Taking the plunge: Changing career at 60!
Our guest blogger this month is Enterprise coach, turned Yoga teacher Sheila McFee, who at the age of (almost) 60 took the plunge and turned her life around with a new career. Read her story here:
With my 60th birthday in sight I knew a change was on the cards. I still needed to earn some money, so I planned to leave my job as an Enterprise Coach and return to freelance work, may even manage to be semi-retired. What I didn’t know was that I would become a yoga teacher!
With my daughter offering yoga teacher training at Yoga Hero, her studio in Leeds, the easy bit was to say ‘yes’ when she offered to put my name down. The course was challenging, exhausting, incredible and utterly life changing! I was the oldest, and probably least fit person there and many had a well established practice and were very flexible from day one! We didn’t just learn about yoga in it’s full sense, asanas (poses), pranayama (breathing), chanting, philosophy, anatomy …. but so much about ourselves. Being on training like this creates friendships for life, we shared so much!
Being determined to work hard and pass the course was a great foundation, but learning for the written tests and practice teaching to pass the practical assessments were essential. I contacted a few friends and asked if they would come along to a weekly class and give me honest feedback so I could develop my teaching style and content. I fell in love with it and decided to try and make a go of it as a job. That was Spring 2019.
It has evolved, with my teaching now (usually) being over 3 days a week, and my new year’s resolution is to do more yoga for me, so am trying out different classes and doing more at home, although that usually develops into a planning session! My friends have been so supportive, many giving it a go and, if it’s for them, continuing to come to classes and workshops.
With many women experiencing changes in mental and physical health it is a privilege to be in a position to offer something that may help.
Because I teach a slow style and love to particularly teach ‘Women of a certain age’ who may have tried yoga or may be complete beginners, many people find it like meditative movement and say they feel calmer, taller and more flexible. You certainly don’t need to be able to do the splits or get your legs round the back of your head to get the most out of yoga!
Why not sign up to a yoga class yourself? You may make some lovely new friends! And if you want to find someone to go with you, you could shoutout on togetherfriends!
And of course if you fancy a change of direction, follow in Sheila's footsteps and take the plunge. As they say, we regret what we don't do, not what we do!
