Confessions from a Yoga Teacher

"It's only one hour.  You can do it.  Come on.  It's only your second class of the day, what's the big deal?  Put on your yoga clothes, drink some water, maybe brush your teeth and put some music on.  Get going!"

It's gray outside.  It's been raining all day and my energy is zapped.  I've been lying in bed since 11am and it is now 3pm.  What was I doing?  I know a ton of health coaches who go through this dark mode...that I am in right now.

I don't have a master's degree in nutrition/exercise science, I am a Certified Health Coach + Yoga Instructor looking for other ways to jazz up my life, the programs I offer and my work.  But I am stuck.  I am stuck in the land of too much opportunity.  Too many different roads.  Which one am I supposed to take?  I decide none, so I stay in the land of stuck.

Not motivated to teach.  Tired.  Energy low.  Exhausted.  Hungry.  But not hungry, just bored with routine.  Think about finishing the book I started writing.  That's as far as that gets.  Eat some oatmeal with fruit, think about offering a cooking class.  Convince myself I don't know enough or no one will like how it tastes.

Start to take nice, deep breaths in, wishing I could GO to a yoga class and just lay on the mat.  Listen to the instructor's voice and music and tell her I will not be moving, just laying.  Hope she's okay with it.  She smiles.  Snap out of it!  

53 minutes until class starts.  NO!!!  It's too late to get a sub and if I dig deep, I'm excited to teach.  Just tired.  I love my class & people that come.  How can I connect to them better?  How can I teach the best damn yoga class they've ever taken?  I hope my low energy doesn't affect them.  Maybe they are low too.  The ugly weather.

50 minutes until class.

Visualize the beginning, middle & end.  I can do it.  I will bring the sunshine to my class!  One step at a time.  I will share this thought with the men & women that come tonight.

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Salmon Protein Salad with a side of sliced of sweet potatoes!!

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Mixed kale/veggie salad with chicken sausage sauteed in coconut oil!

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What Are You Waiting For?

I ask myself this every day.  When I wake up, I check my email, eat breakfast and wait for the miracle to arrive.  Here's the short answer to a seemingly long story, it doesn't happen.  You can't search for your dream job because you have to create it!  And if you find your dream job, it usually comes with required certifications that you don't have and so you are left with searching again...even if you know what you want!

I know what I want in some ways.  I am 29 years old.  I want a family.  I want to live in a house, away from the city.  I want to have kids.  I want to travel. I want to be my own boss and make my own $$.  I want help but I don't know who to ask.  I want to get more education, but I don't want to be in debt for the next 30 years.  I want to have enough $$ in the bank that I feel comfortable going on vacations.

But I refuse to work for the man.  I don't want a strict schedule. I don't want to wish I was somewhere else.  I've done that already. I want to work with a purpose. I want to do work that feels good.  Work that changes someones life.

As a Certified Health Coach + Yoga Instructor I am living my passion, but not making the $$ I need to sustain a balanced life.  But I am not wishing I was somewhere else. Fitness, wellness and changing peoples lives is my passion.  At least I got that part figured out.

What are you waiting for?  Someone to appear and tell you what exactly you're supposed to be doing?  When is the right time to get married?  Should you take that job?  Should you date that person?  Should you speak up when you feel like something is wrong?  Or do you let things and words pass you by?  You don't need permission to get what you want out of this life, you just have to go for it!  I write for you, but I write for me.  It's just like my clients.  I work hard for them to help get them the results, but their results help me push harder, work more and learn more.  It's a beautiful cycle.

Sample Day of my life as an Entrepeneur!

6AM Wake up
Eat breakfast
7-8AM
Private gym session with personal trainer, Angie Garner + treat to bring my Dad with me!
8:15-9:15AM
EMAIL, WEBSITE UPDATES, ETC.
9:30-10:45AM
Hot Yoga with the sweet n' talented Emily Kasman
EAT.
11:30-4PM WORK.
DESIGN NEW WORKSHOPS. CREATE EVENTS. READ ARTICLES & NEW BOOK.
PLAN FOR 3 YOGA CLASSES TOMORROW.
EAT/DRINK.
5:15-6:15PM
Meet with client to discuss body, mind & soul progress over 4 months of dedication to a healthier life!
7-10P
Dinner with friends!
10-11P
Respond to emails.

Teaching Yoga with a Fractured Rib/2/3

I approach this week with fear.  Fear that I'll accidentally slip into a pose and I'll hear the same "CRACK CRACK CRACK" as last week.  The kind of cracks you don't want to hear when you are teaching a class.  Let alone the kind of cracks you don't want to hear EVER.

Last week when I was demonstrating a plank pose where you move one knee to your elbow, the cracks exploded in my body.  I was like, "oh shit, ouch, ouch, ouch, I can't breathe..." but remained calm on the outside and did my best to finish teaching the last 30 minutes.  I left class barely able to walk home because every time I took a breath I thought I'd collapse.

I got home and iced for 30 minutes, hoping I'd feel better.  Sleeping on my left side was actually comical because it hurt so bad.  It felt like my rib fell off and was floating in my stomach and every deep breath was like, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?"

I went to the doctor, got some x-rays and showed the doctor my rib that now poked out farther than the other side.  Every twist, my breath got sucked out and every side bend stopped before it started.  Hairline fractures/fractures in between the ribcage was the diagnosis.  RX: Basically, don't move for at least 2-4 weeks...INSERT SHOCKED FACE.

How does one even go about not moving for upwards of a month, let alone if they are a yoga/fitness/health instructor who uses their body as a tool & voice?  One week has passed, with cancelled classes last week.  It sucks.  Bottom line.  But, it's a challenge.  And I accept.  Using my voice, instead of my body to guide a 60 minute class is not natural for me, but I'll learn something, so might as well dive in the deep waters to save my rib from getting any worse.

If you know of any remedies besides taking it easy, please forward this way!