This podcast episode will air the week before the United States Presidential Election, and I'm dedicating this discussion to the importance of civic engagement.

I was inspired to do so by my yoga students and fellow practitioners, whom I keep hearing say that they believe their vote doesn't matter, or that it doesn't count. So many American citizens sat out of the 2016 election for that reason, and that disenfranchisement still lingers.

It seems like this time around, more and more people are giving up on the idea that their vote matters.

I come from a very political family. My mom was a lobbyist for the Teacher's Union, and she brought me to volunteer in elections when I was a little girl. I was involved with election campaigns long before I was old enough to vote, and the environment has always been at the top of my mind when it comes to political issues.

But this podcast isn't about political issues or political parties. In this episode, I am inspiring you to participate in your government. Yoga has the power to change the world, and that change starts from within ourselves and through our own actions.

The history of The United States is fraught with hard-won battles for the right to vote across generations. Choosing not to vote disregards those who came before and made the sacrifice just so we could have this right. I encourage you to do your own research and vote for what you believe in.

I'm providing resources here where you can check your voter registration and find local voting polls in your neighborhood -

• Turbovote.org
• iamavoter.com
• Vote.org

Check these out, vote for what you believe in, and try not to hate those who may disagree with you.

If you're a practicing yoga student, please share a bit of your yoga journey with me. Send me an email at [email protected] and tell me - what does yoga mean to you? You could be invited to guest spot on The Yoga Inspiration Podcast with Kino MacGregor!

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