Let’s have a heart to heart, from one yoga teacher to another…
How are you? I mean how are you, really? Because as I know all too well, being a yoga teacher- especially a full time one- can be a tough gig. And it’s not necessarily the glamorous lifestyle you thought it might be after you finished your teacher training, am I right?
Maybe you visualised giving up your day job and teaching to enthusiastic students who love and adore you, maybe you dreamed of running your own studio with constantly packed out classes, or maybe you imagined yourself travelling the globe to sold out classes and workshops.
In fact, I’m guessing maybe your teacher training didn’t quite prepare you for the stark reality of needing to teach 20+ classes a week at somebody else’s studio just to scrape enough money together to pay your rent. Not to mention you probably still need to work a second job to make ends meet. It can be a hustle.
Now, I understand this is not everyone’s experience, but I know enough teachers who have experienced this (including myself) to know it’s not an unusual scenario.
Your teacher training probably also failed to mention that you’d be running (or in my case cycling) all over town from class to class arriving at the end of the week exhausted. And that’s if you even have an end of week, because all the yoga studios I know are open 7 days and weekends are often the busiest times for classes.
Oh and don’t forget your friends and family who think you have a cushy job because you teach 2-4 hours a day! I’ve always marvelled at how dismissive people can be of the energy required to hold space for a group of people and lead them safely through a 60 or 90-minute class several times (or more) a day. And then day after day after day.
Yoga teachers are renown for giving and giving because they love their craft, so it’s no wonder most of us (at some point anyway) are hitting the burn out button faster than you can say “Savâsana”.
Let’s face it, working this way long term isn’t viable or sustainable.
So what can you do to change this dynamic?
If you’re not feeling financially stable in your yoga teaching path right now, I can almost guarantee it’s because you’re teaching at low paying studios or gyms. And if your classes aren’t attended consistently, then you’ll always be wondering if they’ll be dropped, which adds another layer of stress and uncertainty.
In order to build security, it’s essential to build your own client base, so you can have direct contact with your customers and you’re relying on yourself to reach your income goals.
I know this first hand, because it wasn’t until I stopped working for other people and started working for myself that I became more financially comfortable.
Yoga teachers usually choose to create more income by offering teacher training programs- which might not be a viable option for you if you’re a new teacher- or by running retreats. And of course, some do both.
So let’s discuss 3 reasons why creating, organising, running and facilitating your very own exceptional yoga retreat experiences can be life changing for your business.
Not only do you get to teach the content you love, but you have the time and space to go into these topics in more detail and depth, much more than an hour long class once a week will permit. Plus you get to travel to incredible locations. What could be better?
You’ll have the chance to shift the story you tell yourself that you need to teach 20+ classes a week to just survive. This isn’t true. When you work more intelligently, then you can work less, charge more and have fun while you do it. And don’t forget you create more time and financial freedom too
Your students are waiting for you to offer them this opportunity. Now more than ever, people need retreats to help them regain clarity and balance in their lives. A blissful experience away from daily routines and challenges is exactly what your customers are dreaming about. Don’t disappoint them!
They’re also craving transformational experiences that rock their world, lead by you and your unique set of gifts. And they want community and connection with other like-minded yogis. In a nutshell, they can’t wait to go away with you to learn more, hang out and have fun!
So, why not facilitate this experience for them?
Take a leap of faith and organise yourself an incredible yoga retreat, where you get to showcase your gifts, teach content you’re passionate about and create a community of adoring fans who love what you do.
Without a doubt, teaching retreats can push you out of your comfort zone. But we all need to grow, expand and evolve as teachers, and doing something that feels edgy can be incredibly rewarding for you personally and for your business.
It’ll also offer you the opportunity to develop further skills around leadership, self worth, and teaching with authenticity, heart and purpose.
If this sounds exciting to you and you’d like to learn more, I have a unique self-study online course leading you through a step by step guide to ultimate retreat success. Designed specifically for yoga teachers looking to expand their biz offerings, in this course you’ll go from feeling unsure how to pull off a spectacular retreat, to knowing the exact formulas to guarantee a healthy profit and leave you with a community of raving fans.
Click Here To Learn More
I can’t wait for you to transform your life and your income.
