What a tough year it has been! My son was diagnosed with a very rare sarcoma. He was lucky in a sense that it was discovered early, but it’s and aggressive cancer that often comes back. Ten years of regularly scheduled MRI/CT scans will hopefully never find cancer again. What matters most? Living in the moment.
What a relief to find a smaller shared space! I, too, am pulling away from regular visits to social media but often drawn back by those I still want to be influenced by ~ and you're on the top of my list, Rachel. I'm looking forward to what unfolds here...the gentle "me too" and courage to listen to my heart. To riff on your phrase "my hand in yours," Rachel, this feels like it can be all of us reaching a hand out to each other 💜
Joan, I love this!! I wanted to use the phrase "my hand in yours" for my Substack title but it is already used by a company, so I had to keep thinking. Landing on Rachel's Treehouse was an unforgettable moment - I knew that was what it was supposed to be. To read how this feels like it could be "all of us reaching a hand out to each other" is better than anything I could have imagined. I am so grateful you are here.
Rachel, I am so glad to join this new community! I have felt a pull away from social media but haven’t inactivated any accounts yet. I am in north Georgia and went through your Soul Shift course. I’ve been following you and learning from you for several years now! This has been a tough year for us - we had to make the difficult decision to close our dairy farm and it’s been in the family since the 1940’s. I am trying to be there the best I can for my husband in this transition. I am definitely looking for more connection…been struggling with loneliness for many years now and I can’t seem to make any new, true friends. It’s tough when you’re 44 and everyone has their own lives I guess!? I’m not giving up but have definitely felt discouraged lately. I want real, true, and safe connection where I don’t have to worry about people talking behind my back or being fake! Sorry, this is too long already! ♥️
True, safe connections in adulthood are rare and so important. Thank you for acknowledging how difficult it can be to find them AND also that you are committed to keep trying! Thank you for sharing this. I know many people feel the same way. It is my hope that we can make some beautiful connections here that may spill into real life. My hand in yours.
I am delighted to join you over in this new space. I'm joining you from Canada, a midwife and mama to teen and adult children. My list of things that matter most include:
Fresh air
Time in nature
Time to daydream
Good sleep
Things that nourish my body (an ongoing effort to remember and prioritize this )
I have very similar reasons to be here, and I'm a Canadian as well!! I moved to a rural area almost 6 years ago and find I am so in love with the peace and quiet and nature surrounding me. I especially love your closing remark ‘motiviation by love, not fear'.
Lovely to "meet" another fellow Canadian. We're currently urban living (for school and employment reasons), thankfully with a large river/creek green space near by, but hope to relocate more rural in the future. So grateful, nonetheless, to have so many options in Canada to escape somewhere quiet
Greetings from New Hampshire! Your book Soul Shift was one of my favorite books of this past year! And I'm happy to share that I read your book in my actual treehouse!! (I too was a tree climber as a child and had a small treehouse retreat built for myself a few years ago) I love that you've created this online treehouse space with a goal of connection. I'm all in and excited to see what unfolds! Thank you!!
It doesn't look like you can share a photo through the comment section. If it's no trouble, you can send it to my email! My email is rachelstafford@handsfreemama.com. No worries if it's too much trouble! 🌳❤️
Claudia, I saw the pictures of your treehouse…oh my goodness! What an amazing sanctuary! If I ever live on a piece of land and am allowed to have one like that, I’m definitely doing it! It is gorgeous!! 🩵🩵🩵
I love this! I have followed you for many years after becoming a mother of a noticer, your words have always resonated with ne and helped me find grounding. I truly appreciate you and all that you share with the world.
I am in the process of making a huge life change moving my family across the country from OK to NE FL coastal community. I am following my dream & heart but it has been hard as I feel selfish transplanting my family (husband, 13 yo daughter, & 10 yo son) to a world they didn't ask for. My daughter has struggled greatly with her mental health in the past several years and am so hopeful she will find her place and thrive. I NEED her to thrive.
As we walk into a new year, may we all thrive and have the greatest adventures of our lives!
Oh my goodness, this is a big move but you are being guided by heart and THAT is a game-changer. My family has moved many times and I know how difficult it can be, but giving my daughters a chance to start anew was a gift they both later told me helped them in many ways.
