Back when I taught my first public yoga class, I felt an anxiety and a level of self-doubt I had no idea was within me. I believe we can't fix what we don't know about, so I am grateful to have been shown this fear within me. It was a shocking first step towards really breaking free from what holds us all back by waking up to the reality within my own mind.
Lucky for me, my family and the community where they live have long practiced a humble kind of warm generosity that came to serve me in this dark moment. I wanted my class experience to be perfect, and years later, still would love for perfection in every single class. What we think of as "perfect" sometimes isn't going to happen in any given moment, and that fear can hold us back from offering our wonderfully imperfect gifts.
Where I come from, people are willing to share what they have, regardless of how imperfect it may be. The teacup may be chipped and even cracked, but those imperfections just add to its beauty and the grace of the person offering it with love. This lesson came back to me in that moment, and today, I share it with the new teachers we train to teach yoga when they face the anxiety that comes to meet you when you learn something new and offer it to others for the very first time.
Whatever it is that your heart desires, just begin. Be willing to be brave, and share what you have. It likely won't be perfect, but it's far greater than holding back. A humble beginning can be the start of powerful growth. You just have to be willing to start.