YOU GOT THIS. Stop Doubting Yourself & Begin.

My life has been full of ups and downs.

I’ve seen divorce as a young child and as an adult. I’ve struggled with debilitating depression and a crippling eating disorder. I’ve experienced an abusive relationship. I’ve seen cancer take a close friend and I’ve seen cancer catapult a close friend into being one of the strongest women I know. I’ve seen death. I’ve seen addiction. I’ve held a four-hour-old newborn in my arms. I’ve experienced the greatest love in my marriage and I’ve birthed two breathtakingly beautiful humans. Really truly, I have lived.

There was a time when I had so many questions about whether or not I was  “doing it right.” Was I making the right choice in how I was living? At one point I found myself moments away from completing a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification only to raise my hand and inquire about additional trainings I could take to expand my expertise as a teacher. I’ll never forget the instructor’s response: “No, Brittni. You don’t need any more trainings to teach prenatal yoga.” I was taken aback. What did she mean I didn’t need the training? I did if I wanted to be a successful prenatal teacher, I thought to myself. Then she simply added,  “You already have all the knowledge you need. Think of the additional trainings like refining courses to add to your resume. A nice bonus, sure, but not necessary for success.”

I left that day feeling really deflated and unheard. She cut my question off so quickly and didn’t want to hear anything I had to ask. But why? I was full of doubt. As I reflected on this, the light bulb went off in my head. Because she’s right — I didn’t need any other trainings in order to teach prenatal yoga or any other types of yoga. The one training I was finishing up then was enough.

Think about when we are born; we already know, without anyone teaching us what to do, how to breath air and suckle. A friend told me a story about her 10-month-old taking a bath. She said that the baby unplugged the drain in the tub and watched the water disappear. She let her baby hold onto the plug but turned the faucet back on. The baby tried to re-plug the drain so the water would catch. A 10-month-old figured this out without anyone teaching her what would happen. She watched and learned for herself.

Fast forward to now: I have taken a total of two yoga trainings since I began this yoga journey in 2013: a 200-hour and a 300-hour. And now, instead of seeking others to teach me, I have gone on to teach myself. I’ve learned that the internet is a wealth of knowledge and that books are great resources for advancing my yoga practice off the mat. I now teach aspiring yoga teachers how to be great teachers while mastering the business of yoga and teach hundreds of students how to navigate fear, grief, and self-doubt through a workshop I created from the ground up using movement, writing, and meditation. Heck, I even led a Beyonce themed yoga class that sold out, or really over sold, so people had to practice in the hallway. The possibilities are truly endless when you stop holding yourself back and just go for it. 

My teacher's words continue to ring loud in my ears today. I already have all the knowledge inside me, I just need to tap into it, and most importantly, believe that I’m ready in this moment, as I am. I do the best I can with each given experience and am living just as I should.

So with that I say, trust yourself. Follow your intuition and know that you’re never going to be as ready as you think you need to be. Just keep showing up. You already have all the knowledge inside you that you need in order to move through whatever life hands you. Stop doubting yourself and begin. As motivational speaker and meditation guru, Gabby Berstein writes, “Your story is your greatest credential.” Perhaps everything I’ve experienced, all the pain and all the glory, has prepared me for this moment. And I’m willing to bet the same is true for you. 

You’re ready now. Go get ‘em.