I know how worrisome it can be when our child is struggling with mental health. I am on the other side now so I hope that you will find things within my words that encourage you and make you feel less alone.
Hello from Germany. I’m so grateful that you created this space. I’ve been wanting to spend less time on social media and more time nurturing true connections- with my kids, spouse, friends, and hopefully also in this community. 🫶
Things that matter most to me right now are
My kids
Carving out just a little bit of me-time
Finding fun and joy again
Looking so forward to connecting with this group. 🫶
I love this, have followed you for many years on social media, but a treehouse away from the noise - so awesome!! Following from Tamworth, NSW, Australia
The idea of visiting a treehouse away from traditional social media feels so much better. It takes me back to my childhood favourite show Mr Dressup. Casey (a puppet child) lived in the treehouse. They were so lucky in my mind. Hi, Jewel from Canada. Thank you for the invitation Rachel.
Hello dear Jewel, I breathed a sign of relief that you are here. You are such a guiding light and source of encouragement in my life. I love that this setting takes you back to your favorite childhood show! Thank you for sharing that along with your stunning list of what matters. I nodded on every single one!
Jewel- your comment about Mr Dressup instantly brought me back to happy me memories from my childhood as well. It also made me google it to see if the show was only Canadian (it was) but I thought it interesting to read that Ernie Coombs was a former understudy of Fred Rogers 🌈⭐️. Thank you for sharing your memory. 🫶🏼
So relieved to find this space where I can breathe, read slowly, ponder...thank you for creating the treehouse. (Although I’m afraid of heights, so I might stay on the lower branches!)
I’m grinning from ear to ear thinking about this treehouse and the BIRD FEEDER! I was already in love with Rachel’s Treehouse but even more so now. 😉 I put up bird feeders in May 2020 and I love them SO much despite the good natured teasing some give me. They really help me stay in the moment. I even have an app now (Merlin Bird ID) to keep track of who I’ve heard - it also has photo ID but I use it mostly for bird sounds. Anyhow - I’m glad you’re here Susie. Whenever you need a break from feeding the birds, I’m your girl. 😉
Isn't the Merlin app fantastic? I work at an environmental education center / nature preserve, and our environmental educators always urge our visitors to download and install Merlin. We've hung a whiteboard up in the Visitors' Center where folks can write what wildlife they've seen or what birds they've heard. It's really fun!
Hi! I’m Liv, from the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate NY. I’m unfamiliar with your previous work and just happened to stumble upon this thread. The name of the post drew me in and the word connection kept me around.
You prompted this comment to list things that matter most to me and those include: my new family comprised of myself and my husband, his and my families of origin, our chosen family made up of friends who we hold near and dear, aside from those things I would say my health and recovery, my values, and my weird and confusing faith.
Another thing that matters most to me is my German shepherd named Tesla. She died suddenly in December of 2022 and I just completed my first full year without her. My list of things felt incomplete without mentioning her... but she’s also no longer with us so it feels like more of a “mattered most”... but that also doesn’t feel true.
Anyway, I don’t know if I landed here just for this moment or if I’ll stick around, but thank you for welcoming me into your tree house ✨🤍
Hi Liv, I love that you shared how you found yourself here. I am learning to trust where my heart leads me - and usually find some sort of amazing connection when I do so. I loved your list of what matters and felt a sense of connection when you included Tesla. I have a senior cat, Banjo, who means something to me that is difficult to explain to people, so I don't usually try. You seem like the kind of person who would understand. Thank you for showing up here today with your lovely heart.
Hello from West Central Ohio on this first day of 2024. My heart and soul spoke to me this morning and I changed to a paid subscription. Thank you for being here Rachel. You are my stability and my person so that I can be the person for my loved ones and others in need. Extending my hand out as well. Much love and Happy New Year.
I’m currently living in Spring Grove Illinois raising two teenage girls. Rachel, you were a saving grace when I was a single parent of littles trying to keep us on a positive path. Now they are also “baby adults” but I thankfully have a gracious partner to pave this new path. Thank you for being a beacon during all times ….
Lori, this message means more than I can say. We've been walking side by side for a long time.. what a gift that is to remain connected through the spaces, transitions, and upheavals of life. I am so grateful to hear where you are now with a gracious partner, and I am so excited for what is ahead for us together.
