Confessions of a yoga teacher

There’s a common misconception that us Yoga Teachers have got it all together and are shining examples of enlightenment. I don’t blame you for thinking it, but although it may seem like we’re perfectly at peace living our harmonious and healthy lives, the truth is, we’re honestly just real life people who sometimes struggle to practice what we preach. To reassure you all that I’m just a normal, not always happy, not always healthy, human being, here are a few confessions and secrets that I’d like to share…

1) I hate the sound of my own voice.

This was a genuine consideration of mine when deciding whether to do my teacher training. I honestly doubted that anyone would enjoy listening to me guide them through a practice. I still cringe when I have to hear myself on a video, which was the main thing holding me back from doing online classes. I’ve actually had several of my students comment on how much they love my voice, so it just goes to show that we’re our own worst critic.

2) I struggle to fully switch off during other people’s classes.

Since becoming a Yoga Teacher, I notice so much more than I did before. I’m overly aware of the sequencing of a class, I listen to the way a teacher cues alignment points or explains movements, and I try so hard to be ‘perfect’ in my postures in case anyone thinks I’m a bad teacher. It’s silly, I know, but I can’t help it. Don’t get me wrong, I still absolutely love the class and always enjoy myself, but in the back of my mind I’m forever thinking about things and taking mental notes.

3) I don’t practice physical yoga everyday.

I don’t feel guilty about it either. I want to make sure it never becomes a chore or a commitment I can’t keep up. I admit that at times I should probably motivate myself a bit more, but right now I’m content just going with the flow, whether that’s two hours on my mat, or just taking a deep breath once in a while.

4) I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram.

Although there are many positives to social media, it does have a habit of filtering out the hard times. Despite working as a Marketing Manager before making the switch to teaching, you’ll notice pretty quickly that I’m not so hot with my own social media channels. Even though I know I should be ‘selling’ myself and my classes with pretty pictures, it’s not my style, and that’s okay. I also regularly unfollow other Instagram yogis because they affect my self esteem. I recommend you do the same!

5) There are lots of yoga poses I don’t do.

There are some postures that I’m simply not strong or flexible enough to achieve, but there are also others that I don’t think are beneficial at all and so I’ve removed them from my practice and my teaching.

6) I don’t always listen to my body.

I sometimes push myself too far and afterwards I get super angry at myself. I know exactly what I’d say to a student in this situation, but for some reason I don’t seem to follow my own advice! I blame this on my sports background because I grew up with a ‘no-pain-no-gain’ approach from my coaches. The healing and caring elements of yoga are actually one of the reasons I love it so much. Overall I’m good at this now, just occasionally I have a little blip.

7) I don’t believe in crystals.

There. I said it. I think they’re really pretty, but I’m not convinced they have super powers.

So, the secrets are out. I’m far from perfect, and if it wasn’t for yoga, I’d probably be a little more crazy and a little less composed! You can read more about my yoga journey here and a few more secrets in part 2 of this blog post!