What does it actually mean to be a yoga teacher in 2026?

In this episode, we break down the five things we believe every yoga teacher needs to hear right now. Not more pressure. Not more perfection. Not another trend to keep up with.

We talk about nervous system literacy as the new alignment, why experience matters more than choreography, how teaching is shifting away from performance, and what sustainable teaching really looks like over the long term.

This conversation is for teachers who feel the tired of trying to do it all, teachers who care deeply about their students, and teachers who want to keep teaching without burning themselves out.

Inside this episode:

• Nervous system first teaching

• Invitational classrooms over top down authority

• Experience over choreography

• Why perfection is not the goal

• Longevity as a real teaching skill

Want to go deeper?

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

Ula's Substack: https://avibrantmind.substack.com/

Try Heart and Bones Online Yoga Studio:

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/

Why the heck aren’t we feeling motivated, even when we want to change?

And why do we keep picking arbitrary dates to overhaul our lives, as if motivation is something we can schedule?

In this episode, Brea and Ula chat through why motivation is so often blamed when the real issue is friction. We explore how cultural conditioning, perfectionism, guilt, and unrealistic expectations quietly get in the way of change, and why “trying harder” rarely helps.

This is a conversation about small shifts, seasonal rhythms, honest self-inquiry, and building practices that actually fit real lives. It’s for anyone who’s felt stuck, behind, or convinced they’re doing something wrong—and for teachers who want to create spaces that feel supportive instead of pressurized.

PRACTICE WITH HEART + BONES

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here

Want to go deeper?

Learn more about our anatomy-informed online yoga teacher trainings (200hr + 300hr): https://heartandbonesyoga.com/courses/yoga-certification-course/

January has a way of turning everything up to eleven: goals, pressure, expectations, and the belief that we’re supposed to become entirely new people overnight.

In this episode, Brea and Ula unpack why extreme challenges feel so seductive this time of year, and why so many of them leave us burned out, disconnected, or feeling like we’ve failed before we’ve even started. They talk about grind culture, wellness FOMO, and the noise of social media—and how all of it shows up not just in our minds, but in our bodies.

Rather than rejecting goals altogether, this conversation offers a different way in: one rooted in self-trust, nervous system awareness, and small, sustainable shifts. They explore why consistency beats intensity, why rest isn’t a reward you have to earn, and why real change doesn’t happen in isolation.

The episode closes with an invitation to approach January with more kindness, more curiosity, and a lot less pressure, plus a look at the Small Shifts Challenge as a way to practice this work together, in community.

Takeaways:

• January pressure isn’t personal, it’s cultural.
• Extreme challenges work for a few people, but often fail the rest of us.
• Grind culture has quietly shaped how we approach wellness and self-care.
• If it feels panicky or FOMO-driven, that’s information.
• Sustainable change comes from consistency, not intensity.
• Small habits build momentum without activating stress or shame.
• Rest isn’t laziness, it’s part of how we grow.
• We don’t change in isolation; community matters.
• Listening to your body is a skill you can practice.
• Kindness toward yourself makes habit-building possible.

PRACTICE WITH HEART + BONES

Enjoy an entire month in the Heart + Bones online yoga studio for just $1 with this coupon code: PODCASTMONTH

Start Here: https://www.heartandbonesyoga.com/membership/