By: Stephanie Ellis

What!? Yes, you read that right. I’m sure every teacher you see at the studio has been talking to you about why you should do teacher training, so I’m here to call out the top three reasons why you wouldn’t want to do teacher training. Get ready for the truth!

Reason #1: I don’t want to learn new skills that will help me in work, life, relationships, etc.

One of the biggest excuses I hear from students about teacher training is that they “don’t want to be a yoga teacher, so what’s the point.” News flash – a lot of people do teacher training without the intention of teaching yoga and there is no pressure to become a yoga teacher at the end of the training. 

I’m here to tell you that the practices and techniques of Baptiste Yoga (asana, inquiry and meditation) are transferable skills. What you learn in teacher training will hone your leadership abilities, it will strengthen your voice and it provides structure for growth. You will leave the program equipped with tools that make a difference in your life beyond your yoga mat. And you’ll be able to share these tools with others, impacting your community.

Reason #2: Taking time for myself isn’t important to me.

I made this excuse for YEARS! I had loads of guilt around the idea of taking this time for myself, not to mention spending the money on it. But here’s what I started to notice time after time of telling myself this… there was always going to be a reason to hold off or save up. And most of these reasons were driven by my own fear. I was worried about what others would think and, mostly, if I could actually do it. 

In yoga classes at Evolution, perhaps you’ve heard teachers tell you to “set your gaze (attention, etc.) where you want to go.” Meaning, if you are laser-focused on what you want, that’s the direction you’ll head. When I took out the stories of “too busy” and “too expensive” and really decided for myself that teacher training is what I wanted, I made a way for it to happen and things fell into place.

You are totally ready for this and absolutely worth the investment!

Reason #3: Living in your comfort zone, with the same outcomes, is good enough.

Before I took teacher training, I was content with the results of my everyday choices. I was playing small. I did the same things, each day – often times because I felt it was expected of me – and, surprise, I got the same results. Through teacher training, I realized all of the ways that my comfort zone was keeping me from being up to bigger things. Bigger things in my job and in my relationships. I wasn’t putting in the work for what I really wanted, and I was settling for whatever I got. But when I finally stepped out of my autopilot mode and became present to what was really happening, things changed in my life and in a big way.

If you can honestly say that you don’t want to grow, change or experience life to its fullest potential, then teacher training is not for you. But, if part of you (even if it’s the shyest, smallest voice in your head) thinks that there might be something more for you out there, then take the leap. Be a yes for doing this for yourself, and I guarantee you that at the end of the program, you won’t be disappointed. 

Photo provided by Stephanie Ellis, photo credit: Jenny Foster