Make it Simple: Be Yourself

It’s official! I’m a yoga teacher! I successfully taught a 45 minute class to three students. I did it!

What I always find so interesting is no matter how nervous you are in anticipation of something, once its “go time”, your on. It’s almost as if your in a noisy crowded room and then suddenly everyone leaves and your mind clears and without thinking or hesitation you “just go”—like you’re in auto pilot.

That’s exactly what I experienced once I started my yoga class. I turned my music on and off I went into my introduction and sequence without skipping a beat. But what am I the most proud of? I was truly myself.

I have practiced taught A LOT by talking through each of my cues, rehearsing my opening and closing, and flowing through my sequence. However, when I was going through these motions it didn’t feel natural which is why I kept practicing! Reflecting upon my practice experience, I now realize that I was not being me. I was trying to be all of my amazing yoga teachers by using their cues, expressions and jokes.

Yet, once it was “go time” to teach my class it was me. It was my expressions and cues. It was my jokes that were making my students laugh. It was me walking around the room and helping my students get into the proper alignment and demonstrating the poses. It was my upbeat energy. It was all me and it was so fun and natural.

It truly made me realize that in anything we do—you can’t fake it. In order to truly experience the moment, have fun and get what you want from the experience, you need to be authentic.

I was authentic today. Did I fumble over my words at times? Yes! Did I make a wrong cue for a pose? Yes! But did I have fun teaching and did my students enjoy their practice? Yes! Letting go of perfection and being myself is what I’m most proud of today .

When we pursue our goals it’s so easy to get caught up in how we should be opposed to who we really are. Push that pressure aside. Leave perfection at the way side and make it simple. Be yourself.