Mother Teresa once said, "If you want to create impact in the world, go home and love your family." A lot of times, we think that impact has to be big and it has to be for many, but what we miss out on is that leading and loving in our homes can actually create a bigger ripple effect than we realize.   

In today's episode, I dive into some simple yet insightful conversation with my dear friend Sarah Ford.   Sarah is a wife, mother, leader and female powerhouse in her industry.   As she was spending more time at home last year due to the pandemic, she found it necessary to get her house in order so that she could open her doors and draw people in and show them love at a time when people were forced to be apart. 

After enlisting some help from her family, they hauled off bags of non essentials and they've created a space that's free from clutter,  leaving room for an open invitation for others to come in and feel the love!

While reflecting on the way her parents and grandmother created a space where everyone was welcome, Sarah too wanted to create that for her family and friends.  She wanted everyone who walked through her doors to know that their presence was felt and seen. 

In addition to God's direction, she attributes two books that helped shape her thoughts around hospitality in this episode.  You can find them here: 

Just Open the Door
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did and it inspires you to take action and open the door!  Because remember, it all starts at home. 

Follow along at Live Your Life In Bloom on Instagram! 

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

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To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.

How many times have you walked in on a chapter of someones life and think you know their whole life story?  I've done it.  I'm guessing you've done it too and I would also guess that even when you think you may know all about them, the odds are - that you don't.

Today's episode is about practicing less judgment and more self awareness as it's happening to make way for compassion, kindness, empathy and less bias. 

It's easy to make assumptions about what we think we "KNOW" about someone because it takes effort, time and investment on our part to get to know someone for who they truly are.  Who has time for that?!  It's easy to label others and compartmentalize them into neat little spaces in our minds so that we can process and make ourselves feel better rather than taking time to find out what they're truly about. 

But when we judge others, we create division.  We wall ourselves off to new ideas, new opportunities, new relationships and experiences. 

I think it’s time to start seeing past the surface and let’s get to know others for who they truly are, rather than what we see or perceive them to be on the outside.  Let’s stop putting people in boxes and categorizing them based on what’s easy for us to decide.  Let’s get out of our comfort zone and get to know people for who they are.  Take time, make an investment in others.  Let's realize that there really is more than meets the eye and we all have something to offer  Who's with me?!

Live Your Life In Bloom 

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

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I've been reflecting on the year and looking back at the goals I had set in January and seeing some progress and some that haven't made it out of the gate.  I've realized that my growth journey like yours, takes time.  Progress is made little by little, not overnight. 

As I take inventory on my life, I know that I haven't arrived.  There's still work to be done and I am and will always be a work in progress.   To you, I may seem like I have it all figured out and am rocking this bloom process, but I'm human.  I get off track sometimes and have to remind myself where I'm going, and appreciate where I've been. 

Becoming the person you want to be is not a to do list that you check off.  It's a way of life.  It has to be lived out each and every day.  It's a process.

Let this episode be a reminder that we are growing and evolving and learning together.  Let's support each other along the way and cheer each other on on this growth journey. 

Please know that I appreciate you and can't wait to see what's in store for you.  Let's do this!

Live Your Life In Bloom

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

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The other night, I got caught in a downpour and it made me stop and think - how often in life are we running from things?  Why do we rush the moment and tell ourselves that we need to take shelter?  

I do this all the time and maybe you do too, I don’t let myself experience moments that could shape me, build me and make me feel alive.  

Are you missing out on experiences that can show you beauty or blessings and teach you to be grateful for the exact moment you’re in right now?  In this episode, I share some helpful tips to keep you in the moment so that you can bloom where you are planted.  

1. Be Present and Slow Down 
2. Remove Distractions
3. Go On a Treasure Hunt 
4. Take a Different Route 
5. Be Open to New Opportunities

We get one shot at this beautiful life.  We can either make the most of these moments that fill our day or we can postpone them.  Don’t postpone joy.  Don’t put off what is meant for you.  Open your arms and your heart to be able to experience the fullness each day has to offer. Even if that means a little bit of rain.  

https://www.instagram.com/liveyourlifeinbloom/

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

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Our garden is in full bloom right now!  What started as an idea has flourished into a bountiful harvest!! It's like going to the farmer's market every day.  It has been so fruitful to reap the benefits and enjoy with our friends and family.   

