From the Mud to the Mat: Teachings from Theo - Confidence

My dog Theo has become my biggest teacher. Let’s unpack how helping him rebuild trust reminded me what real confidence looks like. Through yoga, Ayurveda, and a whole lot of love, I’m learning that confidence isn’t about control…it’s about presence, patience, and remembering who we are.

I think most people in my life may be getting sick of hearing me say how Theo has become my best friend and biggest teacher. I adopted him at the beginning of May, and the last few months have been a huge adjustment for us both.

If you’re just dropping in on our story, Theo spent nearly two years in a shelter, which means two long years without consistent leadership or safety. No one telling him what was okay, when to rest, or how to relax. When dogs have to make their own decisions all the time, they usually make poor ones, and those mistakes often result in people getting angry with them.

I’m no dog expert (yet!), but I imagine that kind of life can erode confidence. It creates a pattern of self-protection. A belief that you have to look out for yourself because no one else will. When Theo came home with me, he carried that mindset. He scanned constantly, over-analyzing every sound. He hesitated before walking through doors. He watched me carefully, waiting to see whether I’d get frustrated or stay calm. It didn’t take long for me to realize that what he needed most wasn’t just obedience training (which we do continue with!), it was confidence. And in helping him find that, I realized I was learning the same lesson myself.

The Confidence Connection

I regularly teach a Business of Yoga module for YogaRenew’s teacher training, and one of my favorite topics is confidence. It’s one of the most common struggles new teachers share.

I often hear statements like:
“I’m scared I’ll forget my sequence.”
“I’m not sure anyone will want to take my class.”
“I don’t know enough yet.”

And ,every time, I remind them: we lose confidence because we care deeply. We care about creating a beautiful experience. We care about being of service. We care about being seen—and sometimes, being seen feels terrifying.

Confidence doesn’t mean having every answer. It means being present enough to respond with authenticity, even when things don’t go as planned.

With Theo, this truth shows up in real time. When I’m distracted (checking my phone or thinking about my to-do list…) he becomes anxious. He pulls on the leash, scans his surroundings, and looks unsure of himself. When I’m grounded, when I slow down and breathe, he softens, he looks to me for direction and he trusts my leadership. For us humans, confidence is presence and the more present I am, the steadier he becomes. The steadier I am, the more I trust myself. It’s the same dance we all experience in yoga, in teaching, in relationships, and in our own inner work.

The Power of Presence From Yoga Philosophy

Yoga philosophy teaches us that the root of suffering lies in our disconnection from the present moment. Many of us know Yoga Sutra 1.2:

Yoga chitta vritti nirodha

“Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.”

When the mind is spinning and we’re worrying about the future or replaying the past, we lose access to our inner wisdom. Presence becomes diluted, and confidence slips away.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna faces his own crisis of confidence on the battlefield. Overwhelmed by fear and doubt, he drops his bow and tells Krishna he can’t move forward. In Chapter 2, Verse 47, Krishna reminds him:

“You have the right to your actions, but never to the fruits of your actions.”

This verse has carried me through countless seasons of uncertainty. It’s the one I return to when I feel like I’m doing my best and everything still crumbles.

Training a dog is humbling in the same way. At first, I was so focused on the results and just wanting him to “get it,” to walk perfectly, to trust right away. However, I’ve learned that Theo and I have the most fun together when we’re just present during walks and training. When we stop trying to think about or control how things will turn out, we can finally breathe and act from clarity.

Confidence, then, isn’t arrogance or control. It’s a byproduct of presence. When we are grounded, connected, and aware, confidence arises naturally without force…. And when life wobbles (because it will), presence is what allows us to find our footing again.

Confidence and the Nervous System

Ayurveda teaches that our sense of stability, our inner confidence, can be directly tied to Vata dosha, the air and ether elements that govern movement and the nervous system. When Vata is imbalanced, we feel unsteady, anxious, and unsure of ourselves. When it’s grounded, we feel clear, connected, and calm. When my days with Theo are predictable, our walks steady, and my energy grounded, he radiates trust. But when personally I rush, skip meals, or get lost in overthinking, he mirrors that back to me. It’s as if he’s saying, “Slow down. Be here.”

There is a term in yoga and Ayurveda called sattva, which can be fedined as a state of peace, clarity, and harmony. Confidence naturally expands in sattva because the mind is clear and the heart is open. This is why yoga, meditation, and simple Ayurvedic rituals aren’t just wellness tools, they’re practices that rebuild confidence from the inside out.

Confidence as Relationship

Building confidence, like building trust, is relational. It doesn’t grow in isolation. Theo’s confidence blossoms through connection, through our rituals, our walks, the quiet moments when he rests his head on my leg. The same is true for us. Confidence deepens through consistent practice, supportive community, and being witnessed in our growth. This is all why I love teaching. I love seeing students rediscover their confidence, whether in teaching a class or simply trusting their intuition with their body while they’re taking mine.

From The Mud To The Mat

There are days when Theo regresses (and so do I…). When something startles him and he forgets all the progress we’ve made, I used to get frustrated. Now I see those moments for what they are: opportunities to practice steadiness… because isn’t that what yoga really is? Coming back. Again and again.vIf you’ve been doubting yourself lately, remember this: confidence isn’t the absence of fear. It’s the courage to stay with yourself through it. Feel your feet. Take a breath. Remember who you are beneath the noise. That’s where the confidence lives.

Deepen Your Practice with Our Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training

If this reflection resonates with you (if you’ve ever felt the pull to connect more deeply with presence, purpose, and the wisdom of your inner guide) join me for in our next Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training. In this immersive, heart-centered program, we explore yoga and Ayurveda as living, breathing practices that restore confidence through embodiment. You’ll study teachings from the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, learn how to balance your doshas, and discover how ancient wisdom can ground you in modern life.

This isn’t about memorizing the science, it’s about living it. It’s about teaching from presence, leading from steadiness, and remembering your own innate strength.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to show up.

A Few Gentle Reminders from Theo:

🐾 Confidence Comes from Safety.
Theo didn’t trust himself at first and who can after living in survival mode for too long? According to Ayurveda, this is what happens when Vata energy (air + ether) goes unchecked: the nervous system becomes ungrounded, scanning for danger instead of peace. Confidence returns when we create rhythm and safety. In yoga, this is steadiness and ease. When we feel supported, we can finally soften and show up fully.

🐾 Growth Takes Gentle Leadership.
When I lead Theo with clarity and calm, he exhales. When I show up from frustration or force, he braces. It’s the same for us on the mat and in life. Ayurveda reminds us that the mind and body follow the leader of our energy. When we guide ourselves with compassion, through breath, movement, and daily care, we move toward balance instead of burnout.

🐾 Healing Isn’t Linear.
Some days Theo struts with confidence; other days he hesitates again. That’s my reminder that nature’s rhythm is always shifting. Ayurveda teaches that imbalance isn’t failure; it’s information. Yoga invites us to meet that moment with awareness, not judgment. Progress in practice (and in healing) comes from returning to the mat, again and again, no matter what yesterday looked like.