How to Start Teaching Yoga: Overcoming Shyness and Building Confidence

If you’re wondering how to start teaching yoga despite feeling shy, insecure, or lacking confidence, you're not alone.

How to Start Teaching Yoga: Overcoming Shyness and Building Confidence

Ciao, thriving yoga teacher!

Congratulations on completing your yoga teacher training! If you’re wondering how to start teaching yoga despite feeling shy, insecure, or lacking confidence, you're not alone.

Many new instructors face these challenges, but with the right strategies, you can overcome them.

In this blog entry, I will share essential tips to help you overcome these barriers and confidently begin your journey as a yoga teacher.

🌟Tip Number 1: Start with Small Groups, Friends, and Family!

Begin your yoga teaching adventure by creating a cosy space for yourself and others by teaching to friends, colleagues, neighbours, family members, or a small group of supportive individuals.

This creates a safe, supportive, and familiar environment where you can gain confidence and refine your teaching skills without feeling overwhelmed.

However, if mingling with your inner circle isn't your cup of chai, don't worry!

There are endless avenues to explore. And that’s what we are going to explore today. Let's stay solution-oriented.

All you need is to seek out alternative spaces where you can put your yoga wisdom into practice.

One thing that you might consider is sharing your yoga classes with niche Facebook groups, which is a fantastic way to connect with like-minded souls and spread yoga to the right people.

Use the Facebook search and type-specific keywords related to your niche. For example, if you're interested in "yoga teachers," use that term in the search bar.

After searching, use the filter options. Select “Groups” to narrow down the results to only groups.

Also, keep an eye on related groups based on your search that Facebook suggests.

You could also offer your classes for free or on a donation basis at the community hall.

To advertise, you can create flyers and posters to distribute around your city, including locations such as health food stores, information centres, coffee shops, libraries, universities, wellness and spa centres, bulletin boards in apartment complexes, and bookstores, or your social media platforms. Be creative!

To create a win-win situation, offer your yoga classes for free or on a donation basis in exchange for feedback. You can design a fun quiz with open-ended questions to gather insights on how to improve your teaching style.

This feedback can also be used to enhance your social media presence, establishing you as an authority in the field and attracting more participants to your classes.

Another excellent way to practice your teaching style is to reach out to your yoga teacher training buddies! They're ideal for testing your sequences since they understand the experience and can relate to your journey. They will support and cheer you on as you take your first steps in teaching yoga.

Alternatively, offer live classes on your favourite platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to be able to connect with students worldwide!

By hosting regular virtual sessions with your followers and subscribers, your community grows, and you can start earning through membership models on platforms like Instagram.

With Instagram subscriptions, you can earn recurring monthly income by offering exclusive content and experiences to your most engaged followers.

However, if you're hesitant about jumping into social media, you can start by building confidence with friends, family, colleagues, and your teacher-training peers.

Another tip is to consider setting up a Meetup group on the Meetup platform.

This is exactly what I did at the beginning, and it proved to be a great alternative because you don't need a physical space. You can hold your classes at the beach, in the park, or at the community hall.

There are a few more tips, like creating your own Facebook group, or partnering with online platforms, in my FREE guide, "Start Your Journey to Financial Success as a Yoga Teacher." Be sure to grab your copy. You can find it in the description below.

To wrap up, I know it might seem daunting, but remember: start small, plant the seeds, and watch as your efforts blossom over time.

https://fe-maryenne.newzenler.com/free-resources/

🌟 Tip Number 2: Copying is Studying!

Here's a little secret: Copying is sometimes a good thing.

It's a bit like peeking into the knowledge that others have already paved the way for.

Remember that saying: "If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research"? Well, consider yourself a research fanatic!

I began my journey by observing, learning, soaking up, and mimicking those who walked the path before me.

Watching seasoned yoga teachers online became my guiding light.

Whenever you pick up a new skill, whether it's knitting, dancing, or cooking, you typically learn by following someone else's step-by-step method, right?

It's all part of the journey!

My suggestion is to go online or pay for a platform like Alomoves, which I consider the best platform when it comes to yoga and find your favourite teacher.

Select a video of a class that speaks to your soul, and dissect it like a curious scholar. Highlight the parts of the sequence that resonate with you.

