What matters more: being liked… or being effective?
In this episode, we unpack the pressure yoga teachers feel to be liked and how that quietly shapes the way we teach. From over-cueing and over-explaining, to chasing compliments or trying to prove we know what we’re doing, we explore the subtle ways insecurity shows up in the room.
Bradshaw shares what it’s been like to evolve his teaching while still wanting approval, and how that tension can make change feel uncomfortable. He reflects on his early days, when he relied on personality, music, and intensity to win students over.
Giana talks about choosing to teach the way she actually believes in, even when it’s less popular, and the many subtle ways she tried to be liked early on: over-cueing, not correcting, and kicking people’s butts for compliments.
We get into what it really means to be effective: teaching in a way students actually retain, creating consistency, having a clear plan, and being willing to let people be uncomfortable without micromanaging every moment.
Of course, it wouldn’t be us without a few tangents- we also get into little brother syndrome, yoga trainings, restorative classes, teaching without music, hot yoga, and some very real (and funny) stories about texts and boundaries.
Because at the end of the day, teaching what you believe in requires tuning out the noise and being okay with not everyone liking you.
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