My New Cycle at Small Scale Life
Given my workload at home and real job, I stopped the Small Scale Life Podcast in April 2023. I just didn’t have capacity and bandwidth to do extra recording and editing videos and podcast episodes.
This pause allowed me to think about this platform, the mission of Small Scale Life and my big why. As my friend Amy Dingmann from A Farmish Kind of Life and Julie know, I have been all over the board about the future of Small Scale Life. At times I was going to start over from scratch on a new platform, and at other times I was going to go forward. Back and forth; forth and back.
By leaving Driftless Oaks Farm behind, something about focusing on homesteading just wasn’t quite making sense. For me, a cycle had ended as that small farm dream died, and I wasn’t sure where the river would take me on this journey. It’s like I had paddled to a fork in the river, and there were a bunch of ways forward. I just had to choose and push forward towards that new section of river. For me, that was hard to do.
Right before Christmas, Julie ran a Gratitude Challenge as part of her Willow River Yoga Practice. It was a 10-day challenge, and for those of you who have ever created something like that, it can be difficult to come up with content as the challenge goes forward. Fortunately, I am a guy who thinks deep stuff at times and can write. I helped write a couple of the posts, and I realized that I needed to do more than JUST gardening. I have something to say based on the hard times and hard stuff we have been through. I might never monetize anything, but I have knowledge from the school of Hard Knocks that I can share with people. I can be the light in the distance for someone and hopefully help them, inspire them, entertain them or show them a way forward.
On December 21, 2023, I was driving back the The Landing from Green Bay, Wisconsin. I was in deep thought about things, and something just clicked. It was like a little bird (a hummingbird, perhaps?) landed on my shoulder and laid it all out for me. Things suddenly aligned and made sense after not making sense for a long time. That little hummingbird made me realize that “learn, do, grow and be a little better everyday” is actually “improving mind, body and soul.”
Of course! How did I miss that?
Now, a whole new cycle has begun, and I am really excited about this stretch of river ahead. If you have been paying attention on Small Scale Life YouTube Channel, TikTok Channel, Instagram and Facebook, you have seen the subtle shift in December and January. In some ways, I feel like I am getting back to a place where I was a few years ago: canning, grounding (walking in snow), using the 24 Hour Plan, recording the sound of rivers, focusing on getting healthy and gardening. Yes, for the first time since 2020, I WILL have a garden on this property! It is all connected.
As part of this shift, I have opened a new Facebook Group called the Small Scale Life Wellness Club. It is really a support and accountability group for those of us working on improving our mind, body and soul. Feel free to use this link to come and be part of the Club. What do you have to lose?
2023 is Over. Happy New Year! A New Cycle Begins….
In closing, this year has been a whirlwind for us all. It has had its ups and downs, but people have been there for us and shown us so much love and compassion in our darkest hours. We have so much gratitude for you and for all of your support. We can’t wait to see what the new cycle in 2024 is going to bring.
January is off to a wild start with Julie’s Yoga Retreat, the new Small Scale Life Wellness Club, my cold plunges and our Trip to Costa Rica for our 30th Wedding Anniversary!