Grab your notebook and pen and begin to capture the essence of what resonates with you.

Notice the subtle nuances in cueing, how she holds the space, how she uses her voice, what she says when she needs to underline a specific cue and so on.

To start, it’s natural to draw inspiration from other teachers as you refine your approach to yoga.

Initially, you learn by observing and emulating, absorbing techniques and styles that resonate with you.

However, the true magic begins when you start to infuse these lessons with your flair and authenticity.

If you merely continue to copy others, your teaching can become sterile and inauthentic—it might feel like you’re embarking on someone else’s journey rather than carving out your own path.

Remember, while it’s beneficial to study and mimic to get started, it’s crucial to discover your style, your voice, and the unique touch that makes your teaching distinctly yours.

So after studying or copying, however, you like to say it, create your flow and let your creativity shine through.

So, if you ever find yourself hesitating to step into the spotlight because of a lack of ideas or uncertainty about sequencing, take a deep breath and remember one simple word: COPY for the first time and add your flavour as you move along your yoga teaching journey.

If you need extra help building your sequence, I have created a FREE guide called “The Outstanding Guide to Yoga Sequencing” You can grab it in the description below.

https://fe-maryenne.newzenler.com/free-resources/

Super important: before going on a teaching stage, give yourself a few practice runs. Picture yourself guiding a class with confidence and grace.

With each rehearsal, fine-tune your skills.

That’s exactly what we are going to talk about in the next tip.

🌟 Tip Number 3: Practice Regularly

Consistent personal practice is essential for building confidence as a yoga teacher.

It sounds super basic but is often underestimated.

When you dedicate time to your practice to deepen your understanding of yoga postures, alignment, sequencing, meditation, and breathwork, you become more comfortable and confident in sharing your knowledge with others.

Start by practicing individual postures aloud—whether it's to yourself recording your voice, in front of a mirror, or on camera—and build your confidence from there.

We often don't realise the magic we're weaving until we witness it firsthand.

Recording and reviewing your class afterwards provides precious insights. You'll uncover hidden gems of wisdom, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate moments of pure brilliance.

Sure, feedback from others is golden, but the real treasure lies within. Listening to your voice and observing your movements with a discerning eye is where the real transformation begins.

Break down your entire yoga sequence into manageable segments: warm-up, middle 1, middle 2, and cool-down.

Dedicate time to practice each segment at least five times. Once you feel comfortable with one section, move on to the next.

This methodical approach helps you gain mastery over each part of your sequence, ensuring that when you string them together, you deliver a seamless and confident flow.

This helps you become more comfortable articulating instructions and cues, deepen your understanding, enhance your ability to guide others, as well as find your teaching voice.

Creating a table to measure improvement for yoga teachers can be a valuable tool for tracking progress, identifying strengths, and highlighting areas for development.

An Improvement Table isn't just a tool for growth; it's a roadmap for becoming a more effective, inspired, and dedicated yoga teacher.

On Fe Maryenne's blog, you'll find the “Yoga Teacher Improvement Table” to help pinpoint different areas in your yoga teaching journey.

Check the description down below to access it.

I believe a fantastic tool to aid in this understanding is the “Yoga Teacher Improvement Table” I’ve crafted for you. It’s designed to help you pinpoint and work on these areas systematically. You can find it in the description below.

Yoga Teacher Improvement Table

An Improvement Table is a valuable tool for yoga teachers for several key reasons:

Structured Progress Tracking: It provides a clear, organized framework for monitoring personal and professional growth over time. By setting benchmarks and regularly updating their progress, teachers can see exactly how they are advancing in various aspects of their teaching.

Goal Setting: The table helps in defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. This structured approach to goal setting encourages continuous development and helps teachers focus their efforts where it matters most.

Feedback Integration: By incorporating regular feedback from students, peers, or mentors into the table, teachers can gain insightful perspectives on their teaching methods. This feedback can pinpoint areas that need improvement and highlight strengths, fostering a more responsive and adaptive teaching style.

Professional Development: The Improvement Table encourages ongoing education and skill enhancement. It can include goals for attending workshops, obtaining additional certifications, mastering new yoga techniques, and ensuring that teachers remain engaged and at the forefront of yoga teaching practices.

