created my own by offering classes to my co-workers. One thing led to another — more yoga gigs, more coaching clients, more confidence.
What started as a spark — a vague idea — became something real. Something I built from scratch.
And today, you’re reading this on a blog and website that didn’t exist a few years ago — because I made it happen.
If I did, you can too. It starts with one small step — and a willingness to believe in what doesn’t yet exist, but already lives inside of you.
Instead of trying to squeeze your side project into the leftover corners of your day, start by creating space — with intention.
Ask yourself:
I often hear the question:
"How do you do it all? Where do you find the time? I don’t have time."
Here’s what I truly believe: you probably do have time — you may just need to reimagine how you use it.
We all have responsibilities we can’t walk away from — I see that. I’ve been there.
But even with a full plate, there is usually a way to optimize without sacrificing what matters most. It’s not about adding more to your day — it’s about making space for what fuels you, and gently releasing what no longer does.
Sometimes that means looking at your schedule with fresh eyes.
Other times, it means asking for support — from a coach, a mentor, or someone who can help you zoom out and see the full picture of your habits, patterns, and priorities. Because often, what stands between you and your next chapter isn’t time — it’s the clarity to reclaim it.
Now keep in mind, the way you create space for your side hustle should feel realistic and acceptable for you — and it doesn’t have to be radical to be meaningful.
That said, I want to be transparent about my own journey: I made some bold and deliberate changes to reclaim my time and focus.
I moved closer to work to cut down commuting hours. I said no to certain social plans so I could say yes to my deeper purpose. I started waking up earlier and earlier. I ran — sometimes literally — from one yoga class at 7.30 am to another at 12.15 in downtown Montreal between office hours. I spent sunny weekends working from cafés or my living room, pouring time and heart into building what mattered to me.
Was it always easy? No.
Was it worth it? Absolutely.
This is what it can look like when you’re deeply invested in your vision — when you choose to create space for the future you’re building, even if it means stretching your comfort zone.
You don’t have to do all of this. But if something truly matters to you, there’s always a way to make room — even if that means shifting just one part of your routine to begin.
Let’s not forget one essential truth — especially from the perspective of a yoga teacher:
You need to pause. You need to breathe.
Even the most fulfilling side hustle can become overwhelming if you never give yourself space to just be.
Fortunately, in my own journey, I’ve built in that space. My 12+ hours of yoga practice and teaching each week offer me moments to breathe, to meditate, to reconnect with my body. My hustle is my practice — and it reminds me daily of the importance of staying centered.
But I’m still human. There are weeks when I feel tension creeping in, when stress resurfaces, and when my body or mind says: pause.
That’s when I choose to unplug — I go for a hike, spend an evening in nature, head out of the city, or gift myself a few hours at the spa.
Because real growth requires rest. And clarity only comes when we learn to step away, disconnect, and recharge.
If your full-time job is draining, your side hustle should nourish you — not deplete you.
Ask yourself regularly:
And if the answer leans toward exhaustion, it’s not a failure — it’s an invitation.
An invitation to rebalance, to scale back, or to shift direction.
Because you’re building this for freedom, alignment, and joy — not more burnout with a different name.
You don’t have to give everything up to step into something new.
You don’t have to abandon your 9-to-5 to explore what lights you up.
You can absolutely hold both — stability and creativity, structure and self-expression.
A side hustle isn’t about proving your worth. It’s about giving space to your voice, your ideas, your next chapter — one step at a time, in a rhythm that feels right for you.
And while the path may feel unfamiliar at times, know this:
Stability is possible — even in the midst of something that feels messy or uncertain.
When your actions are rooted in intention and your vision is guided by values, even change can feel grounding.
As you build, don’t forget the most important part: take care of yourself.
Rest is part of the process. Presence is part of the growth.
Creating something meaningful isn’t a race — it’s a practice.
So let this be your permission to begin. To explore. To try.
To give your dream a name, a shape, and maybe even a schedule.
And if you’re already on this journey — or you’re just beginning and want support in bringing clarity and confidence to your next step — I’m here.
I’ve walked this path. I guide others through it.
And I’d love to connect with you, wherever you are along the way.
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If this resonates, feel free to share it, connect with me, or explore my private coaching and yoga offerings at www.innerzestwithsab.com or visit my LinkTree
With clarity and heart,
Sab
Life & Career Coach | Certified Yoga Teacher | Founder of Inner Zest with Sab