5 tips to help you through the course. By Ann-Marie Mainprize
- Comparison is the thief of joy
This is your own amazing adventure into self exploration and
connecting to your true self. You are a unique individual and you are
not training to be a mirror image of anyone else. Avoid comparing
yourself to your peers and other teachers, especially on social
media. Comparison starts a downward spiral within your monkey
mind and raises your anxiety to make you feel inferior. Your peers
may start teaching before you do or may be more advanced in
asana practice: know that this does not demonstrate that they are
an effective teacher. Being an effective teacher comes from within
your heart and your true self and your intentions. - Feel the fear and ride the nerves
It is 100% normal to feel anxious and nervous leading up to
commencing your teacher training course and on the first day the
nerves within the group are through the roof. Know that your peers
are feeling exactly the same fears and worries as you are. These
fears and anxieties will continue to raise their ugly head whenever
you are pushed out of your comfort zone – teaching your first micro
teach will feel so scary. If you allowed your anxiety to control you,
you probably wouldn’t have clicked submit when you completed
your teacher training application. Fear and anxiety will stop you from
achieving anything within your heart’s desire if you allow it to. On
the other side of fear and nerves is complete joy and exhilaration,
so embrace the bravery and strength within you, believe in yourself
and ride those nerves. - Embrace the obstacles
You can guarantee as you embark on your teacher training that
many obstacles will cross your path to test your resilience and inner
strength. Ultimately, it’s your decision whether you choose to let
Student Survival guide
these obstacles stop you in your tracks or you can dig deep and
embrace your integrity and determination and hurdle right over the
obstacles and learn from the lessons sent to test you.- Connect with your fellow students
Encourage yourself to connect with your group. Swap numbers,
arrange to practice or study together, ask questions and provide
support to your peers. Connecting allows us to feel supported and
when we feel supported, we are more open to express how we feel.
At some point everyone will shift emotions and open up fears and
past, unresolved issues that may be buried deep down. With the
support of your peers and fellow trainees behind you it allows you to
process and release, develop and grow and connect deeper to your
inner spirit. - Keep a journal
Journaling your thoughts, emotions and feelings enables you to
develop your inner voice and intuition. Expressing yourself in any
way strengthens your ability to communicate and teach. Journaling
also acts as a cathartic release and will enable you to process
your thoughts and feelings realistically without analysing yourself.
What you write down might not make sense at the time but as you
progress and develop you will understand the words with clarity and
deep sentiment.
Always connect to your roots, trust your instincts and listen to
your heart.Ann-Marie Mainprize is a senior Yoga Alliance Professionals teacher
trainer in East Yorkshire (amiyogateachertraining.co.uk)