I'm realizing  that there are so many similarities between this garden and our lives.  There are numerous lessons and skills that this garden has taught us in the few short months since we planted and in this episode I dive into some of those lessons.

As the harvest is coming in, even though it's exciting to see tomatoes turn from green to red and the corn tassels go from white to brown, but what I'm realizing is although it may look ripe, some things still need more time on the vine to grow and fully ripen.    There are times in our life when we ourselves aren't ripe yet and we want to rush the process but in reality, we need more time to grow and develop before we are ready.  Good things grow slow and everything grows at it's own pace. Patience is a virtue and I'm shown patience each and everyday with this process.  We can't rush the timing and we don't need to compare our growth journey to someone else's.  So let's enjoy what's happening right now, in the moment because our time is coming.  

"Adopt the pace of nature.  Her secret is patience." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Another lesson I've learned from this garden is to really trust the process and have faith.  This entire process is not my doing, but God's.  We've had to have faith that He will provide and take a tiny little seed and turn it into a meal.  This is not something we could create on our own and it has truly been a miracle to watch it unfold right before our eyes.   

The garden has also been a connection from my past to my present. I've been able to relive memories of when I was younger growing up with a garden and putting some of my grandmothers recipes to use.  I've also been able to spend more time with my mom as she shares tips and best practices of preservation so that we can enjoy the fruits of our labor all year long.  

When I look back at the progression of the garden and how it started from just a seed in the ground to now vibrant and thriving, I stop to celebrate the progression.  In life, we need to make sure we are celebrating our own growth journey.  Even though we may not see what's been blooming all this time, the time-lapse of our life would show otherwise.  

One of the most rewarding things I've enjoyed about the garden is being able to share it with others.  It's been such a giving, yet humbling experience.  Living a life of service and contribution to others is life-giving in and of itself.  If you want to be blessed, do something for someone else.   Share your blessings, even when you don't think you have anything to give.  It will come back to you I'm certain.  

What can you do today to bless someone else?  How can you serve others today?  It doesn't have to be big to make a BIG impact.  

Our lives, like this garden is a process.  Trust the process, cultivate the process and celebrate the process so that you can become ripe on the vine and use the fruit that's produced to serve others.  

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.

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To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.

"If you don't like something, change it.  If you can't change it, change your attitude."  ~ Maya Angelou.

I love this quote and it is so true!  There are so many things in life that are outside of our control like the weather,  other peoples opinions of you, how someone reacts, a diagnosis - but in the midst of these situations, there are always things we CAN control.   

In this episode, I'm chatting with my sweet friend, Hannah Blandford about  learning to put yourself in a mindset to focus on things you CAN control rather than the things you can't. 
You've all probably heard the saying, life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.  Yes, someone may treat you unkindly or you may receive devastating news, but what happens next and how you react will set the tone for your day, your week and eventually your life.  Hannah shares with us some ways she has learned to gravitate more towards what she can control and some tips that help keep her grounded when things aren't within her control.  I believe the wisdom she shares with you, will help keep you focused on ways you, yourself can put into practice as you continue down your daily path. 

I close the episode with the Serenity prayer which I think ties it up in a pretty little bow. 

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.  ~ The Serenity Prayer

Yes, there will be things that happen in your life that are outside of your control.  "Life Happens," so the saying goes.  But how you show up, and respond in every situation will determine  how it affects you.  When life's not fair,  seek to find the things you can control and learn to let go of the rest.
 
Some of the books talked about in today's episode are:
Self Compassion, by Kristen Neff
The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene' Brown
The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer

You can find Hannah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hdblandford/
To bloom in between episodes, visit Live Your Life In Bloom on Instagram. 

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.

Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!

To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.

I was able to connect with one of my dear friends, Mary Katherine Wathen on this episode and what an impact she is!  She shares how she has given her "yes" and applied her calling of working with women in various stages of her life to invite women to rise and be the person they were created to be.   She radiates so much light and energy and leaves everyone better just by the way she loves on you. 

We talk about some of the most common concerns impacting our culture today such as self image,  anxiety, fear of failing and never enough.   It's possible to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset.  When one begins to lean into the fact that there is enough - whether that's time, money or energy, your life will drastically change. 

