10 Essential Lessons To Shift From Yoga Teacher To Yoga Leader

Jul 28

If you’re serious about teaching yoga for a living, read this.

Getting certified as a yoga teacher is an accomplishment—but growing into a confident, grounded leader is another journey entirely.

When I started teaching, I had an advantage: years of corporate marketing experience and public speaking and even experience teaching group fitness. I could fill a room and connect with students, but even with that background, I faced imposter syndrome, burnout, and uncertainty about how to grow. I had no mentor or formula. I just kept showing up and working hard with commitment.

Here are 10 lessons I have learned that I wish I’d known sooner—lessons that helped me move from yoga teacher to yoga leader:

1. Each class is an opportunity to connect.

Students’ time and attention are priceless. When students give you both, treat it as an honor. Make your words count. Use theming, offer meaningful context, and share the benefits of the techniques or postures your are teaching—own the privilege of having a room full of undivided attention.

2. Keep your themeS simple.

Students don’t need a TED Talk. Coming up with groundbreaking orations is not worth what you are getting paid to teach a class. And besides, most students will only remember one powerful phrase. I used to overthink themes and messages (a habit from working as a speechwriter for Fortune 500 CEOs), but I’ve learned your real power is in your tone, authenticity and presence.

3. Feeling like an imposter doesn’t mean you are one.

Imposter syndrome shows up when you’re stretching beyond your comfort zone. It’s a sign you are expanding! You will know if you are ready to move into a new challenge if you feel what you are teaching is well grounded in what you practice authentically in your own life. If your own daily yoga, meditation or self-care starts slipping, pause and realign.

4. You Are unique, and you are not for everyone.

You won’t be everyone’s favorite teacher—and that’s okay. Be yourself and let the right people find you. At the end of class, I often tell new students, “I hope you enjoyed the class, if you didn’t, it doesn’t mean yoga is not for you…there are so many other types of yoga and teachers with different teaching styles, keeping taking classes to find what you need.”

5. Don’t burn out.

It’s tempting to say yes to every teaching gig, especially when you are just getting started. If you are starting to get your foot in the door at a new studio, sure take the Friday night time slot that isn’t well attended. Teach as much as you need for experience. But once you get more teaching opportunities for better time slots and you have “paid your dues,” let go of classes that are no longer serving you. Always pull back before exhaustion sets in.

6. You will need to expand beyond weekly classes.

Weekly classes are invaluable for gaining experience. They can also pay well and offer unparalleled community building—but it can be extremely difficult to make a good living rushing from studio to studio teaching multiple classes a day. Once you’ve gained experience, level up by earning more for your energy with bigger offerings.

7. Meet people where they’re At.

I love introducing spiritual practices, but I do it slowly, giving beginners room to process. Not every student is ready to “spiral your sacral energy into the womb of the Earth,” or “Shine your skull toward the sky like you're receiving a download.” This stuff is amazing for the student who just came back from a vision quest in Joshua Tree, but it can scare off the stockbroker who decided to calm his stress by trying your yoga class for the first time. Just read the room. The same goes for marketing—If you are promoting and all-levels class, don’t use a photo of your handstand mastery.

8. You’re a yoga teacher, Not a Digital Marketing Agency.

There’s a lot of pressure on teachers to promote their own classes, but let’s be real: if you’re getting paid $50 a class, you’re not being compensated to also handle marketing, graphic design and social media strategy (or cleaning the studio, for that matter!). That should not be your job—the studio should be supporting you, not the other way around.

If you’re doing all the work to fill the room, and they’re not offering any added value, you’re being taken advantage of. Know your worth, and don’t be afraid to find a space that respects it.

9. Stop waiting for confidence or perfection.

You don’t need permission to offer workshops, retreats or anything else you are dreaming up. If you’ve got the skills and the desire, it’s time. Don’t fall victim to perfection paralysis. Someone with less experience is probably already doing it—so why not you?

10. You can figure it out on your own—but why make it harder?

I created everything I have done through trial and error. Sometimes I failed and recalibrated. I’m in a great place now—but it was a slow progression, messy and often overwhelming. You don’t have to do it that way. Guidance and mentorship can save you years of figuring things out on your own.

Teaching my weekly vinyasa yoga class in Sayulita, Mexico.

Final Thoughts on Becoming a Yoga Leader

If you’re a certified yoga teacher, your journey doesn’t end at getting comfortable teaching classes. If you are looking to make yoga your career, there’s much more to learn and explore. These lessons helped me go from teaching drop-ins to leading retreats, building a Yoga Alliance–registered school, and creating a business that I was dreaming of.

If you’re ready to grow with clarity and confidence, I’d love to support you through 1:1 mentorship.

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