diff --git a/cmd/test_data/01_basic_flow_will_pass.yaml b/cmd/test_data/01_basic_flow_will_pass.yaml
index 30150db..2bb1be0 100644
--- a/cmd/test_data/01_basic_flow_will_pass.yaml
+++ b/cmd/test_data/01_basic_flow_will_pass.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ steps:
     description: starting the example flow
     command: echo
     args:
-      - Starting
+      - Starting on ${TERM}
   - label: waiting
     command: sleep
     description: sleeping for 1 second
diff --git a/docs/02_yaml.md b/docs/02_yaml.md
index 8f2896e..ac00aed 100644
--- a/docs/02_yaml.md
+++ b/docs/02_yaml.md
@@ -7,6 +7,21 @@ By default, `clingy init` will place a `.clingy.yaml` file in your present worki
 * `label` - a label to label the entire clingy workflow
 * `description` - provide a description for the clingy workflow
 
+## Environment variables
+
+If you have environment variables you wish to pass into the YAML, you can do so with the following
+`${ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE}` in your YAML.  For example:
+
+```yaml
+steps:
+  - command: <INSERT A COMMAND HERE>
+    args:
+      - ${ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_HERE}  # should correctly be substituted on use
+```
+
+There is an example in [this file](https://github.com/madhuravius/clingy/blob/main/cmd/test_data/01_basic_flow_will_pass.yaml) 
+utilizing `${TERM}`.
+
 ## Steps
 
 ### Command
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diff --git a/lib/utils.go b/lib/utils.go
index 4373bb5..8beb039 100644
--- a/lib/utils.go
+++ b/lib/utils.go
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ func ParseClingyFile(logger *log.Logger, fileName string) (*ClingyTemplate, erro
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// hydrate the yaml data from environment variables in parent context
+	data = []byte(os.ExpandEnv(string(data)))
+
 	var clingyData ClingyTemplate
 	if err = yaml.Unmarshal(data, &clingyData); err != nil {
 		return nil, err