Evergreen & Well
Ever-Green
I was drawn to the idea of an evergreen as I thought about the concept of this space. I have been surrounded by these enduring, towering trees growing up in and living throughout New England, and I also believe deeply in our spiritual and physical connections to the natural world. That is why I love utilizing nature’s gifts, essential oils and other natural modalities, and why I believe in being kind to the Earth. Our connection to the natural world can teach us many lessons and show us many paths.
As the evergreen tree is growing, cycling upward, we too can be ever-green, as we embrace an openness to perpetual becoming.
We are reaching new heights, facing and embracing new conditions and a changing world around us, making a home for others, and taking up space in our world, in our community.
I wonder, with allowance for unending growth, with acceptance of everlasting evolution…
We can stop wanting for what is to come…
We can release the rush and embrace the journey, enjoy all of the seasons…
We honor that we’re doing the best we can with what we know in this moment..
We can expect and accept that we continue to grow, change, learn, adapt…
Ah. That feels like a nice deep breath of fresh forest air, doesn’t it?
Standing Tall
As a recovering type A, enneagram 3w2, overachiever and people-pleaser in many areas of my life… I have certainly recognized how external validation, timelines, expectations have muddied my path to fulfillment and contentment… no matter what the actual truth is in front of me. I’ve also chosen to depart from what most people consider a “normal” or “expected” way to doing life… and I’m proud of the work I did to get here, but honestly, it would’ve been much easier if I hadn’t had so much stock in those other opinions in the first place.
I believe that we all have the capacity to shake our branches free from expectations, we can learn to let go of what doesn’t matter and make space for what does. It’s a journey inward, peeling back layers and rings around our heart - figuring out what really matters and what was instead just someone else’s idea of success or love or a happy life. When we become strongly rooted in core beliefs and understandings of SELF, we can grow to new heights with integrity, authenticity and passionate purpose.
Rooted and Reaching
While we embrace growth and transformation, we know that an evergreen is deeply rooted far below the surface of the world. An evergreen does not allow it’s environment to drastically alter its way of being. Instead it grows around anything in its path. Steadfast, sturdy, rooted.
The evergreen withstands harsh weather… it adapts and continues on through changes in seasons. If the roots are too stiff, the tree will snap - there remains flexibility amidst the strength. The evergreen is on a long and powerful journey… not one of speed but of continual regrowth…adapting while leaving a mark on the world around it.
Our roots are our core principles, they are what makes us unique, they are the frequency of the rooms where we feel most alive, the energy of the people we love the most, they are our tendencies and our natural ways of being. Our roots are the things that will always be part of us… and they’re the foundation upon which we grow and reach.
When I think about my roots, I think of the people with whom and the places where I was raised. I have appreciation for who I am in a patchwork of many experiences and people who came before me.
Our roots are also the beliefs, experiences and lessons we know are PART of our stories, but are no longer THE story. To keep our roots healthy, we may need to prune or resettle. We can be grateful for where the roots helped us up to a point, and then go cut a new path.
Upward and onward, we grow new rings, from the outside in - using what we’ve learned, how we’ve adapted; how we’ve endured. It is with this acceptance of who we are and where we’ve been that we can stretch for more light; more height…we can embrace the reach while being rooted. Thank you for being here and for taking the time to sift through these metaphors and learn about Evergreen + Well.