What if the secret to confidence wasn’t doing something new—but doing the same thing, over and over again?
In this episode, I talk with Nyisha Rylander, who teaches yoga in three very different contexts on the island of Kauai: at a local gym with regular students, at resorts with one-time guests, and online as part of her health coaching business. You’ll hear how she used one master sequence—what she calls her “resort yoga”—as a template that built her fluency and freed up her attention for her students.
We talk about how her planning process has evolved, how she overcame the impulse to change everything all the time, and what finally clicked to help her feel like a real teacher instead of just an instructor.
You’ll also hear how being part of my mentorship program, Mastering the Art of Yoga Sequencing (MMM), gave her structure, inspiration, and access to a community of fellow teachers walking the same path.
If you’re a new teacher, a part-time teacher, or someone transitioning between platforms, this conversation will remind you that confidence comes not from complexity—but from clarity and consistency.
In this episode:
- How Nyisha moved from cosmetology to yoga teaching in a pandemic pivot
- What changed when she taught the same class repeatedly to new students
- How she built a personal practice library and online video platform
- The value of vignettes, structure, and learning to trust your memory
- How MMM gave her tools and support for sustainable growth
- Why repetition isn’t just okay—it’s the path to creative, embodied teaching
Links:
- Mastering the Art of Yoga Sequencing (MMM): https://sagerountree.com/mentorship
- Nyisha’s website: https://nyishayogakauai.com
- Nyisha's podcast: Sacred Souls
Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Get in the Zone at Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you—let's chat there!
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And come explore my mentorship program, my Yoga Class Prep Station membership, continuing education workshops and 300/500-hour teacher training programs, and my many books for yoga teachers. It's all at ...
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