I felt the same way.
It was the Fall of 2010 and I was going to yoga every single day. Power Yoga Canada Clarkson was like a second home to me. I was in love with the practice, inspired by the community and was finally starting to understand those people that claimed yoga had changed their life. I was constantly eyeing posters and hearing buzz around the next round of Kinndliâs 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program that would be starting that January.
Over the course of those months leading up to January, I thought to myself more times than I can count, I really want to teach. Then very quickly and very loudly, the BUT would come in.
I canât hold a handstand yet, if Iâm going to teach I need to be able to do that.Â
I need to tone up more if Iâm going to be at the front of the room.
Iâm not confident enough to talk for 60 â 90 minutes to a room of strangers.
Nobody would even want to take my class. Iâll never get hired anywhere.Â
I donât know if I can handle the big investment of my money and time right now.
I havenât been practicing yoga long enough to take this next step.Â
Thereâs already so many great teachers out there, thereâs no room for me.
The list was long and the doubt was loud but at some point I hesitantly mentioned to Pauline that it was on my mind. Those of you that know her will also know that once you tell her you want to do something you pretty much have to do it because sheâll be right there behind you â pushing if she has to.
Iâm so grateful that she gave me that push and now, whether we know each other or not, Iâm here to do the same for you.
If youâve been thinking teacher training is something you want to do, then youâre absolutely ready to do it.
After almost 7 years of teaching full time, opening a studio and making yoga my ârealâ job, here are the four things I wish I had known then.
1. It doesnât matter what your practice looks like.
There are amazing teachers in the world that can float into handstand. There are also amazing teachers out there that canât even hold it for a second. In my opinion, there is no correlation between a teachers ability to do advanced poses and their ability to teach an unbelievable yoga class. Â There will always be another pose to work on.Donât fall into the trap of waiting until your practice is âgood enoughâ.
A powerful teacher loves yoga. Their practice changed their life and they want to share that gift with others. They have a sincere desire to dive deeper and learn. Theyâre passionate about helping people. If you have all that and you can hold a handstand, high five! If you canât, high five! You love yoga and thatâs what matters. You have SO much to offer.
2. Itâs a lot of money and time but totally worth it.
My plan was to do my Teacher Training while I had the time and then get a corporate job. I thought Iâd learn how to teach a yoga class, figure out how the body worked and understand the basics of explaining yoga poses to other people. Iâd teach 1 or 2 classes per week on the side of whatever job I had but lucky for me, life didnât go as planned!
But letâs say it had. If I was a corporate girl who never taught a single class after my training, it would still be the best investment Iâve ever made in myself and my growth. Itâs so much more than a yoga training. Yes you will learn (a lot) about yoga but more importantly, youâll learn (probably more than you want to) about yourself. You canât put a price on the growth that this program inspires in every aspect of your life. I would go back and spend that money again in a heartbeat.
3. Youâll never feel 100% ready.
If youâve convinced yourself that you have some sort of physical, mental or emotional barrier that you need to overcome before youâre ready to stand at the front of the room, I have some news for you. Sitting around and hiding from people is not going to get you over that barrier.
We all have something standing in our way. Maybe you think you need to lose a few pounds. Maybe you think youâll teach when you somehow get over your anxiety around public speaking. Maybe you think you need to get over your fear of judgement and what others think of you. Whatever it is, thereâs something you want to work through before you teach. These are the very things you get to tackle with a group of amazing and like-minded people all going through their 200-hour training with you. Sitting at home thinking about how youâll one day feel comfortable talking in front of a group is not going to get you there. Youâve got to do it, even if itâs scary.
4. The world needs you, yes YOU!
If you remember one thing, let this be it. Yes, there are many, many great teachers in the world already but guess what? None of them are you. You have something so unique and so special to share with your future students and believe me, theyâre out there just waiting to hear what you have to say.
We all have our own stories and life experiences to share. Weâve all found yoga for different reasons and the benefits of this practice are profoundly personal. We experience them in our own way. One of the things I love most about yoga is that no two teachers are the same. We’re all sharing this ancient tradition but adding our own unique flare to it. So stop telling yourself that there are enough teachers out there. There’s more than just room for you, there is a need for you.
Youâll doubt yourself. You’ll probably have a long list of ‘buts’ like mine. Youâll question if youâre ready. You might even have a little crisis before your training starts or you teach that first class thinking: âI canât do thisâ.
Iâm here to tell you that YOU CAN and YOU SHOULD.
Jennifer Dwyer
Power Yoga Canada Muskoka
www.jenniferdwyer.ca
@jenniferdwyer
@pycmuskoka
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