a photo from my 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training in 2013.

In the early days of teaching yoga, I remember being simultaneously thrilled and terrified all at once.

I so desperately wanted to give to my students the experience I’d had from yoga: my practice was a powerful force for healing, it had brought me out of a deep depression and helped me know myself better, feel safe in my body, and feel at home within a community.

How could I share this? How could I give this away, this gift of yoga? How could I help other people find some relief from stress, pain, and exhaustion?

But first— how could I deal with the sense of self-doubt and anxiety that was looming over me every time I went to teach?

I remember being so nervous, wondering if I’d remember the words we’d learned in teacher training. My hands were shaking when I’d walk to the front of the room to start class. Oh God, I thought, what if my playlist isn’t working? What if the room is too hot? What if I totally blank out and forget what to say?

Any pose I spoke out loud felt like an opportunity to fail. To choke. To make a fool of myself.

I cared so much.

Maybe I cared too much.

a photo with my fellow teacher trainees at our 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training in 2013. we had so much fun together!

Over the weeks and months of early teaching— and into the first few years— I began to realize how common it was for yoga teachers to feel nervous and incredibly self-conscious.

I began developing ways to calm my nerves and center myself before class.

I began a ritual of repeating certain affirmations and mantras to myself, taking some deep breaths in my car before I walked in to teach.

It helped!

Now, over 10 years later, I want to share those words with you.

I’ve recorded a series of guided audio meditations for new yoga teachers. Each one is less than four minutes long, because I know you have a busy schedule and might be feeling rushed before class.

Take some time to yourself. Listen. Breathe. And remember: you’ve got this!

Listen Here