No time, Really??

So when people first realize that I teach yoga! they give me a very mixed reaction. For some it's a wow thing and they even get intimidated. For others, it's like whatever. How does she manage to pay her bills?? Frankly, I don't always manage to do that and so I got married( I know many are cringing at my bad joke). But mostly people think that I would have a lot of time on my hand since I only work a few hours a week. It's when they get to know the other things I do, not directly for a living that I get a more serious reaction. 

How can you be into photography, read manuscripts, write columns and teach yoga?? And out of this, you only get paid to teach Yoga?? Why would you do that?? Yes, by those standards I probably work a 100 hours a week for measly returns. But it that the point?? The point is that with my short attention span I need to constantly keep doing newer things. This is often done to stay focused on the few basic things that I should be doing. 

I have been teaching Yoga for almost a decade now without a single boring day. Without even a passing feeling of wanting to quit. And that's because I am constantly doing so many other interesting things along with it that it always has the newness in it. It kind of charges me up for my other pursuits.

Obviously simplifying my life, having a great support system and enjoying each day has a charm to it that nothing else can match. Besides pursuing your passion and knowing that every person you know is envious of your life but just doesn't have the courage to live it!!

The Unsaid Things

When you teach Yoga as a profession and not just do it for fun, suddenly things change. Everything is calculated in terms of how many classes translate into how much money, workshops versus private classes, private classes versus studio etc. currently I charge a thousand a class, more for workshops and I don't go lower than that. And I certainly know there are many who are willing to charge half of that. This hasn't happened overnight and you have to make it worthwhile otherwise you make yourself one of those thousand trainers who learnt yoga watching Baba Ramdev on TV.

It's hard to stay motivated when you work as a freelancer. There are times I go without a single class an entire week. There are times I am inundated with classes and sometimes I am watching TV or reading a book the entire day waiting... basically killing time. It was different when I started out... I met other trainers, we did yoga together, brainstormed, took retreats together, hung out in the evenings. It certainly is a non glamourous life. There aren't social events lined up for you(Delhi society feel ashamed getting out of their houses before 11p.m and that's when you should be fast asleep because you have a 6a.m class). 

Random people sometimes ask me about my very 'exciting' life. I just laugh it off saying its not like the Beatles'. Nobody tells you about the loneliness that comes with it. Unconventional working hours, meager wages, the pressure to 'look fit' always, no colleagues, days when you feel like a complete idiot for not choosing a conventional profession. For not moving towards goals that your MBA friends have set up for themselves. When you feel completely worthless for barely being able to take care of your own expenses. When you hate the glint in people's eyes when you describe your profession and they go 'Oh WOW!' You wanna scream out, 'Be in my shoe and then say it!' When you almost look for a normal job and even that scares you because you have never even thought do it, forget doing it.

And then, you sit back, content, because you are doing what you are passionate about. You are doing what people had warned you against. You are doing what all those friends want to do but don't have the courage to do it. When all you are doing is following your dream!