Let’s go back to March 2020, I was running 5 studio classes per week in Hexham and had an average of 15 students per class, some classes up to 20. Vinyasa classes were full of electric energy and Hatha classes were full of positivity and had a real feeling of calm. 

For the first time since I started teaching Yoga, I finally felt everything was coming together. 

I was also about to start teaching my first beginner’s course in Hexham which was really exciting for me and a new avenue in my business.

Then…

1. COVID waded into our lives. 

2. March 23rd, lockdown happened.

3. Everyone's normal changed. 

4. Anxiety and doubt kicked in. 

How on earth am I going to teach online, my thought processes below:

• I live in a small flat, where exactly am I going to teach from?

• I have an old iPhone with a camera that doesn't work

• I need a camera

• Do I need a Britney headset as a mic?

• Is this safe?

• Do people talk back to me in a class and can we have a laugh still?

• Can positive energy travel via a camera?

• What platform do I use?

• I hope my booking system works for this

• Is £5.00 too much per class?

• If I have all of this time I should probably be teaching 20 classes a week

• Can they see and hear me ok?

• I hope my internet is good enough

• What happens if someone doesn’t get the link for the class?

The ramblings above only cover a small portion of what went through my mind on an hourly basis. I also had no one to consult on best practice which made me doubt every decision I was thinking of making.

Fast forward to June, I feel that is when I finally got into a new routine and most of the questions I had, I had answered myself through just DOING IT. Rather than sitting and worrying about the what-ifs, surely people would understand if things weren’t perfect at the beginning? And they did. 

Also, Yoga teachers of the world united. Blogs, Instagram and Facebook posts with what everyone was doing and that was unbelievably helpful. 

Now I teach a number of online and studio classes and that is just how things will be from now on, from a business perspective it is a fantastic new avenue of business and I never ever thought I’d be doing it. I also know from my students, that some of them prefer the online model instead now, so I am over the moon that it has managed to work for people. 

This is not a self-praise article; writing how proud I am of myself, even though I am but, what I wanted to get out there is that having to adapt and change how we do our jobs, not only in Yoga, has been very difficult but also shows how resilient and how adaptable we can be.

So from today, rather than being annoyed and disappointed with how things are these days, I am going to come back and read this and remember I managed to overcome a lot of the difficulties that have come with COVID. 

Hopefully, reading this may help you do the same. 

Love and light,

Emily x x x 

1)    Write down a list of your goals and although this can be overwhelming getting them down on paper will help you clearly understand whether you are being realistic and honest with yourself. I recently bought a CGD diary and planner for 2020 and it is amazing because you plan your monthly goals but then you can split them up into weeks! Things are much more achievable when you’re not looking at a massive list! This isn’t an advert but I just really like the product! 

2)    Start small. Meditating for an hour every day and drinking 5 green juices a day is unrealistic. Why don’t you start by saying I’ll have a green juice on a Monday, Wednesday and a Sunday and then when you’re actually achieving this, the feel-good factor will follow!

3)    Meditation, we’re all talking about it but how many of us are actually doing it? I started by downloading one of the many apps available, however now I am able to sit without any cues. Find a place in your home where you can sit comfortable and quietly. Commit to doing 5 minutes a day for a week to start with. I suggest doing it first thing in a morning or last thing before you go to bed.

4)    Create a 5 -10 minute Yoga routine for the morning or evening. If you come to one of my classes in Hexham,  just ask me for some help! I am always happy to advise on a good routine to help you sleep, or wake up! Otherwise, Youtube will always deliver! 

5)    It annoys me how everyone says in order to be successful you have to be up at 5am…not true. I am not a morning person, however getting up half an hour earlier than I would normally, gives me time to jot down my plan for the day, make a celery juice and to get on my mat for whatever remaining time I have left. Half an hour is definitely achievable.

6)    Plan something that doesn’t involve going to the pub on a weekend but also, pop to the pub if you feel like it! Personally, I am all about balance therefore I will spend my weekend trying out a workshop, buying a new book and finding a new coffee place to go, watching a documentary, baking or go for a long walk! And then popping to the pub! 

7)    Rest as much as you need, and a little bit more. I am a firm believer that if your energy pot is low you're likely to get sick or just not cope as well with normal situations. 

8)Create a mantra. I find this really helpful when I am worried. Short and simple is the best, but repeat it to yourself during tough times and you can use it as a focus for your meditation. "Handshake your fear" and "This too shall pass" are helpful for me! 

9) Did I mention I recently turned 30? My skin is still pretty good but it needs some extra TLC. I do love products but I am also trying to be mindful of not overbuying. Therefore, I created a very 'doable' skincare routine. One for the morning and one before bed. Morning - wash skin, moisturise skin, prime skin. Evening, cleanse skin and then pop a night cream on. Also, once a week I do a mask, a foot spa and pop some tan on! Coco and Eve is great tan and Vegan too (again this isn't an ad but I am impressed with their product!).

10) Delete any Instagram or Facebook accounts that make you feel unhappy or insecure. Ask yourself, does this account have a positive effect on my mindset and how I feel about myself? If not - click delete! You just don't need that! 

Love and light,

Emily

x o x