MK will tell you, we are always evolving and we never arrive.  Life is about enjoying the process and embracing the journey along the way.   If we think we've arrived, we're not growing.  We may not always know what's next, but we have to believe that moving forward is better than staying stuck. 

I think this episode will resonate with a lot of you and I can't wait for you to press play!

To follow along with MK on her journey for more, you can visit her website, marykatherinewathen.com or check out her Podcast with her dear friend, Maria Spears on Girl, Water Your Grass. 

Be sure to follow along between episodes of Bloom With Bridget, on my Instagram page Live Your Life In Bloom. 

Talk to you soon!
Bridget

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.

Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!

To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Suzanne Cecil White.  Suzanne shares all the ways she uses her talents as a former teacher to now educate those around her about all things agriculture related and take those around her on a journey in realtime.  Whether it's through hands on experiences or creative social media strategy, she takes us along and behind the scenes of what a day in the life is like at Cecil Farms. 

Cecil Farms began with her father and is now a family affair shared with her mom, brother and sister.  Each play a role in the success of the family farming operation.  In 2019, Suzanne and her husband opened an event venue on the farm, called The White Chateau.  It has served as a beautiful backdrop and space for numerous weddings, conferences and events.  I often tease Suzanne that she is like Kevin Costner in the movie - Field of Dreams and "If you build it, they will come." And trust me, they do!

If you know Suzanne, you know she has a gift to dream big and cast large visions for imagining the possible.  To her, anything is possible.  This was a lesson she taught her students in the classroom and now she gets to live out each and everyday on a personal level.   

We also talk about the importance of community and how this is more about the people you surround yourself with rather than a place.  This is sure to be one you will want to listen to again, because it's full of great conversation and seeds to share with others!

To learn more about Cecil Farms, you can check them out at https://www.cecilfarmspd.com/
or follow Cecil Farms or The White Chateau on Instagram.

Keep on blooming my friends!

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.

Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!

To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.

What does success look like to you? Is it tied to achievement and accolades?  Or is it tied to a calling or purpose?

Success just like everything else that we talk about on the Bloom podcast is a choice.  You get to define what your definition of success looks like,  just like I do.  It should look differently for everyone.  

It's easy to get caught up living a life that’s defined by things of this world rather than something bigger than ourselves thinking it will make us happy.  This was me.  I got so caught up in creating a life, I thought mattered, that I forgot to enjoy what was right in front of my eyes.  

Society advocates success in the form MORE.   It's an unattainable goal, and there’s never enough.  What we need to be advocating for is finding purpose in our passion and success that sustainably fuels us.  

Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”  This is such an important life lesson.  It should never be about what we get, but what we give. 

I hope you enjoy this episode and it inspires you to get out there and plant those seeds of success! 

Liveyourlifeinbloom 

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.

Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!

To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.

As things start to open back up and we get back to a sense of normalcy, this episode will challenge you to think about what version of normal you're choosing.  

While I'm glad to see signs that the pandemic is slowing down, I don't want to go back to normal and the way things used to be prior to.  I'm choosing a new normal.  One that serves me in this next season of life.  Maybe you feel the same way too.  

This past year and a half was not easy.  But, it was also a blessing. It opened my eyes to the reality that I can take the good things from it and leave the not so good in 2020.  

Some things that helped me find a new normal were to: 

1. Take inventory of what was getting my time. 
2. Choose what to continue and what not to continue. 
3. Cut out the excess and re-align.
4. Set boundaries.
5. Stay the course.
6. Set my environment up for success.  

Choose a normal that works for you.  Figure out what good you're going to take with you and what you're leaving behind.  We have an opportunity be a better version of who we were this time last year.  I hope you're choosing a "new normal" that allows you to bloom and flourish!

@liveyourlifeinbloom

For more ways to bloom in between episodes, follow along at @bloomwithbridget on instagram or head on over to www.bloomwithbridget.com to keep growing with me.

*NEW!!! Sign up for weekly growth texts from Bloom at 833-761-1714.

Be sure to leave a review about this podcast or share it with someone who you think would love it!

To explore the Bloom Box, you can find both boxes by checking out the Bloom Box on the website.