Things That Don’t Matter In My Classes

Touching your toes.

Having the “right” leggings.

Being naturally flexible.

Knowing all the names of the poses.

Keeping up with everyone else.

Looking graceful.

Being good at switching off.

Having a perfectly strong core.

Never needing to rest.

Or knowing exactly what you’re doing straight away.

Most people arrive carrying enough pressure already.

Pressure to perform.

To get things right.

To keep going even when they’re tired.

So one of the things that matters most to me when I teach is creating a space where people can let some of that go for a while.

A space where movement doesn’t have to look perfect to be worthwhile.

Where props are there to be used, not earned.

Where resting isn’t failing.

Where moving more slowly doesn’t mean you’re doing less.

And where paying attention to how something feels is often far more important than how it looks.

Over time, I notice people begin to soften into that.

They stop apologising for modifying things.

They stop worrying about whether they’re “good” at Yoga or Pilates.

They start trusting their own body a little more.

And often, that’s where the real shift begins.

Not in forcing.

Not in striving.

Just in feeling a little more comfortable being exactly where they are.