My Cabin Confessions
The Messy Magic of The Woods
Corinne here from Twisted Willow, reporting live from my cabin in the woods. The air's thick with that earthy, piney goodness, and my soul is doing a happy dance. It has rained every day until today! Wahoo! I needed some sun. The 7 Roots of Twisted Willow are woven into every single thread of any day. Some think wellness is all about meditating in the lotus position and sipping green juice—and that’s great, applause to those who can do that—but that's not authentic to me. Lauren and I see wellness as real, grounded, flexible, and unapologetically authentic, capable of bending without breaking, and beautifully messy. So I thought a mini tour of my day, pointing out where the roots live in real time, might be fun.
Let's talk about my day. This morning kicked off with the usual parental rodeo – wrangling the kids for the pool. Core Values were called into action so I could focus on what was important rather than what was driving me nuts. My value of connection with my kids means enjoying these summer mornings at the cabin. I'm in there, splashing with them, making up games, even when my inner adult is screaming for quiet. I chose to focus on what those memories we are creating mean to each of us. There are days I cannot be this version of me, where the complaints, sunscreen, wet towels, mosquitoes, and a billion trips to the car because someone forgot something get to me. I consider that balance and that "come as you are" vibe are why Lauren and I created this 7-root system.
Then, the joy of tax season. As a small business owner this is not the joyful part of that title. As I stared at those forms, my Core Beliefs started doing a little jig. Was that old script of "I'm not good enough with numbers" trying to creep in? You bet your ass it was. I never honed in on it as a belief I should “work on” but it came in on ludicrous speed today. Math was always a struggle for me and I hadn’t realized that belief was so ingrained and automatic in how I show up with numbers. Decided to do a mini-interference reframe and repeat - “I have always figured out what I needed to with numbers and today will be no different”. Hey, the taxes got paid so I will own the win.
Later, I carved out some time for a pedicure – a moment of pure bliss. This is where my Relationship to Self truly shines. It's a micro-act of self-loyalty and love. This was my first pedicure in two years (no judgments, please). I showed up for myself today. I listened to my audiobook while playing a game on my phone and enjoyed every moment. You know the sayings, “you can't pour from an empty cup” and “put the mask on yourself first”—they are true. I don't know about anyone else, but although I know them to be true, I cannot always do it. My son’s drum lessons are a higher priority to me than pretty feet, so when I am able to do it, I lean into it and give myself credit for it.
Cooking dinner tonight was a masterclass in Habits. The autopilot of chopping veggies, the familiar rhythm of the kitchen – this is my therapy. My kitchen at the cabin is big enough for one, which serves me well when I am in the zone. I don’t have to kick anyone out because they don't fit!
I always feel a hum of Spirituality here at the cabin. Being in nature, truly immersed in it, is my most profound form of worship and connection to something bigger than myself. The way the sun dances through the trees to the forrest floor always grabs me. The birds calling back and forth to one another eases me into that sense of wonder. My kids call me “crunchy” but I am known to hug an actual tree when out here.
My Support Systems are a beautifully messy cosmic explosion. There's my wife and our two boys, who operate on a unique frequency of chaos and love, constantly reminding me that life's best moments are often the loudest. Then, just a mile down the road, my sister's cabin serves as an outpost for more family mayhem, complete with nieces and nephews. It’s a riot, honestly, and I wouldn’t trade this unconventional crew for anything.
Physical Body is so interwoven throughout this day. My body carried all the supplies to the pool. My body holds the brain that did some math. My body navigated the kitchen with ease. My body melted into the pedicure chair, and skipped a few times while taking our dog Neli on her walks. Diaphramactic breaths when I am able to pause in order to support my nervous system (which has been known to go rogue). Taking a moment to be grateful for all it allows me to do. Teenage me would have criticized and focused on the “package” over the “function” but flipping the script on that has allowed me to find more grace and peace.
So there you have it. A glimpse into one messy, real day, totally threaded with the 7 Roots. They're the gritty, honest tools for living a life that feels authentic to you.
Xoxo Corinne