Meet Shelby Gorstein

We were lucky to catch up with Shelby Gorstein recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Shelby, really appreciate you joining us to talk about a really relevant, albeit unfortunate topic – layoffs and getting fired. Can you talk to us about your experience and how you overcame being let go?

In July of 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, I was laid off from my full-time job. At the time, I was teaching yoga once a week, knowing I wanted to do it more. I viewed my layoff as divine redirection. I was not fulfilled at this job, although there was excellent financial potential and I was just hitting my stride when I got this news. I surrendered to the cards I was dealt and decided to fully trust that this was happening for me, not to me. I took the day to process and fantasize about what was next. Within the next fews days I began connecting with local yoga studios to get more teaching gigs and I started teaching virtual classes. I went fully in on what my true passion was. Even though it was scary to no longer have a steady paycheck, I persevered through the low points and believed that I was getting more and more into alignment with every small step I took. At first, I had to watch my savings dwindle a bit and struggle to build a community, but the mantra I kept telling myself was, “The difference between success and failure is to keep going when others would give up.” I knew that just because it was hard, didn’t mean that I couldn’t do it. Now, almost 4 years later, I am making a living doing what I love. My life looks completely different than it did back that. I used to journal about desiring the life I now have. If I never got laid off, who knows who I would be.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I get to spend the best part of people’s days with them for a living. Teaching Yoga is such a blessing. People come to me with a desire to feel good and take care of themselves. To be able to facilitate that experience is such a joy. I have a deep respect for the trust people put in me, and recognize that guiding them through movement and breath is a delicate responsibility. I aim to cultivate an inclusive, all-are-welcome-here vibe for my students so that, no matter what, they feel like they belong. Regardless of what emotions arise, my classes are safe spaces for practitioners of all levels and walks of life. My style of teaching harmonizes effort and ease in a feel-good manner. I teach anything from Yin to Power Vinyasa. I have experience with ages 3 to 93, and believe there are endless ways to adapt this practice to fit everyone. I teach donation Yoga Sunday mornings at Veterans Park in Delray Beach, FL and recently launched my virtual membership AWAKENED ALIVE (https://www.somble.com/shelbygyoga), where I upload new classes, workshops, and skill-building series regularly.
I have a Yoga & Adventure Retreat coming up in the mountains of North Carolina Spring 2025 and I am over the moon excited about creating a magical experience for my guests. You can stay up to date here (https://fragrant-sun-89498.myflodesk.com/cxyl34w3kj)
I also published a book of poetry, my other passion in this life (https://www.blurb.com/b/11565459-something-in-the-sunset-told-me-i-miss-you). I write mostly about nature, love, heartbreak, travel, and embodiment. Writing is such a gift; the transmutation and discovery it provides me with are invaluable. It helps me connect more to the earth, myself, and others. It helps me unravel my psyche and make art out of not only what’s already beautiful, but also what’s painful or uncomfortable.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Being resourceful is so key, especially in the beginning, but really always. I taught myself how to do a lot of things when it comes to technology, marketing, and branding. Research skills allowed me to find articles and videos to help me build my own website, edit audio and video, and so much more. Ideally, we get to a point where we have the means to outsource and seek help, but I have found that I personally prefer to really understand certain processes and be able to pull as many strings as I can. It’s also important to know what we are good at and what we understand and stay within those realms until we’ve expanded our knowledge and capability. Remaining within our own scope of practice is how we can be as safe and supportive as possible. Continuing our education is also wonderful, although we don’t have the capacity to be in a constant state of taking in information. I have done about one training per year on top of my first 200 hour YTT. I found diving deeper into trainings like Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Thai Bodywork, and even a business mentorship program to have profoundly enhanced on my offerings. They have allowed me to create new events, as well as add value to my existing students. I also love to suggest collaborations. Working with other folks in the same or similar industries is a great way to expand our reach/audience, network, and not be so alone as a leader. I have collaborated with other yoga teachers, sound healers, charity representatives, reiki healers, bakers, and writers.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

My ideal client is someone who knows that life can be amazing. Someone who is self-motivated to take care of themselves and cares about their well-being and the well-being of others. I love to work with people on specific goals. Whether it’s hip mobility, overall flexibility, learning advanced poses like handstand or split, relaxing the nervous system, or anything in between, I get excited to assist people with their ambitions. Working with individuals who believe in their own capability activates me, and I also love to support people who might be a little further away from feeling that level of confidence. I meet my students where they’re at, especially when working privately 1:1 or with couples or small groups. I allow the experience to be co-created, so that both beginners and advanced yogis feel comfortable. My main objective is to share the valuable qualities of joy, resilience, trust, and composure with anyone who is open to receiving.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shelbygyoga.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbygyoga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shelbygyoga
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-gorstein-4b4665151/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY8vSMbiWMViNGrjWJDam4g
• Other: https://www.somble.com/shelbygyoga
  https://www.somble.com/shelbygyoga
  https://fragrant-sun-89498.myflodesk.com/cxyl34w3kj

Image Credits

The handstand workshop and goddess pose pictures are by Kelly Rodriguez https://www.kelly-r.com/