81 Comments

I always look forward to reading your Bimblings Josie.Love your honesty,transparency,tenacity and the way you connect with nature and life.I find myself saying Yes Yes Yes this is how I feel too.

I always smile at everyone and I am sure that some of them wonder who that odd woman is ,some who are indifferent but some may need that smile,the human connection and I am prepared to gamble in it!

I have an orchid,it cost 10 p fifteen years ago.My son worked at local Co op and he would bring me any plants that they had given up on so I could try to revive them.My house is littered with plant casualties.The orchid was green but had no flowers for five years.Then suddenly it exploded into pink and white blooms and as continued to do so since.I am so glad I didn’t give up on it🌸

Kind wishes

Stay you xxx

Stay you

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I am still smiling at your plant whisperer skills. Real magic. Thank you Suzanne x

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Honestly Josie it isn’t skill,I honestly think it’s just kindness,tenacity and not giving up on a precious living thing🌷

Sending you kind and warm thoughts

Feel better soon💕xxx

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Amazing. Just what I needed to read today, Josie. Thank you. I am living with a chronic health condition also, and like you I love nature with a passion. This year I've been blessed with the gift of one white, self-seeded, foxglove in my back garden. I was told that in Irish myth, a lone white foxglove is considered a gift from the Sidhe, or fairy folk, and that brings me even more joy. After reading this I too am going to choose to say "Yes" as often as I possibly can.

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A fairy gift! How lovely! Foxgloves seem to be having an especially good year - I keep seeing great towering ones everywhere.

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How beautiful! We also have one white foxglove in our garden!

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Such a wonderful post. I hope you make it work for you. It just reminded me of something I read recently, reading about Julian of Norwich and one of her most famous quotes, and I don't repeat it here as some trite religious stuff, but because the context feels relevant: “He said not 'Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be dis-eased'; but he said, 'Thou shalt not be overcome.” and "All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well". It seemed to me to reflect an attitude of acceptance and opening up one's heart and mind to love to be a whole part of the world. This isn't meant to be preachy, I'm sorry if it comes over that way, but your post moved me very much.

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Not preachy at all - beautiful! My favourite mantra comes from my Qi Going practice. It is "Haola" which means "all is well and getting better". We chant it as we meditate and move slowly. It brings me such comfort.

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Your writing, your insight Josie is visceral, palpable. I'm blown away by the enormity of your daring to practise welcoming and thanking whatever turns up however you 'be'. There's a lot of food for my thoughts and actions in this essay. Reading you, hearing you makes me want to do better.

Love and blessings winging your way.💚

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It's definitely an ongoing practice. We can start every day fresh!

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On a walk earlier this week after a hard few days, I said to myself (to nature, to other walkers, to whomever), "I really just want to be more open, to just keep opening and opening." Your piece expresses this so beautifully. We cannot pick and choose, we have to accept it all, and we can do that with a thank you, a welcome, a smile. Or at least, we can practice doing it that way. Thank you Josie.

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We can keep choosing that. And we know in our bodies if we're open or closed - we can feel it. We can just keep choosing to open again x

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Yes!

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I’m crying. I’m crying. “Or are you going to do the bravest, stupidest, most amazing, most daring thing in the world and say yes yes yes to all of it, the whole damn lot.” You’ve opened my heart today, Josie. The whole lot of it. Thank you 😭

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I am so grateful for your generous, warm heart. Thank you for opening and listening x

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I know I just met you but, I love you! And this wonderful post! 💕

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Thank you Susan!

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Yes! I also sat out in the garden today despite the clouds, when usually I wait for sunshine. I'm also in pain with a chronic illness, I've just bought your book having heard you on a podcast. Loving it, thank you xx

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Wishing you ease and peace!

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I know I need to do this too... Because I finally realized I am so miserable in and therefore feel worse being in the closed-off place. Thank you for this. 💚💙

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Good good things happen when we start to open, I believe that with my whole heart. Wishing you courage x

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🙏❤️

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I've learned more about mindfulness and living in the present from you Josie than from from tens of mediation manuals.

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Thank you Chris. It is a real privilege to have you here with me as I explore and figure things out x

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“as soon as you close your heart to one thing — to anything — you close your heart.” Powerful. Thank you.

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Absolutely knocked over by your writing! Tears, appreciation, and mountains of YES! Thank you!

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I so appreciate you reading and feeling and celebrating with me. Thank you!

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Oh Josie, I have a smile on my heart and shall smile with you all the way. 🙏💫🧚🏾‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️❣️

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Here's to exploring this life together!

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Lipsmackingly gorgeous. Thank you.

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Thank you lovely x

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I am super thankful I found you through Sharon Blackie.I have been using the big 3, welcome, thankful, and smile since I read this yesterday. I have to say that I avoided two fights with my husband so far, one last night and one already today.

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What a win! This is wonderful.

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Awesome, Josie. Thanks for the reminder to smile!

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