Letting go- why I quit my yoga job

Teaching yoga is my dream job and I’m fortunate enough to say, “yoga instructor” is my current occupation. So, why on earth would this yogi girl leave her so called “dream job”!?

I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING, THIS GIRL DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. SHE MUST BE CRAZY.

SO LET ME EXPLAIN…

I worked at for a yoga studio for a year before I decided it was time to let go. I held on for so long because I love my students and teaching yoga is my passion. About a month ago, I realized it was time to go. Letting go of things that no longer serve your life turned from mantra into a MAJOR life decision. I quit and a much needed weight was lifted of of my shoulders.

When I️ started working there, it felt like home. The owner was welcoming, the classes small and the atmosphere soothing as soon as you walked in. I️ taught upstairs in a loft at a massage therapy office. Every Monday at 5,  I️ had the pleasure of leading four ladies in gentle yoga. With such an intimate setting, I️ quickly became friends with these women even if they were 40 years older than me. I loved teaching at this tucked away studio.

In June, the owner of the massage therapy office decided to open up a yoga studio next door. I️ was going to be part of the grand opening of a yoga studio and it felt like a dream come true. I️ couldn’t have been more excited. As the studio came closer to opening its doors, I became more and more ecstatic.

The doors finally opened and everything was off to a good start. The classes were by no means full but students were still coming to each class. This created good morale for the teachers, students and the owner.

However, as the months passed by, the classes started to dwindle. The owner only paid us if students showed up and this didn’t settle well with many of the instructors. Before I knew it, half of the people who worked their were gone and replaced by new instructors. I held on with the owners hope that things would get better and we would get people through the doors.

I quit not only because of money or wasted time but also because of a pattern I noticed every time someone decided to move on….

Anytime someone quit, the owner would tell me about how “so and so said something nasty or left rudely and she would go on about why they sucked (her choice word EVERY TIME, not mine.)  After a while, it started to bother me. It became a regular thing not only when someone quit, but she bad mouthed her employees every time she got upset with them.

Why on Earth would a women talk so badly about her instructors? Was she talking crap about me too?

At first, I let it go because I wasn’t there for her, I came to teach my students and share the yoga practice.  I also made a point to NEVER be on her bad side. She intimidated me to the point that I would keep my mouth shut in times where I wanted to express myself. I was being bullied without even realizing it.

Finally, she freaked out on me and that was the beginning of the end. For months, I honestly believed she hired instructors who were crazy or just flat out rude to her. Turns out, all of those wonderful people were never the problem, it was her. She was running her own business into the ground and I didn’t want to be part of the mess anymore.

I started a new job teaching exercise classes and yoga to seniors and my schedule conflicted with a class at the studio I said I would cover. I talked to the instructor who I was covering for and told her I would help her find someone else to teach the class. My boss took this opportunity to freak out on me expressing her disappointment and how I was inconveniencing her even though I offered to help find someone to cover! Instead she took matters into her own hands and found someone and told me not to worry about the other class I was able to cover just to be spiteful.

It was then that I realized that I could not work for someone like this anymore.

It took me a month to quit after that point. Quite honestly, my friend quit her studio a few months prior. The owner accused her of knowing she was going to move prior to telling her about it and  then slammed the door on her face. More than anything, I was afraid of getting a similar reaction.

After three weeks of no yoga students, and no pay, I decided I was wasting my time and energy. I am a full-time student with three jobs and something needed to change. My time was more valuable than anything. I built up the courage, went into work on Friday and the dialogue went something like this….

Kaila :  “I have some bad news, I’m sorry but I have to put in my two weeks.”

Owner: ” Why?”

Kaila:  ” I have three jobs and I need to get rid of one…”

Owner: ” So you’re telling me you cut this job off out of the three?”

Kaila: Yes, I’m sorry…

It was then that I was cut off mid-sentence and the door was slammed in MY face this time. I picked up my belongings and decided her reaction meant that she wanted nothing to do with me anymore.

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But boy was I wrong! I didn’t show up to teach on Monday because I thought she wanted me gone. Then I got a text message later that night describing how “uncalled for” it was of me for not showing up and having to turn down students from the studio. The icing on top of the cake was that she told me my services were no longer needed there as if she expected me to come back!

I laughed and never replied. I am a kind person, but I won’t let people walk over me and if you make the decision to slam the door on my face when I try to do the respectful thing by putting in my two weeks then so be it. Karma came full circle when people showed up and there was no one there to teach.

So that’s my story. The story of being blindly bullied by a selfish and hurting human being. I wish her and her studio all the luck. I wish her instructors the most luck and I hope you never experience what I did.

In the meantime, I’m enjoying only having two jobs and I’m getting ready to go to Greece in May to teach for a yoga retreat. Life is good and a giant weight has been lifted from my life. Thanks for reading!

Namaste, Kay.

 

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