Shy Girl
How do you teach when you are an introvert? By Paula Hines
Reading time: 3 minutes
I’m a happy introvert who also happily teaches yoga. These things might appear to be at odds with each other, but I don’t think they are. By speaking to other teachers I’ve learned that I’m far from alone. There are many examples of people from all walks of life who, on the surface, appear to be extroverts but reveal themselves to be introverted. Maybe some of the confusion comes from mistaking introversion for shyness.
Unlike extroverts who gain energy from being around people, I replenish energy with quiet time alone. This makes it sound as though I don’t like people, but I really do, promise!
In my earlier teaching years, especially when I taught a lot, I’d often feel totally depleted afterwards. I couldn’t understand why. Experience has since taught me that I need to take certain steps to look after my introvert self. I’m sharing a few of those steps here in case they might be helpful for you:
Before: allow yourself time to get into teaching mode
How much time will depend on you, but for me, I need a few minutes before interacting with students to be with my own thoughts and check-in with how I’m feeling. Often I’ll get those minutes before I arrive at the venue where I’ll be teaching, or if online, before I log in.
By giving this time to myself before I arrive it means that I’m ready to accommodate any students who are very early. In that sense, I consider myself to be in teaching mode from the moment I enter the teaching space.
I’m happy to stay a little while if students have questions. This is more likely when I’ll tend to get to know regular students a bit more. I am friendly and professional, however I’m not aiming to become friends with students.
After this, time to wind down is (for me) non-negotiable.
In general: be mindful of your energyÂ
I’ve noticed over the years that some see yoga teachers as people they want to open up to, even though we’re not counsellors. It can feel like someone is offloading onto you even if it’s not their intention. A useful tip I once received for such times was to visualise a protective bubble around me. If you’re prone to absorbing the energy of others you might find it helpful too.
Paula Hines is a London-based yoga teacher and writer and the author of the book Rest + Calm (Green Tree, Bloomsbury Publishing). Discover more at: ucanyoga.co.uk
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