You know that saying “bloom where you are planted”? I don’t think you should.
Yes, there’s power in finding and creating beauty wherever you are, but that saying misses a critical difference between human and plants:
We have feet. We can put ourselves where we want to be.
So last Friday I left the farm for a 5-day trip to immerse myself among writers, creators, and entrepreneurs.
From the Tribe Conference in Franklin, TN, to Marie Forleo’s Everything Is Figureoutable book launch in NYC, I leapt into the creative part of my life.
As much as I love the farm, there are times I need to leave in order to grow. There are times when I need to take flight like a dandelion seed and root into another environment for a while. Times when I need creative, rather than literal, compost to boost my growth.
Last year, when I attended the same writing conference, I learned an important lesson that bolstered me as I continued on the creative path.
This year, as I met new people and reunited with friends I’d met the year before, three lessons repeated themselves over my time away.
The 3 biggest takeaways from my creative trip off the farm:
1. Connection is at the heart of creativity and growth.
Relationships are like mycelium that runs through soil: a network of connection that helps us grow into who we know we can be.
2. Everything you need is already inside you.
It’s not about collecting credentials as much as it’s about taking action. Like seeds, we’re born with everything we need inside to bloom.
3. The people we learn from, the people on stage, are still figuring it out.
The greatest teachers are willing to stand on stage and peel back the layers, share authentically, admit to feelings of shame, self-doubt and feeling lost — but instead of getting stuck, find the lesson and share it with others to keep growing.
I’m home now, re-rooting and choosing again to bloom on this western slope that is Good Heart Farmstead.
And I’m remembering that I don’t have to choose one thing. I don’t have to choose between farming and writing, between soil and paper. It all weaves together, blending and balancing and carrying me forward.
And the same goes for you.
You can grow the life that brings you fully alive. You can choose where you want to plant yourself.
The first step is asking:
Where do you want to bloom?
Who do you want to grow among?
Then reach out and plant yourself there. Whether it’s in an online course or community or in real life, planting yourself where you want to be is always possible.
It may take time — it took us 2 years to find our land, and many more for me to find the creative people who help me grow the most — but I promise that with every seed you plant and every step you take, it’s possible to plant yourself where you want to bloom.
Want to increase your likelihood of achieving your goal and growing the life you want?
Write it down.
Studies show you’re 42% more likely to reach your goal when you write it down. So declare what you’re growing towards by writing it in the comments below. I’ll cheer you on!
Do you want to grow among a creative community of people?
Join me in Harvesting Words, an online writing workshop for farmers & gardeners.
I’ll be leading a Fall Equinox Writing Intensive for all Harvesting Words students, so don’t wait — the next live round begins September 23rd.
Remember, you can plant yourself where you want to bloom.
So plant a seed, take a step, and start growing the life you dream of. You have everything you need inside you.
