Rooted, Real & Ready

Welcome to the very first episode of Growing WildFlowers; a cozy, clever, and soul growing podcast where parenting, purpose, and the beautiful mess in between all bloom in the wild. In this kickoff episode we break down what The WildFlower Way really means and offer five blooming principles for navigating life as a parent, partner and human in progress. Come for the real talk. Stay for the dirt.

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Transcript

Will 0:05

Wild ones, welcome to Growing Wild Flowers, the podcast where we talk all things parenting, pets, purpose, and the beautiful mess in between. I'm Will, your host, and fellow grower in this wild, wonderful garden of life.

Neesh 0:18

And I'm Neesh, your co-host, co-gardener, and co-survivor of all the chaos. Sometimes I'm wiping sticky hands, loading a dishwasher, or changing a diaper, all while I'm still trying to remember who I am. If that sounds like a morning you've had, then this is the space for you.

Will 0:38

Absolutely. We're so excited you're here for our very first episode. And we're kicking it off with the heart of what this podcast is all about living the wildflower way.

Neesh 0:50

Okay, so let's talk. How was your week? Let me tell you, hello. This week I was in, let's say, survivor mode, also known as back to school week. Three kids, three different schools, and it started with our kids screaming at each other this morning because one of them looked at the other. Oh yeah, and the baby just spit up. Why am I trying to figure out dinner at 9 a.m. in the morning?

Will 1:17

And of course, I spilled my coffee that morning. But in the middle of all of that, our toddler runs into the kitchen and looks at us with her pretty big brown eyes and says, I love you.

Neesh 1:32

Now, that was the moment that I thought. Wildflowers. They don't wait for perfection, perfect conditions. They grow anyway. In wind tall, sunset, chaotic, and they're always beautiful.

Will 1:47

That's what we're doing here. Learning to live, love, raise families, and thrive. Even when life gets messy. Especially when life gets messy.

Neesh 1:59

Just so you know, we've learned along the way that it's okay for the mess. The mess is what ends up being the most fun, magical, heartwarming day of the week. And it's usually only one of those days, probably Wednesday, 30 minutes into the morning, where we got to do a walk together.

Will 2:23

Yeah, I definitely enjoy taking those walks and really being able to recalibrate and think about where we're at, where we're trying to go. Those moments, honestly, where we're able to get some time together, I think is definitely a big part of what helps us get through.

Neesh 2:44

Oh, absolutely. Also, not taking the kids so literal when they're screaming at each other.

Will 2:50

Exactly, because that's just another form of love. Sometimes you really have to learn how to revel in the messy. So Nisha and I put together five key principles that we felt were at the core of living the wildflower way. Let's talk about it.

Neesh 3:10

Yeah. So, number one, grow where you're planted. Now, this one is huge because we're always waiting for the right time, the right moment for a better job, cleaner house, or just more sleep.

Will 3:25

Newsflash, it's never perfect. But we can grow in real time. Even if it's just a laugh on a hard day, cuddles on a couch with your toddler, that's joy. That's blooming.

Neesh 3:42

So you just have to figure out how to keep growing in the situations. Basically, you have to do the work. So, Will, do you have a grow where you're planted moment?

Will 3:55

Yes, I do. You know this one. I think about the growing I had to do with my health. I think about that time in particular because I had to be very intentional about exercise and going for runs, getting out there, being committed and staying consistent. That can be tough. When you feel like everything's working against you, whether it be deadlines at work, children, appointments, and just trying to find space. I had to get it done, right? It was just about doing it. I set smart goals, accomplish them. But either way, right where I was planted, I was able to grow.

Neesh 4:42

Yes, you were.

Will 4:44

Now, number two, root down before you rise up. That's real.

Neesh 4:50

We want to be everything to everyone, but we have got to get grounded, which just means that you take enough rest, you make routines, even setting boundaries. You don't grow strong wildflowers without good slew. It's okay to pause and plant deeper.

