From Fear to Welcome: What This Has to Do With Websites and Yoga.
Fear isn’t just personal. It’s patterned.
For some of us, it comes from years of being told to over-prepare, to perform, to prove we belong. It shows up in the way we walk into new rooms, the way we imagine outcomes, the way we hold on so tightly to first impressions.
Which is why, when we’re met with warmth instead, when people see us without us having to try so hard, it doesn’t just feel good. It feels healing.
I was reminded of that recently. And the more I sat with it, the more I realized how often that same anxious energy shows up when we’re starting something new.
All the “what ifs”:
What if people don’t get it? What if I come across the wrong way? What if I don’t look professional enough?
It’s the same bracing-for-rejection before we’ve even begun. The brain writing a story that may not actually unfold.
But when we create a space that feels true, whether online or in person, it doesn’t have to be another place for performance. It can be a landing spot. A place that offers welcome. A space where your story, your work, and your values come through clearly.
The fear is real. But so is the possibility of being received with warmth.
If this is how you feel about your website
Starting online can feel like walking into a new room. You don’t know who’s there yet, and you wonder how your presence will be received. If that’s where you are, here are a few ways to begin:
A Modular Approach to Website Design gives you custom support for a one page website, and lifetime access to confidently grow your website one page at a time.
A Design Day gives you support like a private yoga class. Dedicated time tailored to what you want to work on. And if you have no idea, we’ll talk about practical updates that I can help you with. We’ll agree on the deliverables and time. The best part is, you can sit back and relax and I’ll get the design updates done.
You don’t have to do it all at once. Sometimes starting small andsounding out your worries makes the “what ifs” a little quieter.
If this is how you feel in yoga teaching
Stepping into the role of teacher carries its own version of the “what ifs.” Will the class land? Will people understand me? Did I prepare enough?
Here’s what I remind myself:
You don’t need to lead a “perfect” class. I know, easier said that practiced. What matters most is holding space for people to arrive as they are.
Having a base structure helps. I learned this through Jason Crandell many years ago. Set Up, Flow, Technique, Round-Out, Wrap Up. A meta-like structure that feels flexible enough for an intuitive person and structured enough for a Virgo-rising like me.
If this is how you feel in yoga practice
And if you’re showing up as a student, the same doubts can creep in.
Will I know what to do? Will I stand out? Am I strong or flexible enough?
Some gentle truths:
It’s sometimes hard to de-program the feeling that you don’t need to look like anyone else for your practice to matter. If that’s the case, consider coming to your mat with these intentions:
To practice the space you want to take up. I practice with my body in the space between my feet. Some days, it’s in chair. Some days, it’s in Warrior 2.
To explore, not perform. I practice this by moving my hands in revolved side angle or moving my body differently in cat cow.
Starting something new always carries its bundle of what ifs. But maybe the first step is simply creating a space where you can practice the feeling of welcoming yourself. And always, start little. And let it ripple.
