Oh what a great summer we’re having! To be honest, I was quite intimidated going into it, with more programs on the schedule than I’ve ever done before. And if you know me, you know I don’t get intimidated easily. But this summer was looking to be a doosey and I wasn’t sure how I was going to cope with so many back to back programs while trying to keep up on all the office work, farm work, and having a daughter out of school wanting to enjoy summer vacation (and not just work for Farm to You – but I must say she’s a helluva worker!).
But I had thankfully taken a good look at the calendar early on and had made sure I had some breaks scheduled in. Now I’m so grateful for that foresight! Because when you’re a farmer, there is always – and I mean ALWAYS – something that is going to need done. Heck, if you’re a parent, there’s always something needing done! Add business owner and educator in there and you can understand my fear of overwhelm.
But it has been amazing! What could have been exhausting has been feeding me. Sure, farm animal visits are tiring – there’s a lot of physical work involved – but they also give me energy. I love the questions and conversations, the surprised looks and the heartfelt thanks. And I just love being up in front of a group teaching about things that are so interesting to me – like honey bees or spinning wool or how chicks are hatched from eggs.
That all relates to something I learned about myself last weekend at a retreat with some amazing natural women. On Saturday we studied enneagrams, learning about ourselves through our personalities. Turns out I’m an “Achiever,” one quirk being that I have a hard time slowing down. Aint that the truth!
Knowing that makes it even more important for me to step back and focus on renewal. It makes me a better parent, farmer, teacher, and entrepreneur. And it makes me a better person.
It’s so easy to forget about oneself in the busyness of the tasks in our lives. If you’re at all like me, you want your life to be simpler, richer and full of experiences that make you feel a sense of harmony and connection.
That’s a big goal of Bring the Farm to You – teaching people about experiences that can connect us to our lives through our food and fiber. And since another quirk of the “Achiever” personality is that they like to perform, what a great balance for me – getting to live out my personality while sharing things I love deeply!
I wanted to share this with you because each of us has our own dreams for happiness and goals of harmony. What is it that fills you up and gives meaning to your life? I’d love to hear about it! Please share your comments below…