Will 5:09

Nish, can you tell us a time when you had to root down before you rose up?

Neesh 5:15

Sure. I think after having our second kid and just making priorities in general for myself, trying to take the kids to swim lessons, trying to make sure they eat and they have breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, all while missing that important pause for myself and that rest. Getting to certain routines for the kids, but not really taking the time for myself. I think you asked me, did you eat today? I really had to think about it, besides having those little teddy bear kid snacks. I hadn't really eaten a full meal that day. I had to sit myself down and think about taking care of myself, putting my feet on the ground and doing the things that I need to do so that I'm a better mom and a better wife.

Will 6:07

I hear that. All right, so number three, turn toward the light.

Neesh 6:12

So that just means you think about what fuels you, who makes you feel lighter, or even what gives you energy. We can take a walk, just the two of us. I mentioned that already, but it's something that I really enjoy to do.

Will 6:30

As do I. And also texting my nephew about football or whatever the current event is, just getting those juices flowing and having a good conversation, a good connection with someone. Or they're sitting in the kitchen. Or just throwing in my headphones and going for a run. It's all forms of rebellion against burnout.

Neesh 6:54

So I often think about wildflowers in this instance. What do they need? What do they do? Wildflowers lean toward the sun, and so should you.

Will 7:05

I remember going to my grandmother's house, being there with her and my mom, just having conversations. Next thing you know, my siblings show up, and we're all just talking, talking about life, talking about the past, talking about the present. All of those things made me feel a ton of joy, a ton of passion about where we have been and where we want to go just from having those conversations with people, those people who are my light.

Neesh 7:44

Nice. That brings us to number four, weather the storm.

Will 7:50

We've had some tantrums, blowouts, unexpected emergencies, unexpected losses. So that just means let yourself feel the emotions.

Neesh 8:04

So emotions are similar to weather, right? They're not permanent like climate. Don't set up camp in the storm, just let it move through.

Will 8:14

And remember, rain strengthens roots. Alright, niche. Let's talk a little bit about the store.

Neesh 8:21

Yes, my store. You have to remember it moves through. It's not permanent, just like emotions are not permanent. For instance, make your lunch, I cut my four-year-old sandwich in a triangle instead of a square. Automatic tantrum. And I've had to take a second, step back, breathe through it, eat the sandwich myself, make another one that was square. I think it's important to remember again that it's temporary and that you just got to keep growing.

Will 9:01

And keep going. Remember, life requires resilience. Sometimes, just like a storm, you can feel like the wind is blowing against you. Sometimes it might be at your back. But you really have to position yourself and understand that soon this storm will be over. Yeah. If I just take the right precautions, the right measures, I will be enjoying the sun shining on the other side.

Neesh 9:35

Okay, let's dive into number five. Let yourself bloom. This is my favorite one. This one hits home because you're not just a parent and you're not just a partner. You have to take care of yourself. Try and take some me time or the yoga class that you've been, I ain't gonna learn.

Will 9:56

I agree 100%. You're still a whole creative, messy, brilliant person. Small joys are sacred. You gotta go for it. You see a promotion, give yourself the opportunity. Start working on that business plan. Allow yourself to bloom. And with that, it's reflection time. Let's take a deep breath together.

Neesh 10:26

This week we want to challenge you. We want you to find one wildflower moment, one place where you're growing. Even if it's not pretty or not pretty yet, we want you to name it and celebrate it.

Will 10:42

Right. And don't forget, you don't need permission and you don't need perfection.

Neesh 10:49

So if this episode blooms something inside of you, don't forget to subscribe and share it. Follow us on Instagram at Dirt underscore WildflowerWay and tag your moment. Hashtag theWildflowerWay.

Will 11:04

All right. I'm extremely excited for the next episode. Join us. It's gonna be hilarious and heartwarming. I look forward to it.

Neesh 11:13

Until then, stay rooted and grow wild.