Before I get to step 1 of my easy 5 step process to become a certified Yoga Teacher, I want to say how excited I am for you!
You’ve felt something within you, a spark of excitement, maybe bliss? You’ve realised you want to dive deeper into the world of Yoga and now you’re on the search for how to make it happen.
Before we go any further and get into the practical steps, I’ll start with a bonus step. This bonus step is absolutely necessary for you to succeed as a Yoga Teacher.
Are you ready for it? Bonus step:
You need to believe that you CAN become a Yoga Teacher.
It might sound simple but it’s truly important, maybe the most important step of all! Right here and right now I want you to take 3 deep breaths and with every breath tell yourself you CAN become a Yoga Teacher.
In moments where you find yourself in doubt, and trust me, there will be moments of doubt, try to come back to self-belief. Take the 3 deep breaths.
Ok now we’ve sorted that bonus step, let’s get practical!
5 Steps to Become a Certified Yoga Teacher
Follow these steps and keep believing in yourself, you can do this!
Step 1: Find the right course, maybe it’s an Online Yoga Teacher Training?
Absolutely, you can do face-to-face teacher training programs. But there are SO many factors that need to align for you to be able to complete a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in person. If you don’t have the 4 weeks to take off, or the ability to travel, then perhaps it’s best you look into online courses.
Completing your training online means you can make it work with YOUR life. It means you’re able to complete the training in a way that doesn’t completely interfere with your family, job and other responsibilities. Rather than jamming all your training into 4 weeks, go part time and take 6-12 months to really allow the Yoga philosophy and teachings to sink in.
To find the right course for you, start doing online classes with the lead teacher. If you resonate with their style, if you learn from them, if you enjoy the way they teach, then this is a good indicator you have found the right training.
Our MerryBody 200 Hour Yoga Teaching Training program is completely online. And you can read about it over here and join the waitlist for our next cohort.
Our Yoga Teacher Training courses are jam-packed of an amazing faculty with an abundance of experience and knowledge. You will finish our course feeling confident and empowered to teach Yoga.
Step 2: Continue your Yoga practice
This step might sound obvious but the amount of people I know that become Yoga teachers, start teaching Yoga and then STOP their own Yoga practice is astounding.
In order to teach Yoga well, I believe you need to experience the practice of Yoga yourself.
Teaching Yoga classes is not the same as practising. So continue to set aside time for self practise, try different Yoga studios, different styles of Yoga and different Yoga instructors to allow yourself to gain knowledge and experience.
I will add here to continue your learning as well. Continue to do more courses that align with you and light you up. Whether that’s Yoga therapy, a Diploma of Yoga, Yin Yoga, Roll and Release… the list can go on! Never stop learning!
Step 3: Surround yourself with the right people
When you do something out of the ordinary, sometimes friends and family may drift away. Sometimes they can’t understand what and why you’re doing what you’re doing. It’s important that you surround yourself with people who believe in you and people who are smarter than you! If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room!
Try and meet and connect with people who have done what it is you’re trying to do. This is the best way to learn and avoid similar mistakes they may have made. The best way to do this is to join mastermind groups or attend conferences.
Step 4: Set up your business properly
You’re now a Yoga teacher! You’ve registered with Yoga Alliance, perhaps Yoga Australia and you’ve started offering Yoga classes! Woohoo, go you. But now what?!
Now it’s important to set up your business properly, even if you’re only teaching 1-2 classes per week. You want to run the business, don’t let the business run YOU!
Trust me, I’ve been there and done that! After 10 years of business I will tell you what is most important:
- Outsource the work you don’t like or cannot do.
- Build a strong team (this can be a micro team of 1, 2, or 3 employees!) with processes and systems in place.
- Don’t forget your accounts.
- Don’t forget to MARKET your business! If no one knows about you, how do you expect to sell anything?
And this is seriously just the beginning. We’ve created a business that runs like clockwork now, however, it took time, mistakes, knowledge, and woman-power.
It’s for this reason we’ve created a Mastermind, especially for Yoga and Pilates teachers where we share EVERYTHING about building and maintaining a profitable business.
Step 5: Don’t forget to enjoy the journey
How cliche of me but seriously, if you’re not enjoying the journey what is the point?! Doing your own thing and becoming a Yoga Teacher isn’t the easiest of roads. But if you feel like it’s your road, then you absolutely 100% need to follow it! But I want you to continue to take deep breaths, make time for your loved ones and make time for YOU to enjoy your life.
Ok! So now what? Now it’s time to take action. Because without any action, nothing happens. If you’re still at step 1, or perhaps even at the bonus step, I encourage you to learn more about our next cohort of 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training over here. It’s going to be amazing and I cannot wait to share everything I know with you.
Always merrymaking,
Carla