Meet Poonam, the force behind YSM8

When people ask me why I started YSM8, my reply is always the same, I wanted to bring people together to connect and explore themselves on deeper level in a safe space.

YSM8 is more than just a greeting or a supper club. It is a universal affirmation. It is high energy, wholesome and always evolving.⁣

In my mid-twenties, I struggled with anxiety and panic attacks.My mental health was at all time low, all while studying away in a new city on my own.

I am lucky to be surrounded by a loving family who have faith in the Divine and was supporting me every step of the way. I navigated myself through this storm and journey of self-healing through: Naam Japna (meditating), cooking and sharing food, journaling, mindfulness practices and honouring my needs.

I have learned the importance of cultivating self-compassion to myself and others. I’ve witnessed the healing power of connection, deepening the quality of love and care we give to ourselves and how we begin to pay attention to all those around us.

YSM8 is my mantra that saved me in so many ways. It gave me the compassion I needed in that dark period of my life. It was only later I started studying metta meditation which is rooted in Buddhism, that I discovered “We first must become our own best friend,” or in my words “ We first must become our own best M8!”

We started off by hosting supper clubs, as I wanted to celebrate and champion home-cooked veggie Punjabi food. I quickly realised the need for safe spaces for Sikh folks and non-binary people, so with my mate and co-collaborator, Pavan Grewal we started hosting Monthly Meets for our Sikh community to chat and share in a non-judgemental space.

Naturally, we evolved to offering Good Stuff workshops which rooted in high vibrations and energy. I wanted to create a space where people can show up as their whole-self. Where we can reflect, listen, support, embracing our vulnerabilities and connect on a deeper level with ourselves.

I believe we need to start cultivating more compassion towards ourselves and others during difficult times. It’s not time that heals us, it’s when we allow ourselves to be open and fully feel all the feels and do the inner work, can we truly heal and move forward.

Call it nature, the Divine, God, the Universe. Ultimately, we’re all interconnected by something greater than ourselves. It’s time to connect and transform M8.