I’d like to share a story today about a client I worked with. Names and identifying details have been changed but the main message remains the same.
Emma was a yoga teacher in the North of England. She’d been teaching for a few years, loved her classes, and had loyal students. But inside, she often felt invisible. Every time she opened Instagram, her stomach knotted. Other teachers looked more polished, more confident, more “expert.” Compared to them, she felt small and sometimes even inadequate.
To fix the feeling, she kept studying. Another course, another certificate, another webinar. She convinced herself that the next qualification would finally make her feel like an expert, like she was enough. But each time she finished one, the doubt remained. Her diary was busy, but her confidence was low. She undercharged, avoided promoting herself, and kept telling herself she wasn’t ready.
Emma came to work with me because she was exhausted; juggling too many things and not feeling fulfilled. She felt guilty for not feeling great when her classes were full and her business was doing well. From the outside looking in, everything looked good for Emma but she just felt something was missing.
Then one evening, after class, a client waited to talk to Emma:
“Emma, you’ve changed my life. Because of you, I can pick up my grandson now. I never thought I’d do that again. I’ve tried so many things, I wish I’d come to you sooner. You really know what you are doing. Thank you.”
The words stopped Emma in her tracks. It made her feel uncomfortable, excited and proud all at the same time. She didn’t know what to do with these words but she knew she needed to talk about them so she brought them to one of our sessions.
We explored the words together and what came up for Emma. This client didn’t care how many certificates she had. She didn’t care about social media followers. She cared about the impact Emma had had on her life.
I invited Emma to list all the transformations she had been part of with her clients – the clients who had less pain, more confidence, better sleep – and all the knowledge she had gained over the years – courses, teaching, supporting. The lists were longer than she expected. Exploring how these lists made Emma feel and think helped her to realise she was enough, she always was enough – she is the expert, she just hadn’t claimed it.
Over the next few weeks, she made changes. She stopped apologising in class. She adjusted her prices to reflect her value. She introduced herself with more confidence:
“I help women restore strength and calm through yoga.”
She began sharing weekly tips online, not waiting for them to be perfect.
The ripple effects came quickly. Her classes had waiting lists. Word of mouth spread. But the biggest shift was inside her. She no longer waited for permission. She stopped comparing herself to everyone else. She didn’t do another course or qualification to prove herself. She recognised she was the expert for the women she worked with. She could and did positively impact their lives.
Emma hadn’t suddenly gained more knowledge. What changed was her mindset. She chose to see herself differently. She chose to claim her expert identity. And that choice transformed everything.
If you’re ready to step into your own expert mindset, email me philippa@holdmyhandcoaching.com and let’s explore how 1:1 coaching could support you.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x