Wow! Three years on after graduating from the 200 Hour Teacher training with Yoga London!
So what has changed since last year? At the beginning of this year I went into teaching yoga and Pilates full time. It was a huge step and I battled with the decision. Leaving a regular paid job to become responsible for my own cash flow, scary! Initially I wanted this to happen straight away but realised when working part-time, 4 days a week, this may take somewhere between 5-7 years after graduating that I’d be able to transition full time, but a couple of opportunities presented themselves, and it was time to go for it.
The transition from part-time teaching to full-time teaching.
Know what your realistic minimum earnings need to be – have you also considered holidays, sick days & pension? With most corporate jobs all this will be included and if you’ve worked in this environment you’ll probably have a figure in mind you’d like to achieve. Maybe for the first year you don’t include this in your earnings, but make sure you add this in after year one!
Consider other opportunities as well as teaching. What are your strengths. I’ve been lucky to take on a couple of admin tasks which I enjoy and it balances out the teaching a little bit. There are so many opportunities out there now, it’s just finding the right one for you!
Plan to take holiday. Even if it’s just a week off at home reading a book, take time out before you burn out.
Additional training
This year I planned on going on a retreat instead of training, however the focus shifted to becoming self-employed and I signed up to a couple of courses to help boost my skill-set.
Level 3 in Exercise considerations of independently active, older clients – I already teach independently active, older clients and I just wanted to ensure I was offering the best in this area.
Level 3 in Exercise referral – exercise is still one of the best ways to tackle overall health and wellbeing, however there are many of us who suffer from:
Cardiovascular conditions,
Metabolic conditions,
Respiratory conditions,
Musculoskeletal conditions,
Psychological/mental health conditions
I was keen to get a better understanding of how exercise can be adapted and used as a support for the above conditions.
Baby Yoga – This is a great addition to the pregnancy and post-natal Yoga I teach and it’s wonderful to see parents and babies connecting with each other.
What’s next for training? This list is still very long! For now I’ll be putting into practice what I have learnt this year and keeping an eye on current research. I’d like to review all previous training and weave knowledge bites into classes.
What have I missed this year? Last year I missed being able to attend regular classes, and I’m pleased to say that I’ve found a couple of classes that I can get to during the day time. I thought I’d miss the regular routine of an office environment, but I’ve kept myself busy and I now have a bit of a routine, other than studying.
I’ve missed cycling to work and I haven’t been able to build that into my current routine so I’m joining a gym, which I’m excited about. I like some exercise on my own, but I do like to have company to stay motivated.
What have I loved? I’ve loved being able to concentrate more on teaching and being able to teach all age ranges! I enjoy seeing people smiling and walking out of class feeling relaxed and happy. The power of movement and breath, whether it is in Pilates or Yoga is clear to see and it is lovely to hear how regular attendance each week has helped people to manage long term issues, improve strength and provide a greater sense of wellbeing.
Tips from year three.
These 5 tips are similar to how I felt at the end of year two but with greater emphasis placed on them this year.
Monthly reviews – write down your monthly goals/objectives. Understand how you’re going to achieve those goals.
Review your monthly goals/objectives and understand what worked well and what didn’t. What can you change for next month.
Keep learning – New material will inspire your teaching and keep your classes fresh
Cross train – Whether cross training in a different exercise or cross training to learn a new skill, both will make you more supple and stronger. Seeing how a different discipline works will strengthen your existing knowledge.
Understand what motivates and inspires your work. This is key and can really define your purpose. More on this to come at a later date.
Thank you – As always, thank you to all of those that have supported the transition, attended classes, presented opportunities. I’m looking forward to sharing more yoga and Pilates with you!
*First published July 2019
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