January Teacher Feature: Stephanie de Courcy-Hughes

Our yoga teachers and studios have been adaptable and ingenious, finding new ways to connect and continue to teach and support their students. Through lockdowns, technical issues and learning to make adjustments virtually over Zoom. This month we're shining a light on them! In January, we'll be offering studios and chatting with teachers here on the blog to celebrate those who have kept us grounded over the past year. Meet yoga teacher Stephanie de Courcy-Hughes below.

Can you tell us something about yourself?

Before becoming a yoga teacher, I worked in various roles as a support worker in mental health services. I loved being able to support people in my community, but during a break when my partner and I traveled for six months, I realized that I wanted to fulfill my dream of becoming a yoga teacher. I have been practicing yoga regularly for about 8 years and it has been an eye-opening, difficult, wonderful, healing journey. I know firsthand how incredible yoga and breathwork can support our mental health. The Western world can be fast-paced, competitive and materialistic and I found it quite difficult to adapt. Yoga philosophy just seemed to align with many of my core beliefs, so my instincts told me to invest more time and look into it. I absolutely love that my job is to help people feel comfortable in their bodies and find more peace. Over the last few years, I have worked very hard to have more compassion for myself, and this informs the way I live my life and the way I teach. It's so cheesy, but the more you learn to love yourself, the more love you have to give to others. Aside from yoga, I love dogs, traveling, horror movies and terrible but addictive thriller novels!

What challenges did you face as a yoga teacher in a very different year in 2020?

Being a self-employed yoga teacher can be a bit lonely. In previous jobs I worked in large teams with lots of support and daily laughter. Being your own boss is so great, but you also have to be your own critic, your own boss, and your own cheerleader. This was even more difficult in a year full of adversity. It's been difficult to make decisions about whether or not to teach in person, how to operate safely, how many people to allow per class, etc. when faced with fairly vague instructions for most of the year. I had never taught online before and the thought of it previously filled me with dread because it meant confronting my relationship with myself and my body. Being on camera made me feel so vulnerable and sent me into some pretty terrible spirals of fear and shame! I had to constantly remind myself that my self-esteem and ability to teach great yoga didn't depend on how I looked. I continued teaching online because I don't want diet culture to win and because I want to make sure existing and new students know they can count on me for down-to-earth, caring yoga.

What did 2020 teach you and can you find a silver lining in everything?

2020 forced me to think about my priorities. When I ask myself, “Who do I want to see when these restrictions are lifted?” or: “Where do I want to go when I can travel again?” The answers are sometimes quite surprising. I reconnected with people I hadn't spoken to in years, and some friends unexpectedly had a bit of a drift, too. 2020 reminded me to continue doing as much of what I love as possible, which only increases adaptability and creativity, and that's great!

Where do you find inspiration and motivation?

When I'm a little low I don't want to talk to people because it just feels like too much, but it pretty much always helps to talk to someone I love and trust, even about random things like trashy TV or what I ate yesterday. If possible, I always feel better taking a walk with another person (that's allowed at the moment, I think!) somewhere with some greenery. A change of scenery, fresh air and someone to talk to do wonders for motivation.

During this VERY digitally dependent time, I've tried to use social media mindfully and find some people who are really inspiring to follow: Lizzo, The Holistic Psychologist and Freeda to name a few. We've all probably been online more than ever this year. I've tried to make sure my feeds are full of inspiring people who promote self-confidence, self-love and self-exploration.

Any words of wisdom for someone struggling to stay positive and inspired right now?

I know we don't know each other, but I hear you! It's a cliché, but "One day at a time" is a mantra I use often. I often scribble it on a piece of paper and stick it on a cupboard or something. When a whole day feels too overwhelming, I think to myself, “one breath at a time.” When I'm really struggling with feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed, I take tiny little steps like "Next I'm going to get up" and then "Now I'm going to fill the kettle" and then "Now I'm going to turn it on" and so on. Focus on one small piece at a time and don't forget to congratulate yourself on small wins!

To keep up with Stephanie, keep following herInstagramand Facebook or visit themwebsiteInformation about classes and events. You can also try Stephanie's lessons on her YoutubeChannel.