does the black-capped chickadee of the northwest forests know that she is free? no migration limited risk staying in the same forest through every season but does she feel trapped? i ask her and she joins me on the grass she starts to echo a song about wishing to be free with an impeccable memory untouched snow for cheeks a delicate yet eager soul living in the crevice of a birch tree you would think she’s blind or even mad for singing a song about longing to be a

Our inner voice is one of the most powerful things we have; what it sounds like and says, how it feels, determine so much of who we are and what we believe. Take a moment to think about your inner voice. What does it sound like? What does it say? How do you feel when you listen to it? Is it kind and patient and forgiving? Or is it harsh and critical and scary? As a teenager, my inner voice was no where near the former. Imprisoned by perfectionism, I was ashamed and embarassed

i am a foxglove flower standing tall with pink & purple petals beaming sometime in early june plant me where you want and i’ll build a...

"Perfectionist" was a label placed on me from an early age. Some of my healthier traits like "competitive," "detail-oriented," and "organized," ultimately manifested into unhealthy expecations I placed on myself. With poor, self-deprecating beliefs about myself, being "perfect" was a way to challenge these beliefs and prove to myself that I wasn't a failure. But because perfection wasn't possible, I found myself in a never-ending loop of feeling not good enough because I coul

Books have as much power over us as we give them. In the midst of darkness, I gave these books so much power, hoping I could learn something about myself and fortunately in turn, they set me on a journey of reflection that ultimately was the very beginning of changing my life around. 1. The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz "'The Four Agreements' by Don Miguel Ruiz is a self-help book that outlines four principles for living a meaningful life . It encourages readers to be impe