Ah, the midlife crisis. That moment in time that when certain people approach the age of forty, with as much grace as a rhinoceros trying to walk a tightrope. Some leave their marriages, while others go out and buy a Maserati, while others take on the task of making over their bodies or redesigning their homes.
As for me, I ran off for six months and studied yoga.
I use the term “ran off” loosely. I still lived in my house, but for the amount of energy and time away from my family that it took to get through those six months/200 hours of time, I could have lived on an ashram in the Himalayas.
Anyone who has been through yoga teacher training can understand its similarities to boot camp. But if you are open to the experience, it will change you in ways you had never expected.
I didn’t go into teacher training necessarily wanting to teach. I was looking for a new way of looking at life and its complexities. I wanted answers to the “big questions,” and had enough prior background on yogic philosophy that I had faith that the experience would offer me insights…and perhaps a taste of that inner peace we are looking for.
When I came out of teacher training, I still was not convinced I wanted to teach. However, an opportunity was handed to me, and I have never looked back.
There are the “big reasons” why I love teaching yoga. The most obvious being that it is always a gift to teach a subject that you love. However, there are several “little reasons” as well, these ten being my favorite:
1) I get to go to work in yoga pants!
2) I get to go to work barefoot!
3) When I teach the class, I’m in charge of the playlist!
4) Occasionally I am tested by a difficult student. On a good day, this reminds me not to take people’s opinions of me too personally.
5) It's a great forum for plugging the benefits of meditation, which as you all know, I believe is the gateway to a more satisfying life.
6) I can say things like, "This pose is known for balancing your swadhisthana chakra," and no one smirks at me! Or at least they hide the smirk well.
7) I can hustle the benefits of doing a plank a day to an unsuspecting crowd. Wait! Scratch that. They have all heard the plank speech before. Like a dozen times.
8) I don’t have to hide my tattoos!
9) It gets me out of the house. What mom can't benefit from that alone?
10) I get to be myself – 100% of the time – and not get fired for it.
What do you love about your job?
If given all of the resources necessary to work in your dream job, how would your work life change?
Where would you be working right now if you lived your life without any reservations or any fear?
Now, go and ask yourself how you can make that happen. That dream job may be closer than you realize.
There’s no harm in believing in the possibilities. Is there?
Namaste, Divas!
©2012 Ilene Evans
You know, in the back of my mind, I dream about doing yoga teacher training. Not necessarily because I want to teach but just to learn more and progress. But maybe I have to be comfortable with inversions and arm stands first? Hate them.
How did I miss this post? Awesome post! And you are sooo damn cute! I love (and envy) that you have found a career you love and brings you joy (and a wardrobe of yoga pants!). I’ve been asking myself those same questions you posed and feel scared and excited about the answers. I love how you described running off to do yoga training – exactly the way I’ve felt the past few months of blogging! Now, let’s hear about those tatoos!
Sounds so awesome. I really need to get back into yoga.
It has been years since I have taken a yoga class. And, I have to admit, that all of my instructors commented on how strong my practice was (not to brag:). But, I really wanted to teach Pilates. I looked into the certification, but at the time, I didn’t have the time or the money. For now, I’m working on photography and looking at my current job as a “means to an end”. I would love to be self employed and hopefully I can look into that further when both kids are out of daycare. For now, I’m content and can’t complain.
I can’t wait to share this with my friend, Jen. She is a newly certified yoga teacher and she is amazing. You both go at life with the same enthusiasm. You both can calm me when I need it most!
About those inversions…it took me 10 years to get up into a headstand without help. 10! And the arm balances I still struggle with. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen on my nose in crow!
Not that I’m trying to talk you into YTT. Like you don’t have enough on your plate 🙂
I must say that working in yoga pants rocks! My yoga gig is extremely part time but I feel very lucky for it all the same. In the fall, I will look for additional work to supplement our income – I am hoping that wherever I land, the dress code will be just as cool!
It’s the best – if you have a class or studio by you that you like, I highly recommend!
I have never met a dancer who didn’t have a strong practice or great alignment – since you guys are so precision-based! And I love pilates. I was fortunate to take lessons in the past with (you guessed it!) a former pro dancer. I got more body awareness out of that class than ever before in my life.
I am very lucky to teach something that I love. It is a very part time situation but I hope I can always hang onto it in addition to whatever other work I am doing to pay the bills 🙂
Please pass on congrats to your friend Jen from me! If you actually survive teacher training (LOL), you come out with boundless enthusiasm. It’s a life changing experience!
Awesome! I’d love to do yoga, I wouldn’t even know where to start. I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere since I’m a stay at home mom and the hubs is at school all day.
This is great! i know my yoga teacher rocks, she’s nice, help, patient and has a great since of yoga style too, its like she all got the class hooked on http://www.karmicfit.com/Product/ProductList/yoga-women-yoga-pants and designer yoga mats, its awesome. Thanks for sharing this with us! keep up the great work.