Believe in Yourself Through Your Journey
Have you thought about pursuing your love of yoga beyond the realm of your personal practice? Embarking on the journey through 200-Hour teacher training will make you grow immensely as you connect with your mind, body and spirit. You’ll dive into a life-changing educational experience where you’ll bond with like-minded yogis and explore the many pillars of yoga.
Even though teacher training is a very exciting time of life, there are also many questions and apprehensions that come along with starting something new and unknown. You might be thinking, “How am I going to be successful in a career when I’ll be so new compared to other yoga instructors?” Every yoga teacher has gone through the “new” phase in their career! It’s an invigorating time to learn, listen and spread your wings. Here are some tips to make you feel confident in your choice and continue towards a new career path.
Don’t Take Things Personally
As a novice instructor, you might find that some students are surprised by your inexperience when you first begin to teach. They can be skeptical of you all they want, but don’t for one second let them inflict self-doubt. If you find yourself in this situation, try to put yourself in their shoes and understand them instead. Maybe they’ve never had a recent graduate as an instructor before, or maybe they have some built-up negative energy that needs to be released in class. Whatever the reason may be, you will have something to offer them.
Have Confidence in What You Say
You will win the respect and admiration of your students by teaching with confidence. Your role is to be a soothing, comforting voice for your students for the hour or more class that you teach. Share your thoughts and wisdom confidently and proudly. Practice your sequence and pronunciation so that you feel prepared going into your class. And remember to be patient with yourself always. It will take time to master a powerful, confident voice, but you will get there!
It’s Okay to Not Have All the Answers
Remember, you’re just starting out, so you’re not going to know the answer to every question that comes at you. If this happens, the best way to approach the situation is to just be honest with your students. Help them if you can, but then give them the resources they need to get further answers.
Find a Mentor
Having someone you look up to and can confide in is one of the greatest ways you can support your career and grow in it. Find a mentor that you trust and respect that you can bounce ideas off of and learn from. Get coffee with them or take one of their classes to observe their teaching practices. Continue to wear that student hat and learn as much as you possibly can.
As a novice instructor, you’ll be faced with challenges just like every other instructor. The bottom line is to overcome those challenges and use them to step up your skills as a teacher. Have confidence and fearlessly take on your future!
