Fearless Farmgirl ~ Are YOU one?

004

Happy Spring, sisters!

It’s time to wake up from your winter’s nap and get busy. Busy doing what, you ask? Farmgirl things, that’s what. If you’re like most adventurous, curious, and talented Farmgirls you’ve probably spent the winter dreaming up all sorts of new and exciting plans for spring. But, did you plan anything NEW and SCARY to do?

From time to time, life gives us all scary things to deal with. That’s just reality. I won’t mention any of “those” scary things here. Each and every one of us could fill in that blank a few times over. ” Those “ kinds of scary things challenge our inner strength and reserve and ” those “ experiences change us forever. For better or for worse we must decide the best way to move forward, move on. “Those” kinds of scary things teach us that being “chicken” isn’t an option. And sometimes there are hidden blessings tied into the very worst of those scary things we couldn’t have imagined would be there.

009-001

But, “ those “ aren’t the kinds of scary things I’m talking about today. I’m talking about the kinds of scary things we get ourselves into because our curiosity and zest for life just won’t let us have it any other way. The scary things we get to choose are my favorite kind of scary!

011-001

The kinds of things that make us EXCITED and AFRAID are different for everyone. But the feeling of accomplishment and confidence we feel after we’ve fought the fear and done it ( the thing, your thing ) anyway is universal. I love putting things in front of myself that I’ve never done but believe I CAN-DO even if it terrifies me a little or A LOT. I wouldn’t classify myself as an adrenaline junky, but I do like to have new and challenging things to look forward to. And who knows better what things will challenge you and make you happy better than you do?

013-002

What if you made a list of all the things you’ve ever done in your life that you were scared to do or try but did them anyway? It’s likely to be miles long! I started one in my journal this winter because I’ve planned some big doing’s for myself this year and I needed the extra boost of confidence to quiet the doubts in my head. Here’s a peek! Oh, my list isn’t necessarily in chronicle order.

  1. Went to beauty college ( First day jitters were off the charts)
  2. Cut, colored and permed hair on a live person. ( Terrifying the first few times )
  3. Flew on and Airplane ( still not my favorite )
  4. Owned a Salon ( more nerve-wracking than scary, but fun )
  5. Learned to drive a stick shift
  6. Went on a blind date ( scary and disappointing ;))
  7. Bought a house ( two times )
  8. Gave birth twice
  9. Took tap dancing lessons at age 37 and performed in a recital ( the lessons were fun, the recital made me nauseous but I did it anyway )
  10. Moved 3000 miles from home and stayed ( 16 years and counting )
  11. Home-schooled our two children ( I worried more during those years than any other time in my life but the kids turned out alright and I just got more gray hair.)
  12. Job interviews ( always a bit scary )
  13. Learned to ride a horse ( my legs wouldn’t stop shaking the first few lessons)
  14. Learned to paint walls and furniture
  15. Hosted a garden tour at our home
  16. Started a blog ( hitting the publish button the first time? Scary!)
  17. Asked to write for MaryJanesFarm Magazine in 2011 ( and I’m still here!!!)
  18. Opened (and closed) Burlap and Bling ( my little booth in the Antique Mall )
  19. Started my backyard flower farm in 2012
  20. Sold my flowers at the Farmers Market ( the first time was so, so scary )
  21. Provided wedding flowers designed with my own fresh-cut flowers and plan to do it again this season! ( a 10 on the scary scale, 10 being very scared!)

I bet we have some that match up!

It seems silly that I was so scared at some of them but “first times” are like that for many things, even when they are things we WANT to do. Did you notice I didn’t list, getting married? I never had a doubt about my handsome Yankee. That was a blessed, worry, free, doubt free day!

One thing I don’t have listed and I’ve always been fearful of is public speaking. Something is calling me to it in 2017 and I’ve already broken the ice with the Fairy Garden Talk my manger, Gretchen and I gave for the Plymouth Garden Club. It was fun to do it together. We calmed each other down. My next opportunity is coming up this weekend. I’m co-hosting an event that I dreamed up and helped to create along with some of my fellow New England farmer/florists. Together, we are hosting a Farm and Floral Meet and Greet! We are expecting about 60 guests and every New England State will be represented! I’ll have to welcome our guests and do some introductions at the start of the program. YIKES! One part of me can’t wait to get there and enjoy the day, and the other part of me wants to stay nice and safe in my coop, just like my Blonde, my chicken.  I promise to share the day with you in my next posting!

