People often ask me about this: how DID I end up teaching yoga as my full-time profession, and how have I sustained that career for almost a decade, in the face of all the talk on the inter webs about how you can’t make a living teaching yoga.
This time, Rosalyn Lim (remember her from that post about Warrior Pose?) was asking how I got started teaching. Yes, I take blog requests. I WELCOME them – writing five posts a week can be challenging when you don’t know what people want to read about, so keep the requests up!
I’ve written before about how I came to be a yoga teacher, and how that made me unemployable (dammit!).
That was my start.
I continue because I really love what I do, and, even though I have meltdowns from time to time, I can’t imagine doing anything else with my days. And yes, I make a decent living. I am working on my personal sh*t, which is what gets in the way of most small businesses succeeding.
Ever since I’ve been in business, it’s been increasingly important for me to do this: get OUT of my own way.
My advice for newbie yoga teachers looking to start teaching?
Action cures fear.
- Decide what kind of a teacher you want to be right now: what style of yoga? what times do you want to teach at? how many classes a week?
- Prepare a CV as you would when looking for any other job, and be professional about your self presentation. Make no mistake, this is a profession, more and more as time passes.
- Get your name out there, to all the studios & gyms, start subbing for people, and soon you will have your own classes!
- Once you are teaching a few classes, you can begin to map out what you need in terms of continuing education, and in terms of planning whether you want to make this beloved thing of yours a full time job. DO NOT rush into things – that will create instability (most likely in your income) and ultimately, that is not the way to prepare for success. Baby steps
Hope that helps, and questions, just ask xx
Oh, also? If you are in Melbourne, come along to this workshop on the Yoga of Business. Awesome stuff from Jenifer Parker (remember, that Plank Pose article?)
Moving from Stability: Understanding the Pelvis in Posture (Online workshop)
Light Up Your Life
I am halfway through teacher training now and I’m finding teaching scary! I hope it gets easier, it certainly seems overwhelming this early in the process.
I did too! I used to have NIGHTMARES about teaching, and I even used to demonstrate poses in my sleep. It does get easier with time, I promise x
Everytime I read your stuff I just want to come to AUS and work visa as a yoga teacher. Hmmm…big ideas
Oooh, Melly! Come, come
What an adventure that would be…
I did this.
I mean, I’m doing it right now! I got a working holiday visa for Australia, and I’ve been teaching yoga since I arrived, with the help of a few pre-arranged covers to get me started. The catch, of course, is that it will be rare to find a yoga studio sponsored work visa (though I have heard of some!) – which means maybe being able to stay for a year but not forever.
So inspiring, Kat!
The lack of sponsorship thing is likely because most yoga businesses are small. I suspect your resourceful self will find a workaround though
Thanks for the fantastic advice! Baby steps sounds like a good plan…I’ve been getting a little overwhelmed just wondering where to start but the universe has been kind and throwing wonderful learning opportunities my way in the form of workshops, sub classes and awesome articles like this one!!! Thanks again Nadine! x
Rosalyn? Baby steps, baby! Big leaps tend to lead to broken legs…
And Mandy – thanks for the vote of confidence
Nice to know another teacher sees things this way too xx
Great advice! I’m all about the baby steps.. or… what is smaller than baby steps??! Zygote steps? I’m all about them
Thanks for the great post Nadine!
And Jennie? Zygote steps? Hilarious! Love it!
I always enjoy your posts. As a yoga teacher, I agree with the advice you gave. There are many days that I can’t believe how lucky I am to do this for a living!
Great advice for someone like me
I’ve been practising yoga for about a year now and just recently began wondering what it takes to become a teacher. Thank you for posting this!
Looking forward to seeing how your process unfolds, Maria! Thanks for reading x