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Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Revenge of the Trolls Invades Your Yoga Studio

invades your yoga studio
By Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500

Maybe I'm weird, but I loved trolls in folklore and literature. They were not so good looking, they didn't smell good, lived in caves or under a bridge, and sometimes, they ate the local farmer's goats. Snoopy used to laugh about rabbits while reading in the library, and as a kid, I laughed about trolls. Now, the Internet has the 21st century troll who antagonizes everyone. Suddenly, it has become popular to be a public troll on commuter trains, during traffic jams, and places around town.

How would you know a troll?

He might try to hide in your closets without signing up for a class. He'll definitely refuse to sign your waiver form and he might say things like: "Believe me! Political correctness is killing this studio!"

When most people enter a yoga studio, they long to experience a zen-like feeling and uplift their spirits. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for everyone. There are some people who like to stir up drama and contention. Just like there are trolls that invade the Internet and the government, trolls can roam anywhere. This includes a yoga studio. When you, yoga practitioners and yoga students are trying to be on one accord and have a great session, trolls will do their best to make sure this doesn't happen. However, there are ways to handle the situation. 



1. Be introspective. 

You don't want to be in this space for too long. However, you do want to go inward for a second to consider the other person. You need to have a momentary dialogue with yourself to communicate and translate what's happening on the deepest level. At the core, when you're dealing with a troll, you're dealing with someone who's carrying a significant amount of hurt. Their behavior is just a manifestation of what's happening on the inside. When a person has peace, they have no desire to cause a scene and disturb others. 

2. Control your emotions. 

This is a perfect time to think and meditate on your feet. As you approach the situation, take some time to do some deep breathing exercises. As you breathe in and out, the body will have a better opportunity to get rid of any negative emotion and toxic energy. You don't want to absorb the other party's aura. Intentionally control your emotions, with breathing techniques and a thoughtful perspective on what's happening in front of you. 

3. Calmly communicate. 

When you're dealing with a person who's snappy and intentionally causing problems, they probably aren't communicating rationally. They might be really rude, confrontational and disrespectful. Don't return evil for evil. You need to respond in a calm manner. When you remain calm, you'll have a better chance of diffusing the situation. It also does a great job of disempowering the person. If the other person's voice rises in volume, don't try to match it. Stay at a consistent tone of voice as you communicate. Many people communicate soft-spoken language with weakness, but it can be the most powerful tone in a conversation. 



4. Refuse to emotionally engage. 

When a person is giving off toxic energy, it tends to throw other people off. When a person is screaming and carrying on with a bad attitude, to most people, it feels natural to go to that same emotional space as well. However, that is exactly what a troll wants. Since trolls are dealing with such emotional turmoil, they get pleasure from their ability to control the emotions of others. Don't engage on an emotional level. Don't try to reason with them. You should communicate, but understand that they might try to engage in conversation in order to completely waste your time.  You could catch him red-handed taking photos of students in your class and he'll respond: "I have tremendous respect for yoga." You're thinking: "Seriously!"

5. Think of solutions. 

It's important to be solution-driven. Most parents with small children understand the need for a contingency plan. While many days may go as planned, this isn't the case for every single day. When you have irate students and troublemakers, it's wise to think of solutions to handle their temper tantrums. If it's disrupting the class, it's good to have someone in place to handle their complaints, such as an administrator or customer service representative. 

6. Call in reinforcements. 

Unfortunately, there might be a time or two when a person becomes so disruptive that it threatens the safety and integrity of the people in the studio. In that case, it's best to call for reinforcements. Reinforcements might include security and the police. You never want to be in a position where your safety is at risk. Always have a way to manage the situation so that it can be quickly handled. Be prepared for him to give one last parting shot, such as: "I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers."

As you are closing the door on him for the last time, he says your school is really boring. Don't say a word, close the door now and take a deep breath - the troll is gone.

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

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Saturday, March 24, 2018

Help! My Yoga Students are Yelping Me!

negative reviews
By Bhavan Kumar

As a yoga teacher, you are your own brand. You might be stationed at a specific studio, but students can opt to attend your class. As a result, it's not uncommon for many teachers to build a strong fan base and following. After taking this into account, it's important to recognize that your students might leave a review on Yelp.com about you. After first, this can seem a little nerve-wracking. However, there are a few good ways to handle this reality. 

One of the parts that gets most people concerned is the negative review. Just by nature, people want to hear really good remarks about who they are and what they bring to the world. It can be really challenging to hear negative feedback. On top of this, it can be really challenging to read negative feedback on a public platform. This means that other people can see it. Furthermore, the feedback will influence a person's desire to work with a specific teacher. So, a good or bad remark can make the difference in whether or not you receive a sale. This can be understandably challenging. So, there are a few ways to approach this ordeal. 



1. Take note of the criticism. 

While it can be tough to read negative reviews of your service, it's best to use those uncomfortable experiences and allow them to refine you. Use the negative reviews as notes on how you can improve. Run the reviews past a few of your most trusted colleagues and friends. If they are able to agree with the sentiments in a gentler way, it's time to step your game up. Keep in mind that you'll always continue to learn and grow. Knowing this, don't get too hard on yourself. Come up with an action plan to help you become proactive about improving. As you learn more about the process, you can shift your mindset and look at the criticism as a great way to become the best yoga professional you can be. 

2. Be responsive on Yelp. 

Whether the review is positive or negative, make sure to leave a comment. It helps users realize that you see their feedback and have a desire to be responsive. Attentiveness is very important. When a brand lets anything go unchecked online, it's bad for optics. Instead, sign up for Google Alerts or another service that notifies you when someone leaves a new comment or review. Promptly respond to it. If it's a positive review, make sure to express gratitude to the person who left it. If it's a negative review, it might be a good idea to approach it in a different way. A negative review might cause you to have a similar reaction. Your response can make a big difference in whether or not other reviewers are attracted to your brand. Apologize for the person's experience. Offer an opportunity to connect offline so that you can learn more about what they would've wanted to experience. In some cases, the reviewer might not even respond. However, if they do, they'll appreciate the fact that you were responsive to their experience. In many cases, negative reviewers want to be heard and understood. 



3. Make it a part of the narrative.

Whether you like it or not, you're living in the digital age. Social media and the internet are here to stay. Additionally, there are so many ways people benefit from these entities, so embrace the fact. Instead of fighting against it, adopt the narrative and make it work in your favor. At the beginning of each class, make sure to introduce yourself. At the end of the class, reintroduce yourself and encourage students to leave a review of how the course went for them. In this case, you get to welcome and encourage positive reviews. It's all about making the experience work for you!

© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

Please feel free to share our posts with your friends, colleagues, and favorite social media networks.

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