admin I have a huge love of adventure. I will go anywhere and try anything. My grandma taught me to always have something in my “inbox,” and that’s advice I’ve 100 percent taken to heart.
The adventure that really tested me was my teacher training. It wasn’t a traditional yoga teacher training.
It’s not uncommon to consider flying to Mexico and spending 26 days with strangers as an adventure. But for me, it was the experience of living in close quarters.
Here’s how I made it through my most terrifying adventure, and you can too:
Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
It’s easy to talk with people in the street, at the store, or even the person who has the bunk above you in a hostel. How do you get to know twenty or more new people? People from around the globe? All day, every day? It can feel a bit overwhelming.
It can be hard to open up to others fully. I’m not shy. I need to get past the fear that people won’t be interested in me, or think I’m strange, and never want to talk to me.
The comfort zone may be beautiful, but there is nothing to grow. ~Anon.
I knew that my training would involve a lot of sharing. The schedule stated that communication and “Satya,” or truth, would be practiced every day. When I Googled Satya, I found that it means truth. I was not sure what I thought about it.
My biggest concern when I stepped off the plane was not getting food poisoning or a bug that had a stinger larger than the average. It was how I would interact with the other students. I clung to my yoga mat even more and made my way to the meeting place.
Start with at least one fun person.
My first encounter with a person completely dispelled all of my fears. She is funny and loves all things red. After meeting her, I knew everything would be fine.
It was really that good! There was no crazy, insane Insta yogi like we are used to seeing. All of them were wonderful, normal individuals who had different levels of asana experience and wanted to spread their love for yoga. They were just like you and me.
Over the first few days, we got to know one another slowly. At lunch, everyone moved from one table to another, finding out who their Spirit Buddy was and figuring out what we were all like.
Share without Fear
Our communication workshops and Satya brought us together. We learned each other’s fears, hopes, and pasts. In that circle, we learned things about each other that we would not have known if we just met in the street. We learned to be honest and open with each other.
After spending 26 days in close quarters, I have learned to be open and honest. I’m still not at the radical level of honesty, but I am more open.
In the end, I didn’t find it difficult to spend a month abroad or spend so much time getting to know people.