Self-Reflection: Regularly reviewing and updating the table facilitates a habit of self-reflection. This process helps teachers understand not just what areas need improvement, but also why certain methods work or don't work, enhancing their introspective skills and teaching efficacy.

Motivation and Accountability: Having a visible, tangible record of goals and achievements can serve as a powerful motivational tool. It not only holds teachers accountable to their development plans but also celebrates their accomplishments, providing a sense of achievement and encouraging further progress.

Enhancing Student Experience: Ultimately, a teacher's improvement directly benefits their students. A teacher who is continuously improving is better equipped to provide high-quality, innovative, and responsive yoga instruction. This enhances the learning experience, supports student progress, and boosts overall class satisfaction.

How to Use This Table:

Set the Baseline Performance: Record where you are starting from in each area. This might include self-assessment, feedback from students, or input from a fellow teacher.

Key Observations: Regularly update each column to reflect your current performance and any new feedback or achievements. This helps track your progress and adapt your goals as needed.

Monthly Feedback: Use this column to jot down any additional insights, feedback from peers or students, and personal reflections that might inform your teaching practice.

Define Goals: Set specific, measurable goals for each area. This might include mastering new poses, attending a certain number of workshops, or improving student engagement metrics.

Area of Improvement	Baseline Performance	Key Observations	Monthly Feedback	Define Goals
Teaching Techniques	Record the initial class and note key observations for yourself	Clarity of instruction	Monthly video review and feedback from a mentor or teacher training buddy	Improve demonstration clarity for complex poses

		Demonstration skills

		Use props to enter the asana safely.

		Consider body limitations or injuries and offer contraindications and cautions.

		Techniques, cues, alignments, misalignments, adjustments, and corrections.

		Breath direction or guidance when holding the asana
				Consider workshops for advanced demonstrations
		Mention the name of the asana in Sanskrit and English

		Drishti or Antara Drishti

		Dharma Talk

		Benefits of the Asana

		Come out of the asana safely

Sequence Design	Adjust sequences based on class feedback and key observations	Flow of poses	Initial sequence designs reviewed by a peer	Design a new sequence each month, incorporating feedback

		Balance between strength, flexibility, coordination, agility, core stability, cardiovascular endurance, and respiratory endurance.

		Theme integration
	Keep a journal of variations and outcomes
		Experience different types of flow

		Experience different types of pranayamas, meditations, and chantings.

Engagement with Students	Review changes in feedback and student participation	Collect initial feedback via surveys or direct questions	Increase student interaction through personalised adjustments	Monthly focus group with regular attendees
		Retention rates
		Interaction quality
		Offer live classes on your favourite social media platform
Personal Practice	Practice consistency	Personal practice 5 times weekly	Personal Feedback	Master 3 new poses in 6 months

	Track new poses learned	What are the new poses?
				Attend advanced classes or retreats for inspiration
	Self-assessment of skills	Learn new skills

Professional Development	List current certifications and recent workshops	Workshops attended, certifications gained	Personal Feedback	Partner with a mentor for guidance and support

				Add at least one new learning experience per quarter
				Obtain a new certification within the year

This table should be tailored to your specific needs and goals and should evolve as goals are reached and new challenges are identified.

Regular review and updates will help maintain focus and momentum in professional development.

Channel your focus towards constructive feedback. For every critique or feedback, find five things you did wonderfully and five areas ripe for growth.

It's like sprinkling a little sparkle onto your self-reflection journey!

Now, let's talk about the art of refinement. As you seek to replace and adjust elements of your class, do so with grace and curiosity.

Experiment, try new approaches, and permit yourself to stumble along the way.

Remember, the path to a yoga teaching journey is paved with trial and error.

Take a moment to ponder what might be stopping your progress in your yoga teaching journey. Recognise any areas that need enhancement, and do so without judgement.

Continue to explore, evolve, and thrive as you search for that sweet spot, one step at a time, one breath at a time.

🌟 Tip Number 4: Start with Private Classes!

Entering a classroom for the first time, filled with students who have unique needs, past injuries, or pregnancy, and trying to recall gentle variations, proper prop usage, and contraindications, all while ensuring everyone's attention, can be overwhelming and potentially counterproductive.

Especially when you're just starting out.

