Tips from the experts to help you grow the yoga business of your dreams
This month’s mentor:
Kate Codrington writer, yoga nidra teacher, menopause mentor, group facilitator and podcaster (katecodrington.co.uk)
Do the work
The kindness with which you treat yourself feeds directly into the value of your work. Kind self-talk, good food and off-the cushion mindfulness will all make your work more authentic and popular. Self-awareness will save your butt.
It takes a village to hold a teacher
You cannot do this alone. If you are not held, how can you hold the people in your care? Gather all the support you can get. Peer support groups and 1-2-1 co-coaching arrangements are confidential, compassionate spaces to lean into. Professional supervision is not a luxury it’s a necessity.
Don’t presume
We know tons of stuff, but never presume to know what is right for a student. We do not know their entire history and even where we know most of it, it is beyond arrogance to give a ‘solution’ for someone. This robs people of their authority, disempowers and sets up harmful power structures. The most precious gift you can offer them is to manage their nervous system, connect with themselves and offer space to find out what they need.
Blame teacher
No matter how humble and real we keep it, teaching puts you into a position of authority. Your students will project all kinds of unrealistic stuff on you (Healed! Perfect! Never stressed! Monster!) and you’ll need healthy boundaries to recognise that this is their stuff not yours. What you say goes into their systems, and while this includes all the reassurance you offer, they will also pick up your judgements and beliefs. Take care to be very clean in your interactions and when conflict comes up, and it always does, try to meet the student from a grounded place with an open heart to hear their experience. Mostly people just need to be heard and their feelings acknowledged.
Boundaries
If you are to stay sane in this work, know your boundaries. This means emails/WhatsApp, time boundaries in classes, how much you disclose about yourself and having clear terms and conditions. Your boundaries will be pushed, that’s how you find out where they are! Your boundaries change according to your menstrual cycle, life circumstances, sleep etc. It’s okay to change them.
Social media
Scrolling is bad for us in so many ways. My top tips are:
- Put time aside in your diary to schedule posts every week (there are loads of scheduling apps; I use buffer).
- Do it your way; it takes time to find your voice and decide how to promote your work.
- Commit to how many times a day/week and for how long you want to check in and respond to comments.
- When you pick up your phone outside those times to scroll, notice what’s happening and ask ‘what am I avoiding here?’
You are beyond compare
It’s human to compare ourselves to others and feel we are ‘not enough’. But this wastes your energy and trashes your confidence. You have your own brilliance, your own interests and way of being that people will love. People will be drawn to the you-ness of you. When you catch yourself comparing, take a breath and remind yourself that you have a unique offering that no one else can bring to the world. You are always good enough.
Kate Codrington’s new book, Second Spring, will be published in February 2022. Find her on Instagram @Kate_codrington
Written and compiled by Claudia Brown (yogabyclaudia.com)
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
