Antifragile:

What if you could grow stronger from challenge—not just survive it?

THE SEED WAS PLANTED

Many years ago, my dad gave me a book called Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder. I didn’t read it. (Sorry, Dad.) I skimmed it. It felt dense and intense—but the idea planted something deep, and now I find myself called back to it.

Sitting here now, I realize that I—this uber-sensitive child of an extraordinarily gifted entrepreneur, a man who seemed to walk through any risk and thrive—am not so different from my papa after all.

A soulful yogi spirit, I too have been practicing antifragility all along. As a yoga teacher. As a solopreneur in a multi-billion-dollar industry that often values performance over presence, lycra over teachers.

In every moment I’ve stayed with discomfort, softened instead of hardened, and kept showing up—or made a pivot—even when the path wasn’t clear. When longtime clients had sudden life changes and vanished with days’ notice, an inner voice whispered: Hold steady, Alex. You’ll be okay no matter what.

So… clearly, the sentiment stayed with me. It took root.

Now, in this climate of global instability, it’s hard not to feel like we’re living in the aftermath of a seismic chess move—one that dropped chaos squarely on the board. Not just change, but disorder. Not just challenge, but uncertainty.

That’s the move that’s been played.

The question is: What move will you make in return?

For me, I return to what I know. To the body. To breath. To this resiliency that’s already woven into the heart of yoga practice. Because I think it’s time we recognize this: antifragility isn’t just a concept—it’s a capacity. And yoga has been teaching it to us all along.

I’m 1000% in for what some might call the woo of yoga—how chanting can shift the vibration around my heart, how sound frequency can harmonize the cells of our bodies, how practicing metta (loving-kindness) is as healing for us as it is for our neighbors—and yes, even our enemies.

But I’m also here for the strength that comes from discomfort. The kind of strength that doesn’t just get through it—but is transformed by it.

And that’s what antifragility really is.

WHAT IT'S NOT

It’s not about enduring more graphic violence, alarming headlines, or heart-breaking school shootings.
Antifragility doesn’t mean becoming numb, indifferent, or desensitized.
It’s not about growing a thicker skin so we can tolerate more suffering without feeling it.

And while it might feel easier to scroll, to rant, to numb out—I am not here for that.
I’m here for what moves us forward.
I’m here for the practices that reconnect us to our clarity, our capacity, and our deep care.

YOGA AS ANTIFRAGILE PRACTICE

True antifragility is learning how to metabolize stress, grief, and complexity in a way that deepens our humanity—not dulls it.
It’s about cultivating the internal tools—like breath, nervous system regulation, movement, and presence—to transform the weight of the world into deeper care, grounded action, and sustainable resilience.

Yoga teaches this every day:

  • The breath you return to when your mind spirals.

  • The posture you hold just a little longer to watch what arises.

  • The tears that surface in Savasana, and the space you give them.

  • The truth you whisper to yourself on the mat: I can be with this. I can move through this.

WHAT IT IS

You’re not meant to harden.
You’re meant to expand.
You’re not just here to “bounce back”—you’re here to evolve, to grow, to love.

And your yoga practice? It’s already guiding you.

So if you’ve ever questioned whether your practice matters in the face of it all—
Or whether you matter in the scope of it all—
Let this be your reminder: it does and you do.

And not just for you, but for all of us.
Because every time you show up, breathe through, soften, or stay—you’re helping build a more compassionate, resilient world. From the inside out.

TOOLS TO PRACTICE NOW

So how do we practice antifragility—in yoga, and in life?
Start small. Start real.

Here are 3 tools I return to again and again:

🔹 Lift something heavier than you want to.
(Not just in the gym—emotionally, too.) Resistance builds resilience.

🔹 Feel the cold—and stay.
Whether it’s a cold plunge, a hard conversation, or a moment of heartbreak, practice meeting discomfort without rushing to escape it.

🔹 Observe. Breathe. Stay curious.
When something hard arises, ask yourself: Can I stay with this sensation for one more breath? Can I respond instead of react?

This is how we grow.
This is how we soften and strengthen at the same time.
This is how we become—antifragile.
You already have the tools. Now’s the time to use them.

Curious to explore this more deeply in real life?
Come practice with me—online, in retreat, or wherever you are on the path.