Today I write to you from our porch. It’s a sunny, breezy, and low-humidity morning. The birds are busy singing, fish are jumping on the pond, and the occasional Cessna cruises by in the sky. It’s one of those “perfect” mornings I wish I could repeat every day.

Do you have a favorite season? Every year we’ve lived here at the homestead, I’ve gone back and forth on which one is my favorite. I could never choose just one because I’ve found that I love each for different reasons. But today, while having coffee with my husband, I felt for the first time that I could choose.

Today, I declared spring as my favorite season, and here’s why.

When spring begins to slowly show up through the last days of winter, the energy I’ve stored up is ready to be used. Days grow longer, and frosty mornings give way to warm, sunny afternoons and evenings.

I always struggle not to run out the door on the first warm day to plant my garden. But southwest Ohio is just too fickle. So in the meantime, I order plants from our school and our daughter’s 4-H club and patiently wait until after Mother’s Day to begin planting.

On those sunny afternoons and evenings, I busy myself mowing the grass and dusting off my favorite chair on the porch to soak up the sounds and sunshine with a cup of coffee on warm mornings.

Like this morning.

Feeling rested and renewed is why I ultimately chose spring as my favorite. It’s something I once longed for but didn’t know how to achieve.

Before living out here in the middle, I was trying to carry it all. It was a dead-end road that led to unhappiness in my job and relationships. I couldn’t understand how I was checking all the boxes, doing all the things, and still feeling a void at the end of the day. I didn’t know what I needed and I certainly didn’t know how to find it (cue the U2 song).

Eight years later, I give this old house all the credit for helping me find a sense of peace and happiness I’d never known before. And the best part? Not having to carry any of the weight.

And for that, I’m deeply grateful. It allows me to sit here on the porch and enjoy the simplest of moments.

I hope you find your own quiet porch moment today. The kind that reminds you that it’s okay to not carry it all and  that a new page in your story can always be written. 

Friend, it is never too late to take control of your happiness.

Grounded in the Middle Podcast-

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A Blueprint for Intentional Living – Grounded in the Middle.

In this episode of the Grounded in the Middle podcast, we dive into the transformative power of identifying your non-negotiables and living with intention. Discover how setting boundaries can protect your happiness, from learning to say no, to disconnecting from technology, and being fully present with loved ones. We'll explore ways to ground yourself in nature, find passion in daily activities, connect meaningfully with others, and make the most out of mundane moments. Join us as we provide practical tips and personal stories to help you create a more intentional and fulfilling life. Post Show Homework: 1.Identify your non-negotiables 2.Be intentional in everything you do. Five ways to become more rooted in who you are today 1.Disconnect 2.Ground yourself 3.Find a Passion 4.Connect with others 5. Make the most out of the mundane moments Follow me on IG + FB Step into the country at Farmhousestoryteller.com

Take the Back Roads to the Middle

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