103. Back-to-School Energy in Yoga Class and What to Do When Your September Motivation Fades

Every September I watch teachers, myself included, sign up for something new: a fresh planning system, a training, a whole approach to class we’re sure will finally stick. By October, most of it has quietly stalled out. In this episode, I’m talking about the difference between motivation and discipline, and why the surge you’re feeling right now is weather, not climate. I dig into tapas, yoga’s teaching on disciplined effort, and why the structure that looks like it limits your teaching is actually what sets it free. You’ll hear how a restaurant kitchen’s mise en place explains why prep work is what makes spontaneous, responsive teaching possible, and why a small, repeatable habit beats an ambitious overhaul every time. By the end, you’ll have a concrete way to build a planning structure that holds up long after the fall motivation fades, and a better way to talk with your own students about discipline, so it lands as relief instead of a report card. Listen now! September’s lesson plan in the Prep Station is Balance Play Trio. The recording is already waiting in the Movement Library, and I teach the plan live on Mondays, September 14, 21, and 28, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, with 15 minutes afterward for your questions. Every class posts as a recording. It’s all part of the Yoga Class Prep Station, $39 a month. Join us: The next cohort of Mastering the Art of Yoga Sequencing Mentorship Membership—MMM, my six-month group mentorship for yoga teachers—starts in January 2027, and the wait list is open now. Doors open to the wait list first, in December, before anyone else hears about it. MMM is also the required half of the Comfort Zone Yoga 300-hour yoga teacher training. Add your name: Want to become (almost) everyone's favorite yoga teacher? Join Comfort Zone Yoga, my virtual studio focused on teacher development. I have a ton of Sage advice in there for you! For more insights, subscribe to *Yoga Teacher Confidential*, check out my YouTube channel, and follow me on socials: - Instagram - Facebook - Threads And come explore my mentorship program, Yoga Class Prep Station membership, continuing education and 200/300/500-hour teacher training programs, and my many books for yoga teachers. It's all at sagerountree.com. ...