Are you one of the many yoga students who have considered embarking on the incredible journey of yoga teacher training but haven’t yet taken the plunge? If so, I'm curious as to why. And I have a few guesses.
Perhaps you don't know if you're "ready."
In the words of Lemony Snicket, "If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives." If you feel curious about and pulled toward yoga teacher training, chances are you're ready to dive deeper.
One of the most beautiful aspects of yoga teacher training (both basic and advanced) is the personal growth that you will achieve throughout the process. In yoga teacher training, you will learn to accept yourself — mind, body, and spirit — just as you are, and build from that beautiful foundation. The training provides you with the resources to identify what does not serve you and to focus on what does. Here’s what you can expect from a teacher training.
You will:
Learn to be present.
Experience incredible personal growth.
Create lifelong bonds with your fellow students.
Overcome fears and perceived shortcomings.
Develop a strong love and appreciation for yourself.
Learn to better manage stress.
Be more relaxed when you’re off the mat.
Become more confident.
Develop healthier habits.
Find increased compassion toward others.
Learn to communicate more effectively.
Perhaps you don't know if you have the time to commit to yoga teacher training.
The training schedule at Main Street Yoga is every other Sunday. My YTT graduates live VERY busy lives. Most of them have children. Most of them work full time. Most of them have other commitments as well - one even participated in a stage production while raising her children, working full time, and keeping up with her YTT studies and practicums. (I don't recommend committing to a play production during YTT, but I can say that it has been done!)
Perhaps fear is holding you back.
This is the most common scenario. It is so important to understand that fear is natural. In this case, it's a sign that you’re doing something really brave, and that is a wonderous thing. Do not let fear keep you from your dreams, but instead allow it to take you out of your comfort zone and drive you to be the best version of yourself.
With regard to basic yoga teacher training, the most common fear I hear is "I'm not advanced enough." If you are committed to expanding your personal yoga practice and you want to learn more about yoga, you are ready for a teacher training. Commitment is everything. You don’t have to be able to effortlessly fly from crow pose into handstand to be ready for a yoga teacher training. In fact, you don’t ever have to do crow pose or handstand! As long as you are comfortable in your personal practice, and have been practicing yoga consistently for at least 6 months, you are ready. The purpose of a yoga teacher training is to learn, grow, and blossom into the best version of yourself, and your future teachers and fellow students are going to support you every step of the way.
The second most common fear is probably failing as a teacher. For those of you who aspire to become yoga instructors, this is a very real fear that nearly every aspiring yoga teacher has experienced at one point or another. Let that sink in: Every yoga teacher has been afraid of failing at some point. When you consider how many successful yoga teachers there are out there, you realize that this fear is just par for the course. But what is success? If you change just one person's life for the better, isn’t it worth it? So take some time reflecting on your expectations. If you believe in yourself and you’re willing to put in the work, you will not only succeed, but you’ll find such deep reward in helping others.
Maybe you think your age is an issue.
I can assure you it is NOT. At Main Street Yoga, our trainees have ranged in age from 18 to 65. Each and every one of them has offered a unique perspective and brought something valuable to the table.
So I'm curious. What's holding you back? I'd love for you to respond and let me know. But I'd love it even more if you submitted your application today! (Click the links below to do so.)
Namaste,
Angela
Reminders:
300-Hour Advanced YTT begins Sunday, March 10th. The deadline for enrollment is Monday, March 4th.
200-Hour Basic YTT begins Sunday, March 17th. If you choose the pay-in-full tuition option, there is an early-bird enrollment discount available until midnight tonight! The deadline for enrollment is Monday, March 11th.