Stop Letting Doubt Hold You Back

For those that think the job of a yoga teacher is to show up for an hour and bust out some cool moves to some cool music, I wish I could say you were right. Teaching yoga means lots of planning, preparation, and research before each and every class. Personally, each time I plan for my classes, I make sure to review the anatomy of any new or spotlight poses that we may cover in the class in case any questions arise.

A couple weeks ago in the middle of a hip-intensive class, I set the class up in Pigeon pose and glanced around the room to look for any signs of struggle. Looked pretty good, considering there's usually at least one student in every class that struggles with this big hip stretch.

Then the silence finally broke right beneath me.

Here was this student in full Sleeping Swan, anatomically perfectly in line and saying, "I don't feel this."
"Try flexing your foot," I answered as I squatted down next to her and observed her form. Yep, hips square and all.
"Still nothing," she replied.
"Alright, scoot the foot a little further away from you, bringing the shin closer to parallel with the front of the mat." And she did. Foot flexed and all.
"Nope," she returned.

I walked her through a twisting version and even a King Pigeon... after a couple different suggestions to no avail, it was time to move on and I couldn't help but feel like I hadn't done my job. I let her down, and I let everyone else down who was there to witness it.

I'd told the class in the beginning, as I do every class, "Yoga should feel good. If it doesn't, or you don't feel it, let me know. There is a variation of a pose for everyone." I thought to myself,

Maybe she was just really flexible. 
Maybe I'd forgotten a variation.
Maybe I should have passed out blankets.
Maybe I'm not as good of a teacher as I thought I was...

Sound familiar?

Why do we go down this road?
Why do we beat ourselves up and bring ourselves down when we are presented with a challenge that we can't automatically tackle?
We're so quick to place blame wherever we see fit--and all too often on ourselves. But why? What has placing blame every solved, or even made any matter better?

My story continues at the end of class, when it was revealed that this particular student had given birth just 6 weeks ago. The relaxin was likely still flowing through her body making her extra flexy, and let's face it--a pigeon pose is far less intense than pushing a human being out of your body. To be honest, I felt a lot better about myself after speaking with her, but then I felt even worse for myself about how I was so quick to doubt my abilities.

So the lesson here is this: STOP DOUBTING YOURSELF.

Does anyone expect you to be perfect? NO.
Have you given it your best shot, coming from a place of love? THEN STOP WORRYING.

Stop worrying about how your efforts might not be good enough.
Stop letting others' criticisms and doubts change how you feel about yourself.
Do all things from a place of love & kindness and you will never need to feel inadequate.
Find comfort and peace knowing that your best is enough.