The design of my logo was inspired by a dandelion. Sounds pretty ordinary and maybe many of you would even go so far as to label it a weed (cue negative connotation here).
Is a dandelion a weed? I know it’s what we’ve been taught. How often do we question our world’s truths? Do we replace our truth or hide it because we are scared it may not mirror what we should believe.
What if a dandelion is not a weed?
Has that label negatively influenced our perception of this plant? Probably. And it makes me wonder what else have we been taught that may or may not be true.
How do we go about questioning the labels and judgments we carry within us that are not true?
The first step is asking ourselves “is this true right now?”. It may be too much for us to embrace the polar opposite of this untruth (i.e. a dandelion is a lush flower). Yet, if we can deconstruct our thoughts and dig around for insight below the surface, we may just find some new thoughts in there.
Dandelions embody tenacity . . .think of dandelions papering a green field with their little yellow bursts and even how they blossom in the most unlikely places like the teeniest of sidewalk cracks. And yet they also transform into a delicate container of tiny seedlings begging to be released into the world as wishes.
This is life.
Strength laced with vulnerability.
The ability of a single dandelion to transform itself in order to spread a message through the scattering of a million tiny wishes. Our truths set free to take root.
Maybe a dandelion is not a weed. Maybe it just is. It is without being contained by our social labels.
I want to help you question the beliefs that no longer feel true to you and uncover the seeds of your deepest wishes to discover a life that feels like your best wish has come true.
And I want us to cozy up to the idea that we can hold these paradoxes closely in our minds. As crazy as it sounds, this can be the path to freedom and love.
My 2016 word/theme is courage. The courage to take bold adventures in all areas of my life. The courage to speak my truth (this is a challenging one for me because I am a recovering people pleaser and my go-to strategy is to bite my tongue rather than lean in to uncomfortable spaces).
I found the perfect definition for how I want to embody courage this year.
“To speak one’s mind by telling all of one’s heart”.
My integrity will be guided by my inner wisdom—and she’s an amazing part of me. I’m sure this mantra will ask me to hold many paradoxes in my mind as I invite opportunities to be courage.
Most of all, though, I believe that I will need to hold strength and vulnerability in those moments requiring the most courage – just like my dandelion.