28/08/2023
Because yogis are kinda normal sometimes
I woke up today with old feelings of unworthiness, not-good-enough, rejection, and failure. It all stemmed from an article that purported to detail the top online yoga teachers and platforms. Neither me, nor my online channel was mentioned. If there is one thing that I think I’ve done it is to take the message of yoga online. Being excluded from this list set off all the old feelings I faced when my main response from the world was “no thanks”.
You may look at me and see success but there is another story.
When I wanted to write a book I was rejected by over 100 book agents before one said maybe.
When I first wanted to make yoga videos all the major yoga platforms said they weren’t interested.
When I reached out to yoga centers and offered myself as a visiting teacher, I was told that I wasn’t good enough.
When I wanted to build a yoga channel founded on the tools of traditional practice and the yogi lifestyle, every company I asked said it wasn’t for them.
When I offered myself as an unpaid writer to various publications, they all either said there was no place for me or just didn’t reply.
Facing failure and rejection has perhaps been the single most common thread of my experience in the yoga world. I have learned how to take rejection and turn it into my own success, but it doesn’t make it feel any better when it happens.
When the old patterns flare back up it can be so frustrating, especially the dragons that you think have been conquered.
And, I want to acknowledge that feelings are not necessarily reality. I have an amazing publisher now and work with some amazing yoga centers all around the world. I still get turned down all the time for some things, but I know it’s because I keep trying to the impossible.
I also want everyone who practices with me online and especially everyone who is part of my yoga family to know that I love and appreciate you. They say it takes the student to make the teacher and I agree, because without you I’m just a girl taking selfies all around the world. You make me a teacher 🙏
Keep practicing. Be strong.
This old photo felt right for today 💕