Teaching yoga in English means you can work while you travel (or move abroad). You can expand your job opportunities and network. And even form collaborations with people all over the world. Today, let’s elaborate on our previous post. Here I told you how to begin your entrepreneurial journey and know if you’re ready to become your own boss. Specifically we’ll speak about how you can blend all your life experiences. Including your skills, hobbies, interests, and passions to create your own services. In other words, how to unite your authentic qualities for entrepreneurial success! Let’s begin…
I’m writing to you from Morocco today and it’s the 5th time I’m visiting this place within one year…
You may ask ‘why’?
Because…
… I love to travel, learn languages and get immersed in different cultures.
… it’s a popular destination for yoga retreats, workshops, and events.
… the people, food, and weather are amazing and cost of living cheap.
… I’ve made great connections that are active in the same industry. People whom I get to share incredible experiences with that fulfil and inspire me.
Why am I sharing this?
Because I know that we’re likeminded. You also have the dream to build an international teacher career. A career where making connections and going on adventures like these are possible! And I know that is possible for you when you unite your authentic qualities for entrepreneurial success!
These blogs aim at helping you build your career on your terms. Because, learning to teach yoga in English is one thing… the next step is to actually doing it!
Let’s recap the concept of the inner calling.
Previously I explained that your inner calling is a personal and intuitive direction that comes from within. It can be experienced as an inner voice that guides you toward a particular path or goal. But also as gut feelings, intuitive insights, passions, a burning desire, actions aligned with your values or a sense of purpose. For many, it’s a certain path that you know is right, even if you can’t logically explain why. Some of you wrote to me explaining their thoughts, fears and challenges.
For example: the desire to teach yoga, but feeling that working an office job is safer and stabler. Others shared that they fear competition. And again others said that they need to do “things” first. These types of statements, which I consider fears and limiting beliefs make it hard to listen to your inner calling. When experiencing self-doubt, you question your experience is enough. Or think you need more education to pursue your dreams. It can cloud that inner calling and blocks your from following your purpose. What I see here is a pattern. When not following your purpose, inner calling or building on your career, your inner calling is usually blocked. This block can be either of the three following ‘lacks’:
- Self-doubt
- Experience
- Education
Self-doubt
“I think others are better than me…” or “I’ll never be as good or better than them…”, followed by the common thought “…so why would anyone sign up for my services?”. This is a comparison that links to self-doubt.
If you doubt your skills and experience it’s often because you haven’t found your voice. And when you haven’t found your voice, it’s because you haven’t invested in gaining experience. Instead of comparing yourself to others; their success, the way they teach, how well they teach or how good their offers are, shift your perspective and see them as inspiration. Learn from them and make it your own. Or admire people for being themselves. See them as inspiration to find your authentic expression too. By gaining experience your authentic voice will develop. And you’ll build the confidence to let your personality shine through.
Lack of experience
“First… I need to gain more experience”, or “First, I need to raise my child.”, or “First, I need to safe more money so that I can invest in my business.”.
These are logical thoughts that come from rational thinking. Meaning you’ve surpassed your inner calling and focus on all that you don’t have. Often by questioning your experience is enough. If you haven’t completed YTT then, yes, I do suggest to become certified. Yet, many have the tendency to complete training after training without actually starting to teach. In that case, it’s not a lack of education, but again self-doubt. Your confidence isn’t going to grow with the number of certificates you get. To feel yourself teaching yoga comes from practice. So ask yourself: “Do I truly lack education or didn’t I have the opportunity to put my knowledge into practice?”. Knowledge is one thing, but being able to use it is another. So be honest with yourself. Completing training after training isn’t going to give you confidence, experience will.
To build experience and overcome self-doubt, go to the Your Yoga in English podcast. There, I’ve shared many episodes to improve your language, communication and teaching skills.
Lack of education
Going back to when you haven’t finished your YTT (yet). If you lack the education there’s only one solution. Enrol in courses that provide you with the adequate training to become certified! But after that, remember that knowledge alone isn’t enough. Don’t get caught in a never-ending cycle of training after training. Experience is the ultimate confidence booster.
Remind yourself of your purpose!
