My Yoga Teacher Training Journey
Did you ever pretend you had an adult job when you were growing up such as a doctor, vet, firefighter, or the millions of other careers that looked so neat when you were little? I always had a passion for helping others and thought being a teacher would be the perfect way to inspire others and have the biggest impact. Well, fast forward to college when the teaching job market in Illinois was virtually nonexistent. I quickly switched gears to PR and gave up my dream of ever becoming a teacher. However, sometimes your dreams can reveal themselves in different forms — you just have to listen.
When I was in high school my mom took me along to one of her yoga classes and even after just one hour I knew this was the start of something really special. After that first experience I took classes on and off at the local fitness center and did some at home yoga videos but it wasn’t until i stepped into my first yoga studio in 2014 that I became hooked. I went from practicing occasionally to spending at least 4-5 hours a week on my mat. I took a few months off in 2015 during a crazy busy phase of life and instantly regretted it. I was not centered and I really mentally and physically craved time on my mat. It was when I returned to my mat after that short time off that I began to break my pattern and started to let go.
What I’ve learned after really listening to myself after spending so much time on my mat with my thoughts is that true meaningful transformation comes from within. There’s not a magical number on the scale or size of clothes that will make you feel perfect. External things — money, jobs, houses, cars, or physical appearances will ever make you happy. If you don’t truly love the person you are, and have genuine self love, you’ll never be fulfilled. The turning point for me was when I let go of the illusion of control and perfectionism and started to really live my life. And guess what? By letting go and embracing what makes me different and enjoying my life I’ve gained so much. And no, I didn’t gain numbers on a scale or pant sizes but self confidence, self love, self worth, and a whole lot of grit and determination.
Next month I begin a new chapter as I start yoga teacher training and I couldn’t be more excited to share this journey with others and create a big impact that I’ve craved my entire life. Yoga has truly transformed my life and being able to help others in this same way gives me so much joy.
I’ve been feeling called to do yoga teacher training for a long time but was too terrified to stop making excuses for why I shouldn’t do it so many years.
Fear is what holds us back from things in life, especially those that can really change us for the better. There’s something comforting in pretending that we’re in control, when in reality it’s all just an illusion — and one that will only hold you back. I’ve decided recently that life is far too short to not do the things that you truly want to do. Sometimes you just have to go for them, especially when it’s scary as hell — because that’s where the biggest transformations are bound to take place. So here’s to doing things that are totally terrifying, because life would be far too boring without them.
Namaste,
Amanda