So, let me ask you again. Did you plan anything FUN, NEW and SCARY TO DO this year?

Do tell!

Until our next shoreline visit~ Don’t be a chicken! Enjoy the possibilities of rebirth that spring brings and make sure you scare yourself a little. You’ll just feel better, I promise!

IMG_6806Beach Blessings and Much Love,

Deb

#1199

 

 

 

 

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

  1. Cindy says:

    Love!love ! Your message! I will take it to heart! Thanks !

  2. Dori Troutman says:

    Awwww Deb…. I love this post!!! You always have such an awesome way of writing! 🙂 I try so hard not to be a chicken in life… but taking the plunge on things is super hard for me sometimes. Thanks for the awesome encouragement to be a Fearless Farmgirl!

    xoxo

    Dori, your Ranch Farmgirl friend! 🙂

    • Deb Bosworth says:

      Hi Dori! I think you are quite fearless! I love following all of your Ranch adventure and new experiences on your sweet farm.
      Here’s to a great growing season, inside and out!
      Hugs,
      xo
      Deb, your Beach Farmgirl friend!

  3. Vicki says:

    This is great advice! I will be taking this to heart this season. Thanks.

  4. Joan says:

    Super great message!!! Love the ‘gardens’, I’m into doing them too. Your courage to step out is inspiring but think I will stay in my comfort zone this year. No nothing going on here, outside except a blizzard, so inside doing and planning for outside will happen for a few days. Again, love your messages! God bless.

    • Deb Bosworth says:

      Sending blessings to you too, Joan! Always great to hear from you. And, it’s okay to stay in your comfort zone being wonderful you too!
      xo Deb

  5. Krista says:

    I love that feeling you get when your scared to do something, but then feel a large amount of accomplishment once done! I actually have a few experiences similar to the ones on your list. One of my scary days was starting college, all 3 times. I was also scared the first time I did a set of nails on a human hand rather than a fake hand. Still to this day I find myself getting the jitters when I do nails (I don’t do them very frequently). As for this year I don’t have anything new, fun, and scary planned. Next year we plan to take a trip out of the country and I am nervous about flying, being in a new place, and leaving my boys at home. It will be fun but definitely new and scary.

    • Deb Bosworth says:

      Hi Krista!
      Your mention of doing nails on a human hand hit home with me. I’m a retired hairstylist and I’ll never for get the first day jitters I had starting beauty college and working on my first live head of hair was equally terrifying! Best of luck in your travels and try not to hold up the plane the entire flight. I find if I have a good book or magazine it makes me drowsy and I can fall asleep. Listening to music on your headphones or watching a movie helps too. 🙂 Farmgirl hugs! Deb

  6. Sandi King says:

    Deb, thanks for a wonderful post. You have quite a list and I did a couple of yours too. As for me I always think I will get something new done every year but it always doesn’t get done. So this year we are working on our DW getting it ready to be livable, so that is new and scary since we have never done any remodeling before. This was a smoke-damaged home that we bought and we gutted the kitchen and living room that were the worst. SO it has taken us many months to do very little. We also had financial problems which stopped the work altogether. But anyway, plans are underway for more. I have collected many new ideas for things to do that I haven’t done before and some are a little scary if I worry about what they will look like when done. My first thing is I want to make a quilt and sew it on a Singer treadle sewing machine – never used one before but I bought one. Scary! Next I want to make two dolls to sit on a very small bench, a boy and a girl that will look like my best friends. SCARY!! I also want to try re-purposing a piece of furniture. Will it end up in the dump?? Who knows. Scary!! I have found new ideas for my DW for my closet and my bathroom and my laundry room that I want to incorporate. SCARY! by all means. Anyway, I see you have a chicken called Blonde. Is she a Golden Comet? I have Golden Comets and one I call Blondie. She is always the last one to enter the coop at night so have to wait on her. She always has to run back to get one more bite or drink. Reminds me of my children when they were little. On my list of scary things that I went through with – went back to school and earned an Associates Degree in Accounting at age 40. Also gave a speech on the CONS of Abortion for a class with a classmate giving the PROS of Abortion. Terrified! I also learned to drive a stick-shift and didn’t get my drivers license till I was 21; and I went on a blind date which wasn’t fun at all. So I hope the things I plan on doing this year will turn out to be at least passable. Keep on having fun.