I can’t look into your calendars, to-do lists and responsibilities. And it may be easy for me to say: “Get out out there to gain the experience and build confidence”. But, what I do know is that your brain is wired to learn!
If you set your mind to something and keep reminding yourself of your purpose, you’ll find the drive to learn. Through learning and experience you’ll overcome self-doubt. Speaking of entrepreneurial success, building systems and strategies are skills too! They aren’t talents you have or not, you can learn anything!
How do you unite your authentic qualities for entrepreneurial success?
Working on building confidence, gaining experience, or obtaining education will impact each other. It’s a domino effect! Through education you gain experience and through experience you build confidence. They’re all intertwined. And ultimately what you do when you unite unite your authentic qualities for entrepreneurial success.
On this journey, you’ll also gain lots of self-awareness. Which in return allows you to see your unique qualities. You’re more than a yoga teacher; you have a life full of experiences and possibly other types of education. You most likely have work experience in a completely different profession. You have hobbies, passions, interests or other skills that you can combine with yoga. Unite your unique qualities to create services that have a specific outcome. A specific outcome can be a solution to a problem, wish, or desire. Take for example Enga Unite. As I’m speaking from experience, I also…
- Listened to my inner calling
- Defined my skills, passions and interests
- Created English for yoga courses
- Grew into my role and shifted purpose
- Help you build your career!
Let’s have a look at some examples of students that worked with me:
- Julia started teaching yoga to tailors!
- Vanessa is creating a programme of yoga for belly dancers: uniting yoga and dance
- Tabea works on yoga and lifestyle practices for athletes and boxers
- Daniela combined yoga and her passion for nutrition. She including recipes and ingredients from her home country Mexico.
- Ana Clara teaches yoga for rock climbers.
- Barbara is a yoga and life coach for female entrepreneurs.
- Marjo combines yoga, Ayurveda and massage to host her own retreats.
Yoga is universal
All these teachers united the qualities unique to them for entrepreneurial success. To combines their passions and skills to build their services, products and business.
Yoga offers so many benefits on so many different levels. It’s a practice that support every single person and every type of lifestyle. So you can combine or offer it to everyone! The practice can be adapted for everyone and combined with diverse interests. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel; unite your qualities to teach what you know and love. I know that you have skills that you probably never considered uniting with yoga. But use your imagination and creativity, because the options here are limitless!
The benefits of uniting your authentic qualities for entrepreneurial success
Just as I want you to find your voice to teach and express yourself authentically. To build your career or business, I want you to stay true to your passions and interests. Because they’re part of your personality and authenticity. What better way than to be of service than uniting the qualities that make you you? And by that share ALL you love! Apart from showing up authentically, there are more benefits to uniting your qualities:
- Passion-driven work is more motivating and less laborious.
- Specific offerings have clear outcomes and attract more committed students.
- Committed students provides you with a fulfilling teaching experience.
- Fulfilment for the teacher, plus measurable progress means student retention.
- And finally, it helps you stand out in the competitive yoga field.
See how here again, we’re creating a domino effect. Or let’s use a different metaphor: a puzzle! There are many different puzzle pieces that make your set complete. But the first need to be put in place for the next to logically fit (or happen). In the next blog, I’ll explain these benefits more in-depth. For now,
- Reflect and work on your lack of self-doubt, experience and education.
- Define your authentic qualities and look at how you can unite them with yogic practices.
There’s a teacher for everyone and students for every teacher!
I hope this inspires you to unite your passion for yoga with all the things that make you you! That this blog empowers you to combine your qualities to guide others in your unique way. Because yoga is yet to be discovered by many people around the world.
Launch and Expand Your International Yoga Career
Are you eager to take this journey even further? And explore the path to building an international career?
Check out the Launch & Expand Your International Career Programme. Here I share the key to crafting your very own international yoga business.
What to expect:
- Discover the power of starting with ‘why’
- Explore business models, in-person and online teaching, and product creation
- Build a solid foundation by defining your ideal client and conducting market research
- Select the right visibility, social channels and find out what to post
- Understand project management and implement effective growth strategies
And of course, this programme will be packed with personalised guidance and in-depth training to nurture your unique yoga business. I invite you to check out the programme here and sign up to the waitlist! Your dreams are worth it, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.
