We need roots to grow 🌱

We live in a world that rewards exhaustion.

We’re praised for burning the candle at both ends — for skipping rest, for staying busy, and for pushing through exhaustion and even pain.  Ever heard the joke, “I’ll rest when I’m dead”?

We’re told to hustle harder, to multitask more, and to never waste a single minute. And somehow, the more we try to live like this, the less time we feel like we even have!

And when we do take a breath? We often feel guilty for it. Because when we aren’t doing, going, pushing, the stuff that needs to get done isn’t getting done, right? That constant to-do list looms over our thoughts and tells us, “do more, to be enough.”

Lately, I’ve been sitting with this in therapy, (let’s normalize therapy, y’all!) noticing just how deeply I’ve internalized the belief that I have to earn my rest. That if there’s something I could be doing, I should be doing it.

That being still must mean I’m falling behind.

But here’s what I’m slowly starting to realize:

Stillness isn’t weakness. Slowness isn’t laziness.

And rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement.

This isn't just for people! This goes for plants, trees, and everything that grows.

Nature Doesn’t Rush. Neither Should We.

This month at Empower Yoga Hartwell, our studio theme is Bloom & Build.

It begins right here in Week 1 with the reminder that before we grow tall, we have to first grow deep.

In nature, when something tries to bloom too fast without strong roots? Things go wrong.

• Tomato plants that shoot up quickly without staking or support often collapse under their own weight — their stems can’t handle the growth without solid grounding.

• Trees planted in shallow soil may look healthy at first, but a single strong wind can uproot them because they haven’t developed deep anchoring roots.

• Even sunflowers, known for their beautiful upward stretch, rely on a large taproot — if it's stunted, the plant may topple as it grows heavier.
  

Outward growth without inward stability doesn’t last.

Rooting Is a Power Move

In yoga, we start from the ground up. We feel into our foundation.

We connect with the earth beneath us. We breathe before we move.

Strength training is far more effective when we move our weights intentionally, rather than slinging them about and letting momentum kick in.

Pilates can target the deepest muscles by going slow, intentionally, and utilizing our breath.

It’s not about delaying progress… it’s about preparing for real and sustainable growth.

Rooting can look like this:

• Pausing before saying yes. It’s okay to say no to prevent overwhelm and burnout.

• Checking in with your breath before checking off your list. Being is just as important as doing.

• Choosing one grounded habit instead of ten scattered attempts. Tiny forward steps are better than tearing up a mountain, losing our footing, and falling down further than where we were.

• Moving through your yoga practice with more awareness than ambition. You don’t need the fancy moves, the most difficult options, or to ‘bump it up a notch’ to practice yoga.

  
  

And here’s the beautiful part: Rooting isn’t separate from rising. It’s what actually makes it possible.

In the Studio This Week

In class, we’re focusing on:

• Stability over speed — building strength slowly and intentionally

• Breath awareness — using the breath to ground, calm, and center

• Foundational poses — reconnecting with the basics in a powerful way

You may not leave class having mastered some wild new backbend or inversion. But you will leave feeling more grounded, more present, and more prepared for what’s next.

Because before we rise — into our goals, our growth, our next season —we must root.

 

Want to Reflect a Little Deeper?

Here’s a journaling prompt you can use this week:

Where in my life do I need to root down before I rise up?

Maybe it’s in your schedule. Maybe in your relationships. Maybe in your own expectations.

Whatever it is, trust that slowing down here is not a setback. It’s your foundation for everything that’s still to come.

This week, let’s find a few more moments of stillness.

Let’s check in with ourselves and really ask “why” when we feel the need to skip our self care. When we find ourselves rushing… what can we do to slow down a bit and really bring intention into our life?

And as always, remember:

You’ve always been, and will always be enough.