Running an independent business can feel like spinning plates while someone keeps adding more.
Early starts. Late finishes. Quiet days you didn’t expect. Busy days you didn’t plan for. And somewhere in the middle of it all, you’re meant to look after yourself too.
It’s something we hear often across the Indie Cambridge community. And it’s exactly why we wanted to speak to Emily Leslie, founder of The Breathing Space.
Like most business leaders, Emily is deeply passionate about her work, and she is doubly lucky that it simultaneously supports her personal yoga practice. She is keen to share the benefits of a regular yoga practice. Her efforts centre around something deceptively simple: helping people slow down, breathe well, and reconnect with themselves in a way that forms a positive, lasting relationship with wellbeing.
Why “wellness” often misses the mark
“There’s a lot of pressure around wellness, after all, it is now a huge industry,” Emily explains. “It can feel like another thing you’re not doing well enough, a luxury you can’t afford, or a commitment you haven’t got capacity for.”
For many business owners, the idea of adding a full routine, classes, or strict habits can feel overwhelming, which often means it doesn’t happen at all.
“While most of us come to a wellness practice to fix things once we’ve reached a pinch point, we may soon learn that even a small proportion of our waking hours spent in a contemplative practice can have a big impact on living well sustainably.”
If you are in a rut right now, take heart that you’re not alone. “It’s so typical that we drop what we need when we need it most, so the first step is being open to the simple possibility that you are able to feel different.”
Emily encourages a very simple starting point:
“What’s one thing we, without fail, all have as a tool to access our wellness? Our breath. We breathe, we live. We focus on the breath, we focus on how we live. Yoga grows from this understanding. It’s something you can realistically come back to, even on your busiest days.”
If it’s not visible, does it even exist?
The challenge with being a business leader is that so much focus is on the external; the next email to respond to, event to plan, advert to design.
With a yoga practice, you have to take a step back from this to notice that at the centre of it all is a human, with all the magic and challenges that implies.
For example, the nervous system that lies beneath the surface is an invisible, subtle force that needs our attention. It is often something most of us only notice when it’s already overwhelmed, because the symptoms have become very loud.
What if you were able to attend to subtle internal shifts, so you can adapt your routine or mindset, even just slightly, and operate in a more agile, open manner?
“When you’re constantly ‘on’ – answering messages, solving problems, thinking ahead – your body stays in a state of alert,” she says. “Over time, that becomes your baseline, and you begin to close off to opportunities as your tried and tested approaches come under strain.”
This is where simple practices like breathing, gentle movement, and stillness come in. Not as a trend, but as a reset.
“Refreshing the palette of the nervous system is about dropping habits that no longer serve you; a bit like a software update, if we must use a computer-related metaphor. You realise what you are, what you are not, what you have influence over, what is beyond your command, your strength, and your inner vitality.”
What this looks like in real life
For Indie business owners, this doesn’t have to mean blocking out hours in the day to dedicate to wellness.
It might look like:
- Taking 3–5 minutes between tasks to step outside and breathe well
- Building a short wind-down routine at the end of the day – think foot massage, gratitude journal, or pillow spray
- Moving your body in a way that feels supportive, not punishing
- Giving yourself permission to pause without needing to “earn it”
Small shifts, repeated consistently, start to change how you feel day to day.
The Breathing Space in Cambridge
Emily is currently developing The Breathing Space in Cambridge, a dedicated place for yoga, movement, and quiet.
A space designed not just for classes, but for people to step out of the noise for a moment and reset.
“It’s about creating somewhere that feels accessible,” she says. “Not intimidating, not exclusive. Just somewhere you can come as you are and leave feeling in awe of just that.”
As the space takes shape over the coming months, it’s something we’re excited to follow closely within the Indie community.
The studio welcomes Indie members with a 3 for 2 offer on classes using the code YOGABUNNY. You can also join them for an afternoon of taster sessions on Sunday 7 June, 12–3pm.
A final thought
Wellness doesn’t need to be loud, perfect, or all-consuming.
Sometimes, it’s just about noticing when things feel a bit too much…
and giving yourself a moment to breathe.
If you’d like to follow Emily’s work or learn more about The Breathing Space, you can find updates via Indie Cambridge and her channels as the space develops