If you had told me five years ago that I would leave my 9-5 office job to spend my days working in tandem with the land and sharing that passion with you, I would have been elated.
I spent YEARS of my life in soul-sucking customer service roles that left me feeling disconnected from nature and myself.
My eyes dulled as they met the fluorescent lights of the office building each morning, the lack of color and life numbing me to my own values + passions.
I knew I didn't fit in this artificial space, and I was totally burned out, but I didn't feel brave enough to leave. It was a good paying job, with good benefits, and if it hadn't been for my loved ones pushing me to take the leap I would probably still be there today.
They could see how much it was wearing on me, physically and mentally, as I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and struggled to give my body what it needed and feed the machine that is corporate America, so when the opportunity presented itself to make a peaceful exit, they encouraged me to take it.
Vegetable gardening should be accessible to everyone
Deep in the worst arthritis flare of my life, barely able to walk some days, I began to plan a garden.
I had no clue how I would manage the physical labor of growing food in our backyard, but with my very identity threatened by this illness, I chose to turn to the land for escape.
I had no choice but to scale back by plans, so I didn't let myself think about what my garden could be without those limitations and tried to focus on what I needed from it most instead. I needed a place of refuge from my mind that supported my body's limitations.
I realized that sharing how I learned to appreciate what I have, accept and support my body, and dedicate time to things that make me happy through gardening could inspire others to do the same, and value the earth more in the process.
Your dream life is just one decision away from becoming reality - what small steps can you take today to bring yourself closer to your dreams? How can you move the needle today to step away from what is draining you in life? It doesn't have to be big, grand gestures. Every bit counts.