Teaching Yoga in the Office

T-shirts, shorts, tank tops and pants, not the normal attire you would see in a corporate work environment, except when you are doing yoga!

More than 30 employees attended my Yoga for Runners event—a 3 mile run followed by a yoga practice. It was a great success, but preparing for the event was a bit nerve racking. 

First of all, what should I wear? Lululemon wunder crop pants and a t-shirt does not exactly meet the business formal attire norm. I have been working in the corporate world for almost 6 years and there is a weird oddness about wearing causal clothes in the workplace. It is almost like being naked, well kind of.

Secondly, yoga is all about connection and uniting with oneself, so how do I foster this feeling of connection in a corporate setting? Some employees don’t like to be “personal” in the workplace so how do I create a practice that will speak to the class and allow them to be comfortable?

Lastly, what if I blow it? Many of these employees are people I work with everyday. How embarrassing would it be if they think I’m awful!

As the event approached, these questions and fears became a road block for me. I had trouble connecting to the class I was about to teach. Then one day I let it all go. I came to this realization; these employees are just like me. They love to run and want to grow (or start) their yoga practice and I want to help them.

I decided to open myself up and tell my story as a runner/yogi and how running is like yoga in so many ways. I built a sequence focused on strength and the power of breath with movement.

My story, my theme and my sequence all came together because I allowed myself to be authentic. This not only energized me, it energized my class. Once again, I learned that sometimes the simple things—like being yourself or telling your story—creates the most meaningful and relatable experiences.

We can all say “Namaste” to that! 🙂