mistakes

The Three Biggest Mistakes I’ve Made in My Well-Being Business (and What They’ve Taught Me)

Each week, I share videos and reflections to help kids yoga teachers and children’s well-being practitioners with practical ideas, honest insights, and encouragement for this unique work we do.

This post is a little different, though. Today I want to share the three biggest mistakes I’ve made in my well-being business. These aren’t just about children’s work—they’re about being human, running a heart-led business, and learning along the way.

This feels like a bit of a vulnerable share, but if you’re up for that, then read on...

Mistake #1: Putting Too Much Emphasis on the Opinions of OthersFor much of my life—and especially in my business—I’ve had a habit of assuming that other people know better than I do. Experts, mentors, business coaches… I’d take their advice as ‘The Truth’ and ignore my own inner voice.
Now, I want to be clear: learning from others is vital. Growth and development are central to what we do. But there’s a difference between learning and handing over your power.
For me, this showed up when I started niching down. Every business coach seemed to say, “You need to find your niche!” So I did. Over and over again. I went from working with adults, parents, schools, and children… to narrowing right down to only children’s well-being, and then even further to just school-based work.
And while niching can absolutely be useful, I didn’t stop to ask: does this actually fit me?
I ignored my personality, my circumstances, and what truly lights me up. I made business decisions that didn’t align with my needs or values, and I lost my way a few times because of it.
Looking back, those experiences weren’t wasted—they were lessons. But they taught me an important truth: no matter how wise an “expert” seems, only you know what’s right for you.


Mistake #2: Comparing Myself with Others

Ah, comparison. This one’s a tough one.

I don’t see myself as competitive—I don’t want to “beat” anyone—but I have compared my business to others’. I’ve seen what other well-being practitioners are doing and thought, Maybe I should do that too.

And while experimenting is how I learn best (trial and error is my natural way!), too much comparison left me “shoulding” all over myself.

It also made me feel 'less than', even when my goals were completely different. I’ve never been interested in building a six-figure business, or having a flash car or big house—and there’s nothing wrong with those goals—but they’re not mine.

When I compared myself to people chasing things I didn’t even want, I felt small. And sometimes, I tried to mimic their way of doing things. I’d notice myself copying their tone, their format, their approach—probably my neurodivergent brain at play, seeking structure—but it always left me feeling like a failure when it didn’t fit.

Because of course it didn’t fit. It wasn’t me.


Mistake #3: Trying to Be Someone I’m Not

The first two mistakes naturally led to this one: trying to be someone I’m not.

Every time I ignored my own rhythm, energy, or creative flow to fit a mould, I lost authenticity—and that never ends well for me. As a neurodivergent person, authenticity isn’t just a preference; it’s essential to my mental health.

When I try to be someone I’m not, I feel disconnected, low, and stuck. It becomes hard to promote my work or even talk about it, because it doesn’t feel like my work anymore.

Here’s what I’ve learnt about myself:

• I’m inconsistent—and that’s okay. My energy fluctuates, so full-time delivery in schools doesn’t suit me.
  
  
• I’m creative and expansive—I love making new things, connecting ideas, and exploring variety. That’s why overly narrow niches feel suffocating.
  
  
• I learn through experience, not through strict five-step plans. I need space to explore, adapt, and follow what sparks joy and curiosity.
  
  
  

When I honour those parts of myself, my work feels alive again. That’s why you’ll see me returning to offer adult workshops and training again—it feels expansive and freeing, and most importantly, true to me.


Why I’m Sharing This

You might be wondering why I’m sharing all this—my mistakes, my missteps, my messy bits.

It’s about shame.

I’ve been doing a lot of work around self-discovery and self-compassion, and I love Brené Brown’s teachings on shame. She says we all experience it, and that the less we talk about it, the more power it has over us.

So, this is me shining a light on my own shame—the part that whispers I’m not “enough” to be successful, or that I should have it all figured out by now. Speaking it aloud takes away its power.

And maybe it helps you, too. Maybe you see a bit of yourself in these reflections—putting too much weight on others’ opinions, comparing yourself, or trying to be someone you’re not.

If so, know this: you’re not alone. Sharing our vulnerabilities makes us braver, and it reminds us that we’re all learning as we go.

Over to You

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What mistakes have you learned from in your own well-being or yoga business? What truths about yourself have shaped the way you work?

Let’s keep the conversation open—because when we stop hiding the things that make us human, we take away their power.

Thanks for reading,
Julia x