Becoming a Full-Time Yoga Teacher: A Journey of Passion and Perseverance

Four years ago, I started my journey to become a certified yoga

teacher. After practicing yoga for so many years, my passion just kept growing and I had a big desire to make yoga a bigger part of my life. Little did I know that this decision would change my life forever.

Upon completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training, I felt lost and unsure of what to do next. However, as I began teaching yoga to my family and friends in Colombia, I realized that teaching yoga was something that truly fulfilled me. I started teaching private lessons and some group classes in companies, initially as a hobby and not as my main source of income.

As I continued teaching, I fell even more in love with it. The gratification of making a difference in people's lives through this practice was huge. However, when I moved to New York City in 2021, I faced a new set of challenges. Not only did I have to navigate the yoga industry in a new city, but I also had to overcome the language barrier, learning anatomy and how to cue in a different language.

Despite these challenges, I made the decision to give yoga a chance to be my full-time job. I started with private lessons, which I have always loved, and with a lot of dedication, I made it work. Being a full-time yoga teacher has its ups and downs, but every time a student tells me how yoga has changed their lives, it fills my heart with so much satisfaction and gratitude and reminds me why I love what I do.

However, being a full-time yoga teacher can also bring out a lot of insecurities, especially in a world where yoga has become a competition to be "the best." It's important to remember that every teacher and practitioner's journey is unique, and we should avoid falling into the trap of comparison.

Here are some tips based on my own experience that I would like to share with you:

1. Remember your passion for yoga: Continuously remind yourself of why you chose to pursue yoga in the first place and why it is your passion.

2. Define your goals as a yoga teacher: Identify your primary goals as a yoga teacher, how you want to utilize and impart the knowledge that you have gained.

3. Embrace your unique qualities: Recognize and celebrate all your unique qualities, as your process is one-of-a-kind.

4. Explore different career options: Know that there are various career paths available for yoga teachers, aside from studios and gyms.

5. Be open to new opportunities: It's okay if you haven't figured everything out yet. Give life a chance to guide you towards the right direction and be open to exploring new opportunities.

6. Keep learning: Always remain a student and never stop learning, as learning is a never-ending process.

7. Develop your teaching style: Find your own unique style of teaching and keep in mind that it may change as you grow as a yoga teacher and practitioner.

8. Not everyone will love your style: Keep in mind that not every yoga teacher will be the perfect match for every student or studio, and vice versa, so don't be discouraged if not everyone loves your style.