It's crucial to prioritise teaching smaller groups or even focusing on one individual.

This approach allows you to hone your teaching skills in a more manageable and intimate setting, where you can give personalised attention and address specific needs.

By starting small, you can gradually build your confidence and expertise before venturing into larger classes with more diverse needs and dynamics.

It's like laying a strong foundation upon which you can confidently build your teaching practice.

So, always consider prioritising smaller groups or one-on-one sessions, particularly in the early stages of your teaching journey.

With private sessions, you have the luxury of focusing on one person's needs, desires, and aspirations.

It's like crafting a personalised yoga experience, tailored to fit like a glove.

No need to juggle a myriad of special requirements and variations – it's just you and your student.

Private classes are your secret weapon for building confidence – both for yourself and your students!

Imagine this scenario: your student shares a specific need or concern.

For instance, let’s say your private student mentions that Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) aggravates their sciatic nerve. How would you address that?

You could modify the posture by incorporating a crescent lunge with a bent back knee to alleviate the pressure on the sciatic nerve.

This personalized approach not only helps your student feel more comfortable and supported but also deepens your understanding of how to tailor poses to meet individual needs.

Armed with this knowledge and experience, you’ll be more confident in your group classes, ready to make similar adjustments for other students who might face the same issue.

Private sessions allow you to practice and refine these modifications in a more relaxed environment.

With each private session, you and your student learn and grow together, discovering the subtle nuances of modification and adaptation.

This continuous learning process enhances your ability to cater to a diverse range of needs, ultimately making you a more versatile and confident yoga instructor.

It's like planting seeds of wisdom, nurturing them with each passing class.

Another great advantage of teaching a private yoga class is the immediate feedback!

As you guide your student through the practice, you can seamlessly adjust and adapt based on their response.

You can ask simple questions like: "How does it feel?" and modify accordingly.

Their feedback becomes your guiding light, illuminating the path to refinement within the present moment.

If you are curious about how to attract private clients to your yoga teaching business, drop a comment below with the word “secrets.”

If there's enough interest, I'll put together a FREE guide with tips and strategies to help you find your ideal private clients.

🌟 Tip Number 5: Teaching Beginners

Delving into teaching an advanced yoga class when you're just starting may feel overwhelming.

Cueing and guiding individuals who are well-versed in their practice can be daunting for a new teacher.

Cueing an advanced yoga class is very different compared to cueing beginners.

In an advanced class, the cues you learned during teacher training may not be enough.

In fact, to teach a more advanced class you need a lot of understanding and self-practice.

In advanced classes, the focus shifts to concise, sharp cueing and offering insightful dharma talks.

Since participants are well-versed in their practice, the emphasis lies more on imparting wisdom.

As you embark on your journey as a yoga teacher, it's wise to start by focusing on teaching beginners. This approach can be less intimidating and overwhelming, allowing you to build your confidence and teaching skills gradually.

Teaching beginners can be a deeply rewarding experience that fosters personal growth, development, and self-discovery as a teacher.

By sharing your knowledge and passion for yoga with others, you'll deepen your understanding of the practice and its transformative power.

Starting your teaching journey by instructing beginners in yoga allows you to establish a solid foundation for your teaching skills.

You'll learn how to effectively communicate fundamental yoga concepts, poses, cueing, sequencing, and techniques in a clear and accessible manner while creating a supportive learning environment.

Teaching beginners has numerous advantages, one of which is undoubtedly an opportunity to build confidence as a teacher.

Not only that, teaching beginners helps you develop a deeper understanding of student needs and abilities.

You'll learn how to assess and accommodate a wide range of skill levels, physical abilities, and individual needs, laying the groundwork for effective teaching in more advanced settings.

The skills and insights gained from working with beginners provide a solid framework for progressing to more challenging and specialised teaching roles.

Teaching beginners provides an invaluable opportunity for both you and your students to learn and grow together.

By taking the time to explain poses and concepts, you deepen your understanding and refine your teaching skills.

Remember that teaching yoga is a continuous learning process, and it's natural to experience some apprehension when starting out.

Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you navigate this new chapter, and trust that with time and practice, your confidence as a yoga teacher will grow.

🌟 Tip Number 6: Seek Mentorship

You know, no matter where you look around the world, there are people just like you set off on their adventures, hungry for knowledge and insight.

