“Too many yoga teachers”… is that even a thing?
No. The answer is no. I am usually more of a yes (wo)man myself, but in this case it’s going to be a hard no for me: a no to the old belief that I wasn’t enough.
To be completely honest, I used to be guilty of thinking that there were too many yoga teachers and that I had nothing to offer. I used to believe that because there are so many established, well-rounded, and incredible yoga teachers, there was no way that by teaching, I would make a difference. I used to believe that nobody would like my classes because they’ve been to better yoga teachers’ classes. I used to believe that I could never teach yoga as a full time job because there are already so many others doing so.
But that’s just that. I thought that way, so I believed it. I was inherently holding myself back by that belief, so I did not teach, did not have confidence, and did not think I was capable of building a following of students. The cycle was never-ending.
Once we release ourselves from our limiting beliefs, we can become limitless and open to endless possibilities. I have been wanting to start a blog about life for some time now, but the same limiting belief came up: there are so many good writers out there who have much more interesting things to discuss. I had to let that go. Of course, those thoughts can sometimes creep into my mind, but I keep reminding myself that there’s never “too much” of anyone and that we all deserve a place at the table. Maybe my writing skills are lacking, and maybe someone has written about the same topic, but I have not, and I refuse to dim my own light anymore.
Would you ever say that there are too many math teachers, or English teachers, or massage therapists, or firefighters? Hell no. Because each one brings something so valuable to the table.
The same thing applies for yoga teachers, writers, and creators alike. Each one of us is so different, and that is what makes each of us beautiful and makes our teaching practice unique. Even if we all went through the same training, we would all interpret things differently and therefore deliver them differently as well. The tone of our voices is unique, and the way we hold space in the room is all dependent on our individuality.
This is a beautiful thing. Each of us humans are special, and I think that if we all let go of the “what ifs,” the “shoulds,” and the “I can’ts,” and if we all started sharing what we believe and want to, then us as humankind will only exponentially grow and flourish because there is a never-ending well of ideas, beliefs, faces, journeys, and stories that I personally would love to see, hear, and share. A wise teacher and friend of mine taught me that yes, the yoga industry is saturated, but it is not saturated with YOU. You.
On that note, please share your stories, start that business, teach the class, follow your heart, and just keep on being you. I am still learning how to do so, but it’s a process, and all we can do is try. If you’ve made it this far, I commend you for getting through my ramble, and I look forward to seeing you next time!