We recently connected with Bonnie Bradford and have shared our conversation below.
Bonnie, 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.
When I first started my 200-hour yoga teacher training, it was about self discovery. Once I was half way through the program, I realized that I wanted to teach. The concept of teaching wasn’t even on my radar. I began teaching in 2013 and opened a studio in 2014.
The business of yoga is vastly different than the practice of yoga. The business side can be competitive and cut throat, just like Corporate America. This behavior within the yoga industry took me by surprise and was discouraging and disheartening. However, I remained persistent and kept my business open for 6 years until COVID hit in March 2020.
I closed the physical space and moved online, however, so did most other yoga instructors across the globe.
The key is understanding that the right students will be attracted to you, your style and personality. We can’t be all things to all people.
I used the COVID shut down as an opportunity to grow my knowledge and enrolled in certification programs for the Institute of Yoga Sports Science and Chopra Ayurveda Lifestyle coaching. It was exhilarating to be a student again and evolve my practice in order to share with others.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I started practicing yoga at home with a pre-natal DVD when I was pregnant with my first daughter (18 years ago). I went through a 200-hour yoga teacher training 2012-2013, then advanced to a 300-hour YTT in 2015. Two years later, I became a Yoga Alliance registered Yoga School and have been running 200-hour yoga teacher training programs since 2017.
Every student is unique and has various goals they believe yoga can help them with; weight loss, flexibility, balance, mindfulness/awareness and overall health and well-being. I treat my students with respect and compassion and meet them based on what their needs are and where they are at in their life-stage.
The most rewarding part of what I do is witnessing the growth in my students even when they haven’t yet recognized it in themselves. Their progress means I’m doing something right and that makes my heart and soul happy. A lot of my students have become friends and I treasure the community that yoga builds among like-minded people.
Other than being a mother of two amazing teenage daughters, teaching yoga is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my lifetime.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
After graduating college with a degree in Advertising/Marketing, I started my corporate career in California. It’s a very intense industry, with a lot of pressure and high stress. In order to “get ahead”, I put a lot of pressure on myself and became self-critical and judgmental of myself and co-workers.
When yoga came into my life, I realized the time I was spending focusing on the negative aspects of my career did not serve me and a shift was necessary.
Stepping onto my mat releases me on many levels. It gives me the space to let go of those things that no longer serve me in order to make room for the present moment and focus on the positive aspects of my life as it is today, right here right now.
I tell my students to come into their practice with an open mind and an open heart. Release past thoughts, emotions, beliefs or anything that no longer serves them. Come into the present moment with the breath and stay present throughout their practice. At the end, I suggest they take this feeling off the mat and share it with someone else.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
As an instructor, I believe approaching each class, workshop or teacher training with a student mindset helps me connect to students, and myself, on a deeper level. I know that I have learned something or had an “a ha” moment from the majority of people I have had the privilege to meet through the practice of yoga.
One of the most amazing things in yoga is that there is always somewhere to go, to extend yourself beyond what you thought you knew and go deeper into the practice.
Although yoga is vast, it is also extremely personal and cultivates different meaning for each unique individual. I enjoy learning from my students and putting into practice what they teach me in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://courses-everyone-yoga.com
- Instagram: @everyoneyoga
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everyoneyoga
Image Credits
Liza Jane White Photography eyepopphoto, LLC – Julie Peltzer