It doesn’t matter if you’re aiming to nail those marketing strategies, sharpen your business skills, or immerse yourself in the serene practice of yoga – the journey can often feel pretty overwhelming.

But isn't it exciting to think that in every corner of the globe, there's someone else on a similar quest, facing the same challenges and seeking the same growth?

But imagine having someone who has been exactly where you are right now, ready to hold your hand and guide you forward. Someone who understands your challenges and knows the way through.

Entering mentorship is like having a guiding light that illuminates your yoga teaching journey, especially during moments when you feel overwhelmed.

Seeking out experienced yoga teachers or mentors offers invaluable insights, encouragement, and advice born from their own experiences.

While books and classes provide a foundation, mentorship unveils the wisdom that can only be obtained through firsthand experience.

Mentorship serves as a catalyst for both personal and professional growth. Your mentor becomes a loyal ally, holding you accountable to your vision, and offering personalised guidance, support, and feedback tailored to align with your unique journey.

Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads, uncertain of which path to take?

Much like the practice of yoga, the journey of entrepreneurship often requires seeking guidance, assistance, and insightful direction to reach new heights.

With mentorship, you can cultivate a deeper sense of spiritual maturity.

It's an acknowledgement that we're not meant to conquer every challenge alone but rather to lean on the wisdom and support of others.

With the assurance of a seasoned guide, your confidence soars, and your doubts are silenced by the unwavering support of your mentor.

Your decisions become more assured, and your actions become bolder, fueled by the knowledge given to you.

With mentorship as your compass, you're empowered to stay focused, resilient in the face of adversity, and strong on the path towards realising your dreams.

Mentorship also helps to set achievable goals for yourself, whether it's teaching a certain number of classes per week or mastering specific teaching techniques.

I'm excited to announce that I'm opening a few spots for Dharma Bay Mentorship!

This month, I'm only accepting one student.

Let's chat and discover how this personalised program can take your yoga teaching journey to the next level.

Book a Call to find out if we can work together: https://femaryenne.com/book-a-...;

🌟Tip Number 7: Continuing Education

Yoga has become increasingly popular in recent years, which means there is a lot of competition among yoga teachers.

This could make it difficult to stand out, differentiate yourself from others, and attract new students.

Yoga is a constantly evolving field, and an aspiring, new, or veteran yoga teacher must stay up-to-date with what the market truly requires.

Being a yoga teacher in 2024 is not just about teaching in a yoga studio, stepping into a class, and teaching. It’s about doing something out of our comfort zone, which means being a digital yoga teacherpreneur.

The latest skills we must learn and understand to stay up to date are marketing and business to have more doors open online and offline.

Yes, I know.

It can be challenging to establish a personal brand online, create a website, a social media account, a marketing strategy, and network within the yoga community.

That’s why you should take advantage of workshops, seminars, and continuing education opportunities to further develop your teaching skills and knowledge.

When you want to continue educating yourself, you've got to think outside the box, dip your toes into public speaking, wrap your head around marketing, and even get cosy with the ins and outs of running a business.

Because, let's face it, you've got to be able to sustain yourself by doing what you love.

Investing in your ongoing education demonstrates your commitment to growth as a yoga teacher and can boost your confidence.

When you engage in ongoing professional development and continuing education, you stand out, and as a result, you eliminate competition.

Education is constant nourishment, and if you want to stand out in a crowded market, you have to be willing to pay the price for it.

Education is not something you buy once and are set; it is expensive, although fulfilling.

Every stride you take in investing in yourself echoes in your future success.

It might lighten your bank account, but it enriches your wisdom.

Dharma BAY Academy is a transformative sanctuary where cutting-edge yoga teacher training meets the art of business mastery, elevating you to craft an online empire fueled by the wisdom of marketing, public speaking, social media strategies, and captivating copywriting.

Do you want to know more about how Dharma BAY Academy will help in your journey of yoga teaching?

Browse on the landing page, you can find the link below.

https://femaryenne.com/dharma-bay-academy/

Here are my best 7 tips to start teaching yoga.

If you haven't read my previous blog entry, you can find it here:

https://fe-maryenne.newzenler....?

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Ciao for Now!

See You on The Moon