That feeling of not being “good enough” to teach yoga doesn’t have to hold you back from your dream. Nor does the fear of not knowing the “right” answer to a student’s question. Whether you’re a recent YTT graduate hoping to leap into teaching or a yoga teacher struggling to create impactful sequences, a yoga mentor could be the missing piece in your journey.
Yoga mentors provide clarity, guidance, and accountability, but most importantly, they help you recognize your potential and navigate the sticky patches of starting—and continuing—to teach yoga.
1. You feel like an imposter when you teach
Confident yoga teacher? You don’t know her…yet. Right now, you’re convinced you’re not “qualified” to teach. But who decides that? According to Yoga Alliance, which is more of a directory than a governing body—a 200-hour teacher training is considered sufficient.
That said, not all YTTs are created equal, and it’s completely valid if you don’t feel ready to teach after your 200-hour training. But let me tell you a secret: I didn’t feel ready either. I struggled with imposter syndrome every time I leveled up as a teacher—whether it was teaching online, at a small studio, or eventually in front of 47 students in a packed class.
You’re not alone in feeling this way. A mentor can help you shift from “I’m not ready” to “I’m willing to give it a go,” so you don’t get stuck thinking about teaching more than actually doing it. The mental blocks, or chitta vrittis, as we say in yoga, can hold you back even after YTT. But leaning on someone who’s been through it can help you fast-track your confidence and get you teaching sooner.
2. You’re stuck in the “just one more training” cycle
This is similar to imposter syndrome but comes with a different mindset: you believe that one more training will finally make you feel confident enough to teach.
Unfortunately, confidence doesn’t come from the amount of certificates you’ve aquired. It comes from action.
Yoga trainings are powerful, but without actually applying what you’ve learned, you’ll never fully embody it. When you don’t teach, you stay stuck in the loop of “this next training will be the one that makes me ready.”
A mentor can help you break that cycle by guiding you through the self-doubt and limiting beliefs that keep you searching for more knowledge instead of putting it into practice.
I’m a firm believer that you should start teaching after your 200-hour training. More knowledge often leads to more confusion. Teach first, study more later to add-on and refine your skills.
3. You have tons of ideas, but need help refining them
In yoga lingo, this is being stuck in your third eye chakra. In everyday terms? Overwhelm.
Maybe you’re full of ideas for class offerings, workshops, or courses, but you don’t know where to start or how to organize them. A yoga mentor helps you find clarity and take action, so you’re not left spinning in endless brainstorming mode.
Sure, ChatGPT is great, but having a real-life mentor who’s been there and knows how to turn ideas into reality? That’s invaluable.
4. You struggle to find your teaching voice & style
Do you feel like you sound like every other teacher from your YTT? Are you stuck saying, “Line up your front heel with the arch of your back foot” in warrior 2, while other teachers seem to take students on a journey?
A mentor helps you fine-tune your unique teaching voice and teach from your experience. That’s the key to impactful teaching, but sometimes assistance in teasing it out is required.
With my mentees, I guide them to use their personal yoga stories—their struggles, breakthroughs, and reasons for teaching—to create classes that feel like them, rather than copying what they’ve learned.
If you’re worried your classes lack that spark some teachers have, the solution isn’t copying and pasting someone else’s cues. It’s getting clear on what you bring to the table as a teacher.
5. You want to stand out, but don’t know how
Maybe you’re eyeing a business coach or stockpiling free PDFs on “How to Sell on Instagram” or “Create Your First Course in a Week!” But have you ever considered a yoga mentor for this?
Personally, working with a mentor who is also a yoga teacher helped me merge business with yoga in a way that felt aligned. I learned how to use yoga philosophy—straight from the Yoga Sutras—to guide my marketing and offerings in a sustainable way.
This is exactly what I do for my mentees. Call it combining business with spirituality. I help you be realistic with numbers and create a business that’s unique to you—without the burnout that can come when you merge your passion with business.
6. You’re afraid of putting yourself out there
Whether it’s fear of being on camera, selling your offerings, or even speaking in front of a class, this fear can hold you back from actually teaching.
And here’s the thing—fear doesn’t just show up when you’re a new teacher. It can resurface at every new level, like when you want to ask for a prime class slot or launch a workshop.
A yoga mentor can help you move through that fear, so your teaching dreams don’t stay just dreams.
For my mentees, I use somatic yoga techniques to help them feel and move through fear. This emotion isn’t the enemy—it’s just trying to protect you. The key is learning how to work with it, rather than letting it stop you.
7. You’re unsure how to sequence and theme your classes effectively
Sequencing and theming are two different skills, but they go hand in hand. They’re also what turn a good class into an unforgettable experience.
If you struggle with structuring classes in a way that flows and tells a story, a mentor can help.
Mastering these skills will not only make your classes more impactful, it’ll also make it easier to create programs, challenges, or retreat offerings down the line.
8. You fear not knowing the “right” answer to student questions
Ever worry about a student asking about pain in their body and not knowing how to respond? Or panic when a student struggles in a pose, unsure what variation to offer?
This is normal. And the truth is, you will never have all the answers.
But if you want to feel more confident supporting students, especially in areas like anatomy, injuries, pre/post-natal, or chronic conditions then working with a mentor who specializes in those areas can help.
Your 200-hour training gives you the basics. Over time, you’ll learn more on your own. But a mentor can speed up that process, so you feel more prepared to support your students sooner.
Is a Yoga Mentor Your Next Step?
If you relate to any of these tips then working with a yoga mentor might be exactly what you need to move forward with confidence. Ancient yogis didn’t become advanced in their practice alone, they had the help of their mentors. This isn’t a new idea, but it has morphed to work with our modern yoga teaching training.
A mentor can help you where you want faster – with more ease, and with someone in your corner who gets it.
What’s next?
- Pick 1-3 areas you really want to focus in on and begin looking for a mentor that specializes in those areas. This could be through 1:1 or a group program!
- Check out my 1:1 mentor program to see if it’s a good fit for you (it probably is if you’re a new yoga teacher struggling with confidence!)
- Not sure where to start? A complimentary Ditch the Doubt Breakthrough session can help get you moving toward your dream of teaching confidently.
