I created a fall wreath of found flowers and leaves, and I lived my best life while doing it! Here’s how:

So, here’s the thing, I’m reading a brilliant book called, “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. The reason I’m reading this book is because I had struggled for years to overcome PTSD. Finally, a wonderful therapist and I walked through a therapy built for PTSD called Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). I put in the work, and for the first time in my life, I wasn’t constantly afraid or hyper alert.

Its definitely a different life to not have super high highs and super low lows. It’s nice to not be led on a leash by my emotions. But I felt that there was something missing. I stumbled upon a conversation between Russell Brand and Eckhart Tolle talking about the presence of Being, and being present. That’s what I was missing!!

but I was still struggling with this thing I call, “Mind Movies”

Before I started reading this book, it felt good that my emotions were no longer dictating how I was showing up in the world, but I was still struggling with this thing I call, “Mind Movies”, where I could be doing anything, dishes, going for a walk, and my mind shows me a movie of something that happened in the past, or something that could happen in the future. Problem is, when that happens, I’m not living right now and my mind is in control of me, instead of me being in control of my mind.

So, I decided to do something about it! And here’s where the wreath comes in. I read that it’s easiest to be present when you feel love, joy, or peace. And it’s also easy to feel it when you’re in nature. For me, I feel a great sense of peace in nature and it’s a lovely Autumn, so I said to myself, “Self? Let’s go for a walk, look at the pretty leaves, and collect some and make a wreath!” So that’s what I did!

During this walk I focused on the colors, didn’t put a name or label on anything, just marveled in all the beauty and was present for most of it- which I’m super happy about. I found some yellow leaves, some nice salmon colored ones, some lovely hyacinth. I got super lucky because the city came around and trimmed all the hyacinth trees and left the clippings on the ground, so I just grabbed and armful and put it in my shopping bag.

The marigolds are from Valentine’s day. Matthew surprised me with “make your own bouquet” seeds and we planted the seeds on Valentine’s day and I had flowers for months! These marigolds were the last of the flowers and they looked like fall to me, so I put them in there. You’ll also see these really cool fuchsia colored vines. And those are pokeberry stems! The majority of berries are gone from them because I made pokeberry ink to write with (I’ll do a post on that later) and felt like the stems would make a nice accent color to go with the bright yellow.

There’s some string and twine to tie things as needed, and a readymade wreath made of bundled sticks. To make the wreath I just stuck the stems into the empty spots between the branches and pulled them through. I decided to only do one side because I liked the asymmetrical feeling of the whole thing. Any way you decide to make your wreathe is the right way, as long as you’re present in making it. I could smell the leaves and flowers and the colors were so vibrant and it’s a lovely little nesting feeling you get when you create something lovely for your home.

So that’s it! That’s how I came to create an idea for a “found fall wreath” and lived my best, most present life while doing it! Hope all of you majestic people are making some righteous steps on your journey into growth and grace, and Being. Until next time, stay golden.