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Your biggest goals can quietly turn into blinders and you might not even notice until you feel stuck. We’re sharing a mindset shift that hit hard after reading Austin Kleon’s “Don’t Call It Art”: when we grip our visions too tightly, we can miss opportunities, ignore what we actually need, and even bulldoze our real life in the name of a perfect plan.
We talk about how kids create without pressure and why that kind of playful creativity matters for adults who are tired, anxious, or trapped in perfectionism. Then we dig into the “danger of visions” and how a strict picture of success can make you inflexible, frustrated, and blind to the good already around you. You’ll hear practical examples, from the way people cling to checklists in dating to the way identity stories like “I’m not the kind of person who…” can shrink your choices.
We also share real-life changes that challenged our own labels: moving from the country to the city, trading a big garden for a tiny one, and even considering getting a dog without a backyard. The thread that ties it together is simple: swap “yeah, but” for “what if,” and let curiosity test possibilities before fear shuts them down. If you’ve been craving a reset, a creative spark, or a new way to approach personal growth, this mini episode will help you loosen the plan and widen the path.
Listen now, then send us a voice message with what this brings up for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who feels boxed in, and leave a review so more people can find No Shrinking Violets.
Learn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE.
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