Teaching, Truth, and the Power of Being Welcomed
Here’s to the Rawness of Being Alive
I just returned from San Diego, where I had the honor of being a guest teacher for the Misfit Yoga Ashtanga 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training. To say I was moved would be an understatement. These students were hungry—not just for knowledge, but for depth. Their questions were thoughtful, their presence was grounded, and their respect for the practice and one another was inspiring. It was far beyond what I anticipated, and I left feeling filled up in the best possible way.
Walking into a yoga space as a guest teacher can sometimes be uncertain. But from the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms and open hearts. What Andre has built at Misfit Yoga is nothing short of magic. There’s something so sacred about small, intentional spaces.
Growth doesn’t always mean expansion.
Sometimes it means deepening, rooting, staying small enough to feel each other. That’s what I witnessed there: students supporting one another, offering care and encouragement, learning in community.
What I Bring and What I Refuse to Prove
This invitation came at a much-needed time. I won’t pretend otherwise. I was feeling a bit raw. I hate to admit it, but I had been quietly yearning for some validation. It’s an uncomfortable feeling to sit with, especially when you’re someone who’s spent decades pouring into others. Sometimes it feels like my experience, my education, my insight, my devotion to this work, is overlooked. I know that feeling isn’t always grounded in truth, but it’s there nonetheless.
What I’m learning over and over again is that acceptance is a human need I still carry. Maybe it’s a remnant of my upbringing. Maybe it’s just the nature of being sensitive in a world that often overlooks depth entirely. Either way, I’m a work in progress. Always.
So, where do I go from here?
What I’ve realized is this: feeling supported, accepted, and uplifted are not luxuries. These are the essential nutrients of any relationship, any collaboration. And when they’re absent, it’s not a weakness to acknowledge the lack. It’s wisdom.
Moving Toward my 47th Year with Intention
I’m in a season of life where I’m meant to step forward, not shrink. I’m nearing 47. I’ve lived half my life as a nurse, and I’ve devoted years to learning all I can about Yoga, Ayurveda, nervous system regulation, and trauma response. I’ve studied, practiced, taught, traveled, and held space through some of life’s hardest moments, both mine and others. I’ve taken courses, earned certifications, walked through fire, and come out clearer. I’m not here by accident.
But I’m done trying to force people to see me.
If someone can’t recognize my shine, that’s their damn problem, not mine.
This is not a “woe is me” story. It’s a moment of clarity. A mark in the sand that says: I will continue to speak truthfully. I will show up with transparency and vulnerability. I don’t want these blog posts to just sound polished or professional. I want them to be real. That means sharing where I’m at. And right now, I’m learning to stop pushing my way into spaces where I don’t feel welcome, and to celebrate the ones where I do.
I’ve never been great at faking it. My face gives me away every time. I crave real conversations, messy truths, and meaningful connection.
As I move toward my 47th year:
I will move with intention.
I will move with softness and strength.
I will move with a commitment to speak honestly, and to set boundaries that protect my health.
I will acknowledge the wins, the losses, the growth, and the impact.
Because it matters. I matter. And so do you!
Here’s to all of us continuing to find our way, rooted in truth, led by heart, and unwilling to shrink.
With gratitude,
Lisa Ostler
RN, BSN, 500-RYT, YACEP, Ayurvedic Wellness Advisor
