I breathed a sigh of relief when 2021 quietly slipped out of sight, it was a very challenging year no thanks to the presence of Covid-19.

2022 arrived in much the same way that 2021 happened, through a screen, with us trying to make the most of the situation. While my husband and I were happy that one of our favourite bands was broadcasting live for New Year’s Eve, spending another New Year’s eve in our living room wasn’t what we really wanted.

This time of year is when I reflect and set goals for the year ahead but for 2022 this process has shifted, I mean, how do you set goals in a pandemic?

My yearly ritual, usually done in December, is happening now, but if there is one thing 2021 taught, time is relative.

Young Yoga Masters Year in Review

When I sat down to reflect on 2021 it felt like one big day, I had to go through my calendar month by month just to remember what happened.

This has been a tough year for yoga teachers and yoga businesses in general, so we’re counting any wins we can and letting the hardships become the building blocks for 2022.

Here’s my review of 2021 with insights I’ll use to plan for the next year. I hope kids yoga teachers might find them useful.

I’ll share another post about goal setting for 2022, hopefully before 2022 is over : )

3 Accomplishments of 2021

I looked for 3 accomplishments for 2021 and found them in the little things that happened.

The ones I chose shared a theme of mental health support.

12 Months of Community Building

I started up the monthly check-ins last December 2020, and I was surprised that I would be marking the one year anniversary in December 2021!

This check in helped create community during a year of physical distancing.

Every month I stuck with it, and was able to keep them free, and they are one of my proudest accomplishments for the year.

About 800 people have registered!!!

My favourite part each month is when people come together again from the break out rooms, having connected with another kids yoga teacher.

I feel a nice shift in my energy from those little connections. I don’t feel so alone.

Contributing to a More Diverse Community

Tied for a close second, is the accomplishment of offering 30 different scholarships for BIPOC community members to take the kids yoga teacher training.

Not only has this enriched our training groups, it brings yoga to more communities, and creates more diversity among the teachers and leaders in the yoga community.

This decision also contributed to my own mental health, because I felt empowered that I could contribute in my small way to a more equitable society.

Self Care for Kids Yoga Teachers in 2021

The final accomplishment I’m going to pat myself on the back for in 2021 is making self-care a priority by taking off time in the summer.

In past years, summer is my busiest training time with the training intensives. After months on lock down there was just no way I could spend more time in front of a screen during the best months to be outside.

So I shifted the training to self-paced during the summer.

It was a scary business decision that could mean lost income, which is why I consider prioritizing self-care a major accomplishment.

Yes, enrollments were down during the summer, but I’m so very glad that I changed my schedule and tended to my mental health.

3 Lessons Learned from 2021

The lesson’s learned from 2021?

1. Money cannot be ruler: Yes, it is scary to risk losing it when you are self-employed, but you cannot replace your health or peace of mind.
2. Time is Relative: A lot of my plans and timelines have flown out the window, including business practices, classes, retreats, and workshops that came to an end in the pandemic. I miss them but I can’t control these things and I can’t change time. All I can do is humbly put myself out there as best I am able and let go of the expectations and outcomes.
3. Nurture what Can Give You Connection: it is tempting to lose yourself in a new show or game, but the real people you connect with, on zoom, phone, or walks, will nourish your soul. Nurture the friendship, not the screens, you’ll be glad you did that.

I’ll take these accomplishments and lesson’s learned to heart as I set my goals for 2022 in the coming weeks.

FREE Kids Yoga Resources from 2021

Here is a round up of all the resources available to help you as a kids yoga and mindfulness teacher from 2021

A year of interesting topics in the Free Monthly Check-in. If you haven’t been able to join, I hope you will join us for the next live meetups, you can find the next date here.

Many of these can also count as Yoga Alliance Continuing Education credit for RYT’s.

1. January (1 Hour CE)
   Mindful Breathing, Walking, and Balancing Activities
2. February (1.5 Hour CE)
   Yoga Philosophy for Children
3. March (1 Hour CE)
   Putting Yourself Out There as a Kids Yoga Teacher
4. April (1 Hour CE)
   Powerful Insights from the Kids Yoga Conference
5. May (1 Hour CE)
   How to Keep Your Online and Outdoor Distanced Kids Yoga Classes Engaging
6. June (1 Hour CE)
   Teaching Children About the Roots of Yoga
7. July (1 Hour CE)
   Insurance, Waivers, New Classes, In-Person, Teaching Teens
8. August (1 Hour CE)
   Back to School, The Empty Cup Story and Yoga Poses, Q &A on Creating Products
9. September (1 HOUR CE)
   Recommended Children’s Books to Create a More Inclusive Environment with Trainer Raven McRorie
10. October (1 Hour CE)
    Mindfulness for Children – When Not to Teach It, What Makes a Good Training
11. November (this topic is not eligible for CE with YA)
    Business of Kids Yoga – Where to teach Kids Yoga
12. December (1 Hour CE)
    Behaviour 101 with ABA specialist Yasuko Tanaka