If you’ve ever taken a yoga class you may have heard the phrase, “root to rise”. Having a strong foundation in your practice creates space for expansion. You cannot rise into the fullness of the pose if you are not first grounded (my off-balance days assure me this is true!). When you are rooted in your body and mind, that is when you will find the ease, flow, and growth both on and off your mat.

Like the roots of a tree, grounding ourselves is necessary before we can rise to our full potential. A tree cannot grow to its biggest, most beautiful self without solid roots in place. So too must we establish our roots before reaching our highest and best selves. Having a foundational practice we can ground into creates the roots we need to grow.

I don’t know about you, but I am not my best self when I don’t take time for myself in the morning. Whether it’s 20 mins of yoga, a 5 min meditation, and/or a moment of gratitude for a warm cup of coffee- finding ways to begin the day in a grounded way sets us up to be the best version of ourselves. When we feel grounded in our body and mind, we begin to show up better, feel more at peace with who we are, and become unphased when challenges arise.

A tree does not push and shove its way to the top-it does so with ease. It feels safe and empowered to grow because it has roots to support it; it can reach its full potential when its foundation is solid. I challenge you to find ease in the grounding practices that work for you. No forcing or shaming yourself into a strict morning routine, rather, simply paying attention to how you feel when you do incorporate these practices into your day. We can all learn from the tree—stay rooted so you can rise into your most powerful, beautifully expansive self.