When I became a yoga teacher back in June 2017, I had this image in my head of what it would be like…What an amazing magical job to teach yoga all day and do this potentially as a full-time job one day.
“Yes, I can do that, I want to do that, it would be a dream job.”
Well, like most jobs, there are ups and downs and pros and cons…But I want to share some truths that I honestly don’t think are spoken about enough and are actually in most yoga teachers' heads they just don’t want to share them.
At the end of it all we are supposed to be teaching Yoga because we love it and want to help people, but if you're doing it as either a part-time or full-job that’s when it becomes a lot different and a lot deeper and more real!
Here are a few things I have learnt over these last few years which I wish I was told before I started. These are not bad things or negatives, just the truth from my personal perspective and opinion.
Truth 1: You're going to be running around all day and have a very odd schedule.
You must really plan your teaching days and plan in journey times along with set-up times. You may think you can squeeze in as many classes as possible in a day but then realise that it's super exhausting travelling around all day and teaching classes. Sometimes you need to reflect on and maybe drop classes to be able to breathe and find time to have lunch and relax before the next class. You can also be either teaching early classes then late evening classes. In between these times, you may have private or corporate work-related yoga classes.
Giving your energy all day can be very tiring. There was something tremendously freeing about this, but it can also be exhausting.
Truth 2: Yoga teachers should be paid for their time, but you also won't be making millions, you do it for passion and love.
Something I didn’t realise was you can teach lots of places but get paid differently per hour depending on what business, place or location you teaching. Know your worth…This time comes with experience and experience comes with time. In my personal journey of teaching, I know that sometimes yoga teachers do not get paid enough when teaching yoga classes. WE TRULY DO DESERVE MORE.
The only way around this would be to start putting your own classes on and grow your own personal community of yogis. Nothing wrong with doing this at all it's so rewarding and really connects you to yoga in a totally different way. But remember even this has its doubts, especially if you are paying rent for spaces etc…take this into consideration when running your own classes.
Truth 3: You're going to get the best and worst of two worlds: business and spirituality.
Yup, unfortunately, you are…it’s the truth if you decide to really take this forward and do it full-time. It's not all fairy tales and unicorns lol.
Experiencing this in both worlds can be so hard to really get your head around. You must have rules and guidelines which sit with your values as a yoga teacher as well as share the best knowledge of yoga with students. Over the years of teaching and creating my own classes, I do sometimes have to be straight, honest and clear on intentions for my own business and make sure rules are followed by students just like any other business out there. It gives the impression you mean business and really care.
You don’t want to be taken advantage of even though you’re a yoga teacher and supposed to be focused on the “spiritual side” you also have to have a business head on to and focus on the “business side”.
Truth 4: You are not a doctor, you're not a therapist, you’re a yoga teacher
Something all yoga teachers have to deal with, and lots of people we teach often think we are doctors, and we know the body inside out…Well, yes, we understand the body to a point, maybe the anatomy side, which we learn about! We understand movement and function along with safety and injuries. But we don’t understand the deeper insides of humans, lol.
I remember being asked so many questions before classes which are not really for me to comment on as a yoga teacher or give advice on. I always recommend students get checked out by the doctor before they start yoga if they think they have deeper health conditions or any other issues. Yoga teachers are guides and are there to help, and support you not tell you what’s wrong or fix you.
Truth 5: Yoga teachers have a lot going on too! Including mental health, and long-term health issues and injuries.
Why do you think yoga teachers were drawn to yoga and meditation to start with…Well, they are just like YOU! We all started just like you. We all have our own problems, issues and journeys with yoga. So just be kind and respectful to your yoga teachers you don’t know what they are also going through.
Yoga teachers are special humans and let's face not everyone can stand in front of a class of 25+ yogis and guide them through a yoga class. It can be so scary. We are actually sensitive creatures.
Truth 6: Know how much time you put into your yoga class planning.
For years planning yoga classes has always been my thing, and still is. I absolutely love planning yoga classes. It helps me creatively and feels free… yes money isn’t everything for doing the thing you want to share and love, but time certainly is!
So, using your time wisely in planning yoga classes is so important, especially if you end up spending a whole day just planning and not "sorry to say the words but “making money”.
Truth 7: Students come, and students go! Don’t take it personally.
So, this is something I used to get so upset about and really feel anxious about as a yoga teacher. I could teach the same set of people for weeks, months even… then suddenly you stop seeing them.
You question things; you question yourself! Was it me, maybe they got bored of my classes, maybe they don’t like my voice any more etc…But naturally, people's lives change it could be they moved house, cost of living, new job, family, long-term illness, health etc… so don’t take it personally? Everyone's lives change at some point nothing lasts forever. When one student leaves, another arrives for their journey with you. Create that opening and embrace it.
Truth 8: It’s definitely a popularity contest…
This is a hard one but also a true one! Yes, yoga is all about being authentic and organic, but the truth is marketing yourself and filling classes is all about popularity. And the more class spots you can fill, the more yoga studios and retreats will want you in their circles.
If you want this, you will need to put in the extra hard work. Make your dreams come true.
It requires endless hours of unpaid self-marketing and promotion, free yoga classes to your friends, online yoga flyers for your weekly vinyasa flow classes, and sometimes swallowing your ego when just three people show up to your yoga class. Use these opportunities to develop your teaching skills, and don’t get discouraged.
If you build it, they will come.
So, there you have a few truths about the yoga world and teaching yoga which are my opinions only. I wanted to share just a handful of these in the most respectful, truthful ways. Yoga is my whole heart and life, but sometimes it can be so hard, exhausting, tiring, and difficult.
But sometimes it can be the most amazing and magical thing you do; you're helping to change people's lives and look on life along with allowing them to understand their bodies and how they feel.
If your interested to taking Yoga classes with me you can book by this link here >>>