Energy begets energy: A lesson from the mat

After I sent last week’s newsletter, 10 Things I’ve Learned About Yoga Practice, I kept thinking of more I wanted to share.

One lesson in particular stands out—and for this, I have to thank my beautiful husband.

Back when I was trying to make my yoga practice a daily rhythm, he would gently say to me:“Energy begets energy.”

At the time, I had a new born baby on my hip, was deep in teacher training, and life was full. Another child soon followed, and the mat often felt like the last place I wanted to be.

But I’d made a commitment. In Iyengar Yoga, daily practice is part of the ongoing commitment we make to becoming a certified teacher and it's vital in maintaining our certification. It wasn’t easy. It was messy. Some days, it didn’t go well at all. I often judged myself harshly and fell into the trap of comparison.

I’d tell myself I didn’t have the energy—but more often, I was simply stuck in procrastination. My practice didn’t look the way I thought it should, and that gap between expectation and reality was dragging me down.

That’s when my husband would remind me:“Energy begets energy.”

Just starting was the key. And once I did, the energy I thought I lacked would begin to flow.

This came back to me again this week while listening to a Rich Roll podcast. He said in the 12-step recovery program, they have a saying:“Mood follows action.”

His guest, Dan Harris, mentioned something his meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein told him:“Effort creates energy.”

No matter how you say it, the heart of the message is the same:

👉 Show up anyway.

👉 Begin, even when you don’t want to.

👉 The very act of doing gives you back your spark. 

And seal it with a KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Do what you can, and don't compare!

Every time you take that small daily step, you’re strengthening your self-trust.And with self-trust comes self-esteem.

So here’s your gentle nudge for the week ahead:Take the step. Begin. The energy will meet you there.