I had acquired my yoga teaching certification, and it was a proud moment, but what was I supposed to do now?

Being 58 and having practiced yoga most of my life, I knew its benefits, the poses (asanas), how to meditate and why, and the how and why of various breathing techniques.

I had tons of support from friends and family near and far and my social media network — which boasted a modest community.

But, I was still filled with self-doubt.

What if I couldn’t get into a pose — or worse yet, get out of one?

What if they didn’t like me?

What if my classes suck?

What if I suck?

I had heard the term imposter syndrome, but I never thought it applied to me — until now. I am here to tell you — -Imposter Syndrome is Real and brutal.

The term “Imposter Syndrome” came about in the 1970s, when psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes studied high-achieving women who felt they did not deserve their accomplishments. There are many behaviors and components to the phenomenon, and this is in no way a thorough explanation; but for me, I felt that people would find out that I was not as good, capable, or accomplished as they thought I was, and the idea of being humiliated like that terrified me.

I live on a sailboat full-time, which gives me a ton of other excuses not to teach yoga: sketchy internet, being underway, being too tired, not having the right equipment — don’t challenge me; I can do this all day.

But I wanted to share the gift of yoga, so instead of wallowing in the mire, I devised a plan to escape that self-sabotaging voice in my head.

Here is what I did to find places to teach, followed by the things I did to find these places and how I continue to build a yoga trade that works for me. I hope there is a tip or two that might work for you.

I teach yoga, so I use it as my example, but these tips would be transferable to any wellness practice.

Places to teach

Pop-in teaching: What a boon this has been for me and it is my favorite option for teaching in diverse locations. It works because people love and embrace visiting teachers who bring new perspectives and life experiences to their community and their mat. You are new, you are different, and you are welcomed with open hearts.

I have been a guest teacher in all kinds of cool spaces: yoga studios, hotels, resorts, health food stores, hostels, wineries, tattoo studios, new age stores, on the beach, and many others.

Online — as a solopreneur: ‘Practice makes better,’ and this is true for teaching online. You can create a great online series with a few simple tools that won’t break the bank.

All you really need to get started is the internet (in our case, we invested in Starlink, which has revolutionized our sailing experience), Zoom (if you are live streaming), a webcam, a microphone, and a tripod.

If you are pre-recording classes, add simple editing software to the above list and a way to distribute the videos.

I use a Pivo, a tripod, a Lavalier microphone, and an iPhone since I pre-record classes and create a library.

You can host your videos on Patreon, YouTube, Vimeo, or your own site.

Teaching Jobs Online: Another great resource is online job boards. I have never used these, but if you plan to stay in a place for a few months, this is a great option. You can secure teaching jobs around your destination using sites such as Yoga Trade, Yoga Travel Jobs, or Jooble.

How to find spaces and places to teach

Networking is Your-Not-So-Secret Weapon. As most sailors do, I made a calling card via Vista Print. It’s cheap and effective. I use a QR Code attached to a Link Tree so that as I add events or change my mind, I can update my Link Tree, not my whole card.

My Link Tree includes many things, including a ‘real-time’ map via Garmin InReach that shows where we are and where we are heading, events, social media handles, blogs, videos, and my Medium Page.

I hand these cards out regularly so people can join the community when and how they like.

Social media is your friend. As a full-time traveler, you don’t connect with people in traditional ways: at work, in a studio, through friends, or in the produce aisle of your grocery store. So, you have to think outside the mat.

I use and love social media. Focus on the word ‘social’ — specifically, because I am older and not that cool anymore— it means Facebook. Here I can engage and develop my community of women who are still young at heart, just slightly older in other places. Younger folk would call this ‘defining your niche,’ but I call it Teen Spirit Meets Prada.

Post with purpose and post unique content; if you’re traveling, Mother Nature has already done the heavy lifting for you.

Show your personality. I wear high-waisted, flared, colorful pants with a 1980’s hair metal band tee. It’s retro, it’s vintage, it’s comfortable. At my age, I need more wisdom and less pretzel — add that to a backdrop of Aerosmith, and we’re flying.

Respond to every comment — with words, not emojis, and engage.

Join pages specific to your area of expertise or interests. Expat pages are amazing, filled with community conversations and resources.

This post is not about how to be successful on social media; there is lots of information floating around for that, but I have grown a community of women my age that I love and adore — and am constantly invited to ‘pop-in’ to teach wherever I am traveling.

I also have a ‘cold-call’ email template I created to approach business’ with. My motto for the email is: Be Bright. Be Brief and Be Gone. The goal of the email is simple: to start a conversation or collaboration. The theme is always, let’s work together to create something cool for your guests, customers, clients, friends, network, etc.…

My very first teaching experience was at Mitotecali: The House of Dance in Mazunte, Mexico — and I found this opportunity on a Facebook group — or, I should say, they found me. What a stunning studio. I couldn’t have dreamed it better.

Payment

This is a sticky point that definitely fed into my Imposter Syndrome. You need experience to get a job, and you need a job to get experience.

Fortunately, pay can take many forms, including, but not limited to, actual money.

I have rented studio space by the hour, created an event, and collected.

I have collaborated with other wellness folk to host workshop days, such as breathwork, cooking classes, meditation, etc.…

But one of my favorite forms of payment is barter. In Mexico, I often teach for food: tamales, lobster, tlayudas, abuelitas fresh tortillas — you get the idea.

Another of my favorites is donation-based classes. I use this method online as well. It’s an easy set-it-and-forget-it model that allows me to focus on my passion rather than a profession.

Barter and donations can help you gain experience and confidence, build your community, get testimonials, and take some cool photos.

But barter/donations might not be everyone’s cup of tea. I dig the idea of people giving what they can without financial barriers. I teach yoga because it changed my life, and I want to pay it forward.

As a result, my donations increase as I improve. I don’t limit the donations to money, and I have received some cool stuff for our sailing life — -including a recent (and awesome) tip — language lessons. We both feel like winners with that one.

Believe

The most challenging aspect of teaching has been believing in myself. It’s much easier said than done, but essential to our success and growth.

It’s more than forcing ourselves to develop self-love or pursue goals. It’s seeing where you’re stuck and exploring how to get unstuck.

Each morning, I go to what I call the ‘Spirit Gym,’ which is about ten steps away in a corner in our sailboat berth. It is filled with all the pretty things I love: crystals, cards, a green Buddha, and a picture of John Lennon. It is a small but dedicated space, and there, I work on myself. I work on changing my self-talk. I read inspirational stuff. I breathe. I meditate, and I am better for it. As I get better, I become a better teacher because of it, and as I become a better teacher, my proverbial mat overflows.