We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caryn Pritchett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Caryn, appreciate you joining us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

I love to share about my journey toward Yoga and what led me to where I am today because I feel like all it often takes is a small step forward that can completely shift the direction of your life path. The first class I ever took I didn’t enjoy at all, being inflexible I found the shapes really hard and challenging, I couldn’t sit still and I felt awkward trying to “connect to my breath” and the “fluffy” talk throughout the class. I went back a second time hoping the outcome would be different, and because I really wanted to “like” Yoga, but left feeling the same as I had before. I gave up before I even really began. Fast forward 8 years I was on a solo trip in Bali doing some soul searching and healing after moving through a tough time in my life, the villa I stayed at offered daily classes and I thought “well..when in Bali” why not give it another go. I was still the least flexible person in the room and found the class physically challenging, but I left on such a high this time around! I went back the next day and every day after that for the rest of my month long trip. Something had changed, and maybe it was me. I’m reminded of that moment when I encounter new things that feel challenging. That perhaps you need to try something again differently, whether that be a difference in location, the people you are with, or even the timing between giving it a try again – in my case 8 years! Sometimes the first time isn’t the “right” time, but if it keeps calling you back it’s so important to listen within and consider what you could change when approaching your said thing again, seeing if it’s an external factor rather than an internal one that’s causing the conflict. Needless to say yoga is now not something I just do, it is who I am and I’m so grateful for the pause I took before leaning in again. Yoga for me is freedom within my own being, I never quite realized the benefits until I committed to a more consistent practice after Bali, it was then that I saw how different of a person the practice was shaping me into, and it wasn’t that it was changing who I was, it was more removing who I wasn’t. Disconnect to reconnect.

Caryn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m South African born, and Eswatini raised. I left my home country at 25 and moved to the USA to pursue a career in Yachting. What I thought would just be a “break year” in my career of Graphic & Web design, turned into 9 years of traveling the world on boats. During my time in Yachting I completed both my 200hr YTT in Zanzibar, and my 300hr YTT in Bali, I left the industry to pursue a full time career teaching Yoga, and have been teaching for 5 years now. It was quite the switch and change of pace but I don’t for a second regret my decision to fully commit to my passion of guiding others and holding space for them. My husband and I moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in November 2022 and I am currently teaching in-person classes at 3 different studios, as well as online yoga and strength training classes on a subscription based fitness platform. I would say my teaching style is an Ashtanga/Vinyasa blend with a huge love for Yin, I teach drill focused movement that helps strengthen the body and improve body awareness & range of motion. I am believer that we need strength to improve our flexibility just as much as we need flexibility to improve our strength. Moving the body and creating a connection to your internal landscape is a true privilege. I would say I am most proud of myself for taking steps that felt scary, whether that be stepping into a Yoga studio as a beginner, or guiding a class as a first time Yoga teacher. I am quite introverted so these moments felt like a release of layers I had been carrying that actually weren’t a part of who I truly am within. Like most things in life at some point we are all beginners, and I think that keeping a beginners mindset will allow you to see yourself through kind eyes and with child-like curiosity as you move along your journey! I don’t know everything about Yoga but I love to learn more, whether that’s from trainings and teachers, or through study and reading. No matter what you know, action will always be the biggest learning curve!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being naturally introverted one would think teaching is quite the opposite of that but it is something that has helped me emerge from my shell and for that I am so grateful. That has also been a huge part of my story when it came to building a reputation and brand for myself. I think many of us can find inspiration in the emerging butterfly sensation when we discover our purpose, and to be able to share my story and journey has helped me find the people I connect with the most. Being authentic, being purposeful, and staying true to your word are powerful attributes that help others feel more encouraged to do the work themselves. Showing that you are human, that you aren’t perfect, and that you are also on a journey of growth creates community. Reputation is so much more transformative when you connect through one another. The truth is we need each other in this life, I don’t believe ever that I am on a higher step than anyone else, being humble is a beautiful thing and creates trust. If I had to boil it down I would say that being true to myself has led me to my tribe thus building my brand and reputation.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Knowledge is most certainly power, we can’t argue with that. Beyond trainings, readings, teachings, and self study I would have to say that authenticity is key. I think many teachers can agree that when you first start out you feel a bit wobbly, fresh out of your training and loaded with knowledge and information it can be overwhelming to know where to even begin! In those moments when fear can begin to trickle in and often prevent a lot of new teachers from even starting their careers, it is so important to find a mentor, someone who can guide you toward finding your niche. It’s easy to just copy what someone who you admire does, or use their sequences because they flow well, or to do what they do because you think that’s what people want. I can honestly say I have most certainly been there in my early days of teaching, I didn’t know how to find my voice, or how to share my message in a way that inspired others to dive deeper into their practice and understand their bodies. I decided to find teachers who helped me fine tune the kind of teacher I believed I was capable of becoming. A mentor doesn’t shape you as a way to shine light upon themselves, instead they ask the right questions to help you discover yourself. Mentoring is a wonderful way to shake off the scaries, and start teaching from your authentic self. People are drawn to those who honor their truths.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.footstepsandfrangipanis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footstepsandfrangipanis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/footstepsandfrangipanis
• Threads: @[email protected]
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Image Credits
Danielle Banda and Larisa Rubin