Happy Earth Day!

Creating an intentional relationship with the environment didn’t just change how I think. It changed how I move through the world.

This realization hit me after a recent reflection on a question I get asked often, "What is your favorite Purpose Project episode?”

Every time I’m asked this question, my answer is the same. “I don’t have a favorite. I’ve taken something away from every episode.”

And it’s an honest answer, but recently, I found myself returning to that question and asking it a little bit different.

Which episode has helped me live with more purpose and meaning?

And one conversation immediately came to mind:

Season 1, Episode 7: A Relationship With the Environment with Kendra Obermaier.

During the episode, I remember hearing Kendra Obermaier talk about creating a relationship with the environment. It caught my attention because I remember thinking:

Who has a relationship with the environment? I don’t understand what that even means. How does that work? 

But the idea stuck with me, and over time I started experimenting with it (like I do with anything I learn through the podcast).

I started doing things like walking barefoot on the ground. Sitting in the grass. Using a reusable filter for my Keurig. Going for a walk in the dark of the morning. Watching the moon. Setting an intention at the turn of every season. Planting a new garden. Composting. Bringing more plants into the house.

None of these things are grand gestures. They are simple and relatively inexpensive. But, for me, they’ve been life-changing.

They have made me feel connected to something bigger...and that feeling gives me a sense of purpose and meaning. 

Happy Earth Day! And, as my mom advised, "Be especially kind to her - she's one of a kind."