    • Deb Bosworth says:

      Wow! Your plans for this coming year all sound like ground breaking new experiences for you. That’s wonderful and scary at the same time, isn’t it? I think when you relax and try to have fun with new things they go much better than you imagined they would. Keep it up!
      Farmgirl Hugs!
      Deb

  7. Teresa says:

    I have really stepped out of my comfort zone lately! I retired from my job and decided I wanted to start designing quilts and selling my patterns. I have designed 10 quilts, learned how to write patterns, opened an etsy store, and in April one of my patterns is going to be published. Whew what a ride it’s been scary and exciting at the same time. Enjoyed reading your list it’s pretty inspiring!

    • Deb Bosworth says:

      Kudos to you, Teresa! I bet you’re having loads of fun creating!
      Sounds like a wonderful new ” joy ride ” you’re on!
      Continued blessings…
      Deb

  8. Susan says:

    No i didnt do much new, but become singke again, and everything changes after the death of a loved one. I had to change everything almost alone. Thd fun thing was buying a new car and choose what i wanted, and got most of what i wanted. Now im focusing on getting my house in order, for one person, you downsize a lot. But the hardest thing is downsizing my garden. I know what i like but cutting everything down for one person. ..,im not sure, because i alway give my excess to my neighbors. I realized last year i planted too much, because it was hard harvesting it alone. I was too tired by the end of the day.if anyone has any ideas im opened to them.i think i may have to pay someone to help with rototilling the soil, because its getting where i just want to stick the seed in and let it grow that way, but you and i know the soil needs to be work
    So,gardening has its foils when you get older than the dirt you till… and my husband told me….you have to downsize sooner or later. But i don’t want to be like some of those who just stopped gardening altogether , because i love seeing things grow. Was thinking of maybe start beekeeping or raising chicken, but i have to check with the legality of it for my area. Otherthan that, i. Just keeping busy. I want to get back to sewing but my sewing machine has issues. But am planning my garden for this year. I saw a mini greenhouse and may even purchse it. But just in the thinking phases now for my garden. Its still too cold here. Temperature has been weird here in New York. One day super cold, then a few days of spring then rain, then back to winter cold. But i do know spring is near. I saw my first robin march 6th. And the lilac bush and roses are sprouting their buds..,so it gives me hope things will get green shortly. So time will tell what will become our garden, but I wish my sweetheart was here to see it.

  9. Deb Bosworth says:

    I’m so sorry for your loss, Susan. I do wish you comfort and healing as you move forward with out your sweet heart this season. Plant something in a pot in his memory that you can tend to often. Perhaps that will bring some peace to your days ahead.
    Sending hope!
    Deb

  10. Jennifer says:

    I didn’t used to be scared of doing things. I just plunged right in and did them! Moved across the country from Georgia to Colorado while pregnant with my first child. Gave birth twice. Moved back across the country. Got divorced. Went to college a bunch of times. Worked a bunch of times. Gave birth once more. The first time I can remember being scared of anything was getting out of an abusive relationship 11 years ago. That’s when it all started. But, fear is a friend now. Fear is my brain trying to take care of me. I give it a hug and thank it for taking care of me and try again and again until I can do whatever it is I’m scared to do.

    • Deb Bosworth says:

      Jennifer, You are courageous and fearless to have gotten out of an abusive relationship.Kudos to you for sticking to your guns and doing what was right even though you were scared. I’m sure you have been ( and will continue to be ) rewarded ten times over for your bravery with new and happy experiences away from the pain and drama a life with an abuser is filled with. Good luck on your hike. That is fun and adventurous! Be well and safe! xo Deb

  11. Jennifer says:

    Tho’ it occurs to me that I didn’t answer your question! Yes! I am going to learn tent camping and my husband and I are going to tackle the Appalachian Trail, northbound!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *