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“Stop giving stuff away for free”

lukeswright

I often get told this. In fact, it’s been drilled into me since I first began my yoga teacher training. I was always taught that I shouldn’t devalue myself. And that giving my services away for free also devalues the practice, and thus, devalues other yoga teachers too. In fact, it’s part of Asteya - the yogic belief of ‘non-stealing’. Not stealing from myself, my time or my energy. Not stealing opportunities from other teachers, their businesses and the practice of yoga as a whole.


“Be a good yogi - don’t give things away for free”


Plus, when you give things away for free you get taken advantage of, people don’t take your services seriously and your time, effort and money get wasted. People no-show, mess you around, or aren’t committed.


That’s always the narrative that I’ve been fed. And for a long time, I stuck to that. And there are times that I was so ridged in this belief, that I look back and want to slap some sense into myself! One particular example comes to mind, when I’d just qualified back in 2018. A young girl came to me who was doing her Duke of Edinburgh award. Something I also did when I was a teenager. Her Mum politely asked if I could offer her a discount to attend classes as part of achieving her bronze award. I said no. “She’s taking up a mat, she should pay full price”. What was I thinking?! The only reason I didn’t pass my Duke of Edinburgh bronze award is because I didn’t complete my physical exercise portion. The very thing this girl wanted to complete with me. And here I was, turning her away. 🤦🏻‍♂️


I literally did the opposite of Asteya. I focused on not stealing from myself and my business, when instead I stole an opportunity from a 15 year old girl. And a part of me even recognises that I also stole from my 15 year old self. I had an opportunity to heal a regret from the past, but instead I just created another layer of regret. What a muppet!


And yes, I’ve definitely experienced a few freeloaders in my time. People who book free services and no-show. People who waste my time, effort and money. People who take advantage. But that shouldn’t be where my focus lies. I could spend all day long getting wound up about those people (which beleive me, I have!) - or I could choose to focus on the good that I’m doing in the world.


Because when I give my services away for free (or by donation), I open up so many other opportunities…


💛 I’m making wellbeing financially accessible, rather than it being something that’s reserved for only those who have disposable income.


💛 I’m gifting the opportunity of wellbeing to my community, by inviting people to regularly experience my services and start feeling the benefits that consistent wellbeing practices can bring.


💛 I’m getting my name out there. Even if somebody doesn’t make a donation, or only turns up once, or completely no-shows, they still know that I exist! They might think of me again in the future, they might mention me to other people, they might just not be ready yet, but they will know that I’m here when they are.


💛 Karmically, putting good juju out there will hopefully increase opportunities and abundance in other ways. I trust that if I do good, the universe will deliver good things back to me.


💛 I also feel damn good about it! And when I feel good, I vibrate on a better frequency and attract better things.


Even as a kid, I always gave stuff away! I was a bloody nightmare for my parents, as I wouldn’t think anything of offering up their old mobile phones to my friends, or offering their business services for free to others. I’d always be cutting posters out of my Smash Hits magazine and giving them to my class mates. Or spending my lunch money on a multi-pack of Chuppa Chupps and sharing them with my friends in the playground. I just liked to give.


Since I started hosting the free/donation based sound bath meditation classes, my energy has changed, and the energy of the wellbeing centre has changed. I’ve had loads of new people through the door. Many of whom have gone on to use other services that we offer. Many of whom come week after week for their dose of self-care. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.


So yes, I may only have earned less than one third of the national minimum wage last year, and I may often have people banging their heads against the wall telling me to stop giving things away for free. But I can’t! Because I wouldn’t be being authentically me. And I wouldn’t be practicing Asteya if I took those opportunities away from others who need them the most.


And honestly, I don’t think any of this devalues me, my services, my business, or other businesses and yoga teachers. I don’t believe that at all. Because the goal is wellbeing. Collective wellbeing. And we can’t have collective wellbeing if we’re all worrying about what others are doing, and living in fear of there not being enough business to go around. Historically, wellbeing practices such as yoga have been passed down generation to generation, through communities. Wellbeing was never a business. It was a philosophy, a way of life. Something that was for everybody. And yes, in today’s modern world I need to earn money. We all do. That’s just the way it is. But I’m going to earn money my way, with integrity, kindness and community wellbeing at heart.


There’s enough room in this world for us all to succeed.


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