I’m sitting on a plane right now. I spent the last week in a little town in Mexico called Punta de Mita. And though many parts of my trip felt like a vacation, I was in fact there for Yoga Health Coach training. The experience could not have been more different than my last trip to Mexico.
The last time I went to Mexico, my husband and I spent a week at an all-inclusive resort. There was a lot of down time, a lot of food, and a lot of margaritas. This time, I stayed in condo. I shopped at the local markets; the breakfast and lunch that was provided to me and the other women at the training consisted of green juice, fruit, salads, and fresh shrimp and fish. I had a grand total of three margaritas over the course of the week: one on the day I arrived, and two after we completed the training.
The food and drink weren’t the only things that were different about this trip. I spent most of my time with 34 other women, many of them yoga teachers, most of them yoga health coaches or yoga health coaches in training. All of us were what our trainer, Cate Stillman, calls “wellness pros.” This week, for me and many others, was very much about stepping into and owning that title.
The theme for our training was leadership. Leadership is a concept that wellness pros tend to shy away from. We’re a touchy-feely sort of bunch for the most part. Our goal isn’t to lead; our goal is help people live healthier, happier lives. Nonetheless, with Cate at the helm, you have no choice but to accept the fact that you are indeed a leader.
Despite the fact that we were each encouraged to own the role of leader, the amount of support and connection between and among the women there was something that is so very rare in our society today. There was no sense of competition, even between women who live in the same city and are teaching the same basic program, a program based on Cate’s book Body Thrive. That support and connection enabled everyone present to experience breakthroughs of one kind or another, myself included.
My version of Cate’s program is called “Body Wisdom,” and I’m so proud to say that the level of support and connection I felt with my fellow yoga health coaches exists in abundance in my current coaching group. I’m leading a group of 14 incredible women into healthier habits that will enable them to thrive more and more as they learn and automate the habits of yoga and Ayurveda. Many of the women at the training this week who are leading similar groups were lamenting the lack of interaction and connection between their members. I was so proud to report that my members are blowing up our Facebook forum with everything from tips and recipes to pats on the backs. They share their small wins as well as their struggles and support each other 110% at all times. They are truly amazing!
My experience in Punta de Mita was life changing. I made new friends through deep listening and true connection. I’m seeing that same deep listening and true connection between and among my course members. (Perhaps a few of them will comment here about that experience . . . hint, hint.) We’re currently in Week 8 of the 10 week program, but our journey won’t end there. They are all enrolled for a year. If you’re interested in learning more about the program and joining us for our next 10 week round, fill out the form below or email or message me. I’d love to set up a one-on-one strategy session with you to see if you’re a good fit for our group.
See you at the studio.
Angela