Training 101

Well I've just gone and done it. This weekend I have officially opened a new chapter in my life and have started a yoga teacher training program (YTT). Once I registered for the program, I had a few months to experience the widest range, and most unpredictable series of emotions from my decision... for better or for worse. Anxiety, fear, excitement, glee, nervousness, happiness, sadness, anticipation, regret... literally every feeling an individual could possess. I could not find peace with my new adventure quite yet.

But now that I have actually begun, it's amazing how suddenly I feel complete ease, comfort, joy. I am now completely confident that this was the right step for me. And no matter how many brunches or night outs I'll miss with my friends, and no matter how exhausted I will be and challenged, what I'm about to do this year is going to be life changing... desperately need to get over my major FOMO.

I moved downtown in the beginning of the summer, and I was on a quest to find the perfect studio to suit both my personal preference in style, as well as schedule. Working a full time job, especially one with unpredictable working hours, I needed a studio that would have multiple class styles and times, that would suit my often crazy work week. I bought the Passport to Prana card, which I highly, highly recommend to ANYONE looking to try yoga for the first time, or looking to explore new styles and studios, and began my quest. (NOTE: Passport to Prana is a $30 card that entitles you to 1 class at over 60 different participating studios in the city. It is an amazing way to learn new styles, meet new teachers, and find a studio that suits you perfectly.) Anyway, I digress. So I used my passport and tried many, many, MANY studios, and one day stumbled upon Yoga Space. Located on the Ossington strip, it was both easy to get to from work, and from my apartment... felt warm, comfortable, un-intimidating... basically I felt completely at home the moment I stepped through their glass doors. This was my new studio.

After just over a year of consistently practicing yoga I knew that I wanted to learn more, and decided that doing a teacher training program was the next step in my practice. However, my fears obviously overwhelmed me and led me to major doubts in myself. Would I be ready to do a training? I hadn't been practicing for that long. Would I be good enough? Would I even get in? Being quite the "A" type personality, I'm constantly overanalyzing and coming up with every possible reason NOT to do something. But this is the time in my life where I vow to change, and I vow to let go of any doubts, insecurities, and focus on what really makes me happy and have confidence in my abilities. I'm going to do the teacher training, and I'm going to succeed. Who cares how long I've been practicing? The important thing is that I wanted it and I was eager to make it happen.

Yoga Space's training program was perfect for my personal schedule. Working a full time job often makes it difficult to do YTT programs that run during the week, or expect that you alter your normal schedule drastically. But Yoga Space offers a 4 month program, solely on weekends, and the teachers were completely flexible and accommodating to each and everyone's own specific needs. I knew that this was the program for me. After attending classes by the majority of the teachers on the schedule, and knowing that I actually liked most of them, I met with the owner of the studio and director of the program, Kathryn, and sent my application letter the next day. Going to a studio, often students have their one or two favourite teachers. At Yoga Space, I had many. This is how I knew this was my new home. No matter what class I attended, I enjoyed. No matter what time of the day I took a class, I felt at ease. And despite all my trepidation in spending the money, time, energy on the program, this weekend I knew it was worth it.