It’s Never Too Late to Begin: How I Found My Path to Yoga Teaching

When I think about who I was at 25 compared to who I am today at 56, I can see how much life has changed and how each chapter has brought me to where I am now.

At 25, I was married, having babies, and raising my family. My life was centered around my husband and children, and I was right where I needed to be. Becoming a yoga teacher wasn’t something I was thinking about. I had a different life to live, and that chapter was important in its own way.

My journey toward teaching yoga began much later, around the age of 48. After working in healthcare for many years, my children were growing up and moving into their own adult lives. I found myself ready to explore something new, learn more about myself, and see where that curiosity might lead.

I decided to enroll in my first yoga teacher training in Seattle. Living in Gold Bar meant a weekly drive into the city, and I made that trip for about a year while continuing to work. It took commitment, but I was excited to learn.

I was also stepping into something unfamiliar. There was a mix of excitement and anxiety that came with doing something new at that stage of life. I didn’t have everything figured out, and I didn’t know exactly where the experience would take me. I just knew I wanted to give it a try.

Looking back, that willingness to step outside my comfort zone was an important part of the journey.

Discovering That Yoga Is More Than the Poses

My first teacher training introduced me to an Iyengar-influenced approach to Hatha yoga. We focused on proper alignment, attention to detail, and understanding how to work with the body to support safe, mindful movement.

I began to see that yoga wasn’t simply about getting into a pose or making a shape with your body. It was about understanding the movement, paying attention to how your body felt, and practicing with intention. That foundation continues to influence how I teach today.

But the physical practice was only one part of what I was learning.

As my training continued, I was introduced to breathing techniques, mindfulness, yoga philosophy, and the deeper aspects of the practice. I began to understand how yoga could help me become more aware of my thoughts, my reactions, and the way I moved through everyday life.

I was learning that what happens on the mat doesn’t have to stay there. The practice can influence how we respond to challenges, how we treat ourselves, and how we relate to the people around us. That was a whole new way of looking at yoga.

A Deeper Immersion Into the Practice

My teacher training was about much more than learning the physical postures. Through the Iyengar-influenced approach to Hatha yoga, I was learning about alignment, precision, and how to practice with greater awareness and respect for the body. But I was also being introduced to the language, traditions, and spiritual philosophy of yoga.

I had to learn and memorize the Sanskrit names of the poses, understand their meanings, and pronounce them correctly. Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward-Facing Dog. Vrksasana, or Tree Pose. We were tested on these terms, so learning them became an important part of my training.

We also recited an invocation to Patanjali at the beginning of class. We first learned it through kirtan and call-and-response, and eventually we learned to recite it on our own. Singing together before class became part of the experience.

Looking back, I realize how much I was taking in. I was learning the physical practice, but I was also being introduced to a tradition with a rich history and a philosophy that extended far beyond the yoga mat. We explored the eight limbs of yoga, chakras, kundalini, and other spiritual teachings that invited us to look inward and consider how we live, how we relate to others, and how we understand ourselves.

It was an amazing time in my life. I was in my late forties, still working in healthcare, making that weekly drive to Seattle, and opening myself up to something completely new. I was learning, being challenged, and discovering parts of myself I hadn’t necessarily taken the time to explore before.

I didn’t realize then just how much those experiences would continue to influence me. But when I look back now, I see that my teacher training was not only preparation for a new profession. It was also a period of personal growth and discovery, one that helped deepen my understanding of yoga as a physical, mental, and spiritual practice.

The Practice Continues Off the Mat

Over time, I began to appreciate how the different aspects of yoga work together. There is the physical practice, the breath-work, mindfulness, self-awareness, compassion, and the spiritual side of the tradition.

Learning about the eight limbs of yoga helped me see that yoga extends beyond the poses we practice in class. It also asks us to consider how we treat others, how we care for ourselves, where we direct our attention, and how we cultivate awareness in our daily lives.

Everyone’s relationship with yoga is different. Some people come to it for flexibility, strength, balance, or stress relief. Others are looking for a little time for themselves, a way to slow down, or an opportunity to reconnect with their bodies.

For me, yoga has become a way to work through life’s challenges with a little more awareness and patience. It has helped me recognize when anxiety is creeping in, pause before reacting, and remember that I don’t have to solve everything all at once.

That doesn’t mean I never feel anxious or uncertain. Life continues to bring new experiences, unexpected changes, and moments that challenge me. Yoga doesn’t make those things disappear, but it gives me tools I can return to. I can take a breath, pause, pay attention, and choose how I want to respond.

I’ve learned to be more patient and compassionate with myself, and that has influenced how I interact with others, too. I’m still learning, and I don’t always get it right. But I have a greater awareness of my thoughts and actions than I did before.

For me, that’s one of the meaningful things about yoga. The learning doesn’t end when class is over. It continues in the everyday moments of life.

Becoming the Teacher I Am Today

I began teaching yoga at 49, and now, at 56, I can see how my training and life experiences have shaped the teacher I am today.

My years in healthcare, raising a family, navigating change, and learning to step outside my comfort zone have all contributed to the perspective I bring to my classes. My yoga training gave me a foundation, but continuing to practice, teach, and experience life has helped me grow along the way.

I understand that everyone comes to yoga with a different body, background, comfort level, and set of experiences. What works for one person may not work for another, and that’s okay.

I want the people who practice with me to feel welcome and supported, without feeling that they need to keep up with anyone else or make their practice look a certain way. Yoga doesn’t have to be intimidating, and you don’t have to be flexible or already know the poses to begin.

At 56, I’m still learning and growing. I don’t believe age alone makes someone a better teacher, but I do believe our experiences can shape how we understand others and what we bring to the people we work with.

And I don’t look back and wish I had become a yoga teacher sooner. My life at 25 was meaningful, too. Raising my family and building that part of my life wasn’t time spent waiting for something better. It was part of my journey.

I arrived at yoga teaching when I was ready for that next chapter, bringing everything that had come before it.

Your Journey Doesn’t Have to Look Like Anyone Else’s

Maybe you’ve been thinking about trying something new. Maybe there’s something you’ve wanted to explore for a long time, but you’ve felt unsure about taking that first step. Or maybe you’ve wondered whether yoga is right for you because you’re not flexible, you’re new to it, or you think you might be too old to start.

I hope my story reminds you that there isn’t one perfect time to begin.

You don’t have to know exactly where a new path will lead. You don’t have to have all the answers or feel completely confident before you start. Sometimes, you simply have to be willing to try.

Yoga can help you build strength, flexibility, balance, and body awareness. It can also offer space to breathe, quiet the noise for a while, and learn more about yourself. Your practice can grow and change as you do, meeting you in the season of life you’re in right now.

For me, it started with a decision to try something new and a weekly drive from Gold Bar to Seattle. That decision led me to teaching yoga, but it also opened the door to personal growth and a deeper understanding of myself.

I’m grateful I took that step, even when I felt uncertain. I couldn’t have known everything that would come from it, and I didn’t need to.

It’s never too late to discover something new about yourself. Sometimes, the next chapter begins when you give yourself permission to try.

Today, through Vital Yogis, I get to share what I’ve learned and continue learning alongside the people who practice with me. If you’ve been curious about yoga but aren’t sure where to begin, private and semi-private sessions can be a comfortable way to explore the practice at your own pace, with guidance tailored to your needs, experience, and goals.

You don’t need to be experienced or know the poses. You can simply start where you are.

You can learn more about private and semi-private yoga sessions with Vital Yogis at vitalyogis.com.

Your next chapter doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It just has to be yours.