building a business around your passions is scary. i know. when i first started out six years ago, i was convinced i was going to be a nationally-known interior designer; designing spaces in the most beautiful homes. but, as it turns out, as much as i love designing spaces i have complete control over, working with clients that insist upon keeping their 1990s recliner wasn't my cup of tea.

during that time, i realized that what i really enjoyed was building the business -- researching best practices, honing my marketing & message, learning to blog effectively, designing my website, and reading business books.

pursuing my dream of being an interior designer opened the door to my true gift and passion -- offering business & life advice for designing a lifestyle of purpose, passion and meaning :-)

but, giving yourself permission to go after your dream isn't easy. i get that.

it's terrifying to put yourself out there, throw caution to the wind, and commit yourself to building something from the ground up.

but, the truth is, the risks are completely outweighed by the regrets you'll have if you don't give it a go. if you never give yourself a chance to experience the utter joy (and terror!) of unabashedly claiming your unique spot in the world, you'll likely one day look back and wish that you had.

i never want you to regret any decision -- business, personal or otherwise -- and that's precisely why i'm sharing 4 reasons why you'll never regret pursuing your dreams.

because, once you realize you that you'll never regret it, you'll free yourself from so much of the stress and worry that was previously holding you back. and then, you can redirect that energy in a positive way to propel you forward toward your dreams even faster than before!

#1 it may just work out!

if someone could look into a crystal ball and tell you that 12, 18 or 24 months from now you will be doing what you love and making a living at it, would you still feel as uncertain as you do now? of course not!

we all know that there's no such guarantee, but one thing is for sure, if you work at something consistently with passion, dedication and heart, it's likely to bring about something amazing. so, instead of spending your time in worry-land, hope aboard the positivity train and keep chugging along. and before you know it, that dream of yours will be a fully recognized reality.

#2 you'll learn so much

even if things don't pan out exactly as you planned, you'll learn so much in the process. take me for example, i graduated college thinking i wanted to design homes -- and now 6 years later i'm helping people design their dream careers and lifestyles. if i didn't give myself permission from the get-go to explore my passions, i wouldn't have found my true calling and be able to do the work i do today.

#3 life is short

sure, it's a bit cliche, but it's true. every passing year goes by even more quickly, and there's no time like the present (to use another overused cliche) to start moving in the direction of your dreams. one thing i know is that i don't want to look back and think "what if" or "if only" -- i'd rather try and fail then never try at all.

#4 dreams shift and change

your big, bold, bad-a$$ dream may seem totally unattainable right now, but keep in mind that as we grow and change, so do our dreams. you're dream to be a rockstar yogi and open studios nationwide might fade as you realize the immense satisfaction of running one local studio where you intimately know your clientele. give yourself permission to dream, but also give yourself permission to revise those dreams as you go!

share your BIG dream in the comments below!

just sharing it & making a public declaration of what you want will make it that much more real :-)

as yogis, we do our best to "live in the moment" and "be present". and, while that's an important practice, there are some things -- like building a yoga business -- that do require some forethought and planning.

if you truly want to have a world-changing yoga career, you need to have certain things in place to set yourself up for success.

just think of it this way, before you mastered urdhva dhanurasana (wheel pose), there were certain foundational asanas that you needed to put in place to guarantee your success in the pose. you needed to first feel comfortable in bridge pose, perhaps you built your leg strength in chair pose, and you cultivated arm support in downdog or L-pose at the wall.

you held the vision of one day blossoming into urdhva dhanurasana, so you put in the work, you laid the foundation, and you were patient!

similarly, you need to have certain foundational business practices in place to make your abundant yoga career inevitable.

here are the 5 things you need to do TODAY to have your dream yoga career TOMORROW:

1) start building a yoga resume (or update your current one)

do you have a yoga resume that highlights your teaching experience, training, certifications and other relevant know-how? if yes -- YAY! you rock! if not, it's time to put all your amazingness down on paper. not only is this a great leave-behind when you're applying for new teaching jobs or pitching a workshop idea, but it will also bolster your confidence as you see all the knowledge and experience you bring to the table (or should i say "to the yoga mat"). need help crafting the perfect yoga resume? i have a step-by-step (free!) guide here.

2) cultivate business sense

do you have yoga teacher insurance? do you keep track of your yoga business expenses -- like new mats, gas for travel, and marketing materials? do you charge enough for your yoga services to support your lifestyle? cultivating biz savvy isn't something that will happen overnight, so choose one area that you know needs a little more TLC, and address it. NOW! there's no time like the present to set yourself up for future success :-)

3) put yourself out there

this is a toughie for a lot of yoga teachers (myself included). whether it's applying for a teaching job at your dream studio, pitching an idea for a yoga workshop, attending a yoga conference, networking with biz-minded yogis that you admire, or simply sharing what you do when someone asks -- it's HARD to talk yourself up! the silver lining is that the more you do it, the more comfortable you'll become.

the truth is, opportunities don't just drop into our laps out of the blue. opportunities present themselves when we cultivate the skill of seeking them out. you're never going to manifest your dream of leading a chair yoga teacher training if you don't talk about it, research it, ask students and fellow teachers for feedback, contact Yoga Alliance, etc. etc. etc. you have to put yourself out there to make things happen!

4) build an online "hub"

this is a MUST if you want to have a truly abundant, successful and fulfilling yoga career. this is NOT an option.

you need to have a website if you're going to change the world -- it's practically mandatory these days.

if you think the studio will handle this for you with a nice bio page, that's not enough. take back your power, and manage your "yoga brand" on your terms. don't rely on your studio to do it for you! plus, your website is a place where you can further express your personality, share your yoga "philosophy", educate about your offerings, and grow a community of like-minded yogis who like you and want to learn from you. you need to have a "hub" for your yoga movement -- you need to have a website!

(did i drill that in enough? no?! ok, one more time: you NEED to have a website!)

5) foster community

if you've been hanging around with me for a while, you knew this one was coming...start building a yoga email list!

why? because it serves as the backbone of all your yoga marketing. your email list is the group of students who like (or perhaps LOVE) you, want to learn from you, and adore how you teach yoga! so you NEED to keep track of who they are.

then, when you have something coming up like a new class or yoga event, you can instantly let all your yoga "fans" know! and, they'll be very happy you did!

bonus tip: foster an even greater sense of community by offering valuable weekly yoga tips & practices in the form of a newsletter!

i want to hear from you!

what ONE THING are you going to do today to manifest your dream yoga career tomorrow?

P.S. my brand new course Become a {Yoga} Brand is coming in 2014! want in? sign-up below for the inside scoop!