Hi from upstate NY! I have been a follower of the blog, hfl socials, and of course your books. I have drifted away a bit as life has gotten noisier, but I am so grateful for this opportunity to reconnect with the HFL values that I loved to much, in the treehouse!
This is the quickest I’ve subscribed in a while! Your words have been a balm and hope for me and all have a prominent place on my book shelf. Glad to be reading and creating here on substack with you!
What a tough year it has been! My son was diagnosed with a very rare sarcoma. He was lucky in a sense that it was discovered early, but it’s and aggressive cancer that often comes back. Ten years of regularly scheduled MRI/CT scans will hopefully never find cancer again. What matters most? Living in the moment.
Grateful for your presence, dear Debbie. Joining you in the hope that your son will be healthy and well in the days and years and decades to come.
What a relief to find a smaller shared space! I, too, am pulling away from regular visits to social media but often drawn back by those I still want to be influenced by ~ and you're on the top of my list, Rachel. I'm looking forward to what unfolds here...the gentle "me too" and courage to listen to my heart. To riff on your phrase "my hand in yours," Rachel, this feels like it can be all of us reaching a hand out to each other 💜
Joan, I love this!! I wanted to use the phrase "my hand in yours" for my Substack title but it is already used by a company, so I had to keep thinking. Landing on Rachel's Treehouse was an unforgettable moment - I knew that was what it was supposed to be. To read how this feels like it could be "all of us reaching a hand out to each other" is better than anything I could have imagined. I am so grateful you are here.
Rachel, I am so glad to join this new community! I have felt a pull away from social media but haven’t inactivated any accounts yet. I am in north Georgia and went through your Soul Shift course. I’ve been following you and learning from you for several years now! This has been a tough year for us - we had to make the difficult decision to close our dairy farm and it’s been in the family since the 1940’s. I am trying to be there the best I can for my husband in this transition. I am definitely looking for more connection…been struggling with loneliness for many years now and I can’t seem to make any new, true friends. It’s tough when you’re 44 and everyone has their own lives I guess!? I’m not giving up but have definitely felt discouraged lately. I want real, true, and safe connection where I don’t have to worry about people talking behind my back or being fake! Sorry, this is too long already! ♥️
True, safe connections in adulthood are rare and so important. Thank you for acknowledging how difficult it can be to find them AND also that you are committed to keep trying! Thank you for sharing this. I know many people feel the same way. It is my hope that we can make some beautiful connections here that may spill into real life. My hand in yours.
I am delighted to join you over in this new space. I'm joining you from Canada, a midwife and mama to teen and adult children. My list of things that matter most include:
Fresh air
Time in nature
Time to daydream
Good sleep
Things that nourish my body (an ongoing effort to remember and prioritize this )
Things that nourish my heart and soul
Motivation by love, not fear
Oh how I adore your list, Heather! I feel we are kindred souls. Thank you for being here.
I have very similar reasons to be here, and I'm a Canadian as well!! I moved to a rural area almost 6 years ago and find I am so in love with the peace and quiet and nature surrounding me. I especially love your closing remark ‘motiviation by love, not fear'.
Lovely to "meet" another fellow Canadian. We're currently urban living (for school and employment reasons), thankfully with a large river/creek green space near by, but hope to relocate more rural in the future. So grateful, nonetheless, to have so many options in Canada to escape somewhere quiet
Greetings from New Hampshire! Your book Soul Shift was one of my favorite books of this past year! And I'm happy to share that I read your book in my actual treehouse!! (I too was a tree climber as a child and had a small treehouse retreat built for myself a few years ago) I love that you've created this online treehouse space with a goal of connection. I'm all in and excited to see what unfolds! Thank you!!
Oh my goodness!! A real treehouse?!! Can you send me a picture? I’d love to see it! I’m so happy you’re here!
I'd be happy to send you a photo of my treehouse, but am not sure where to send it..Can you share photos on substack?
It doesn't look like you can share a photo through the comment section. If it's no trouble, you can send it to my email! My email is rachelstafford@handsfreemama.com. No worries if it's too much trouble! 🌳❤️
Claudia, I saw the pictures of your treehouse…oh my goodness! What an amazing sanctuary! If I ever live on a piece of land and am allowed to have one like that, I’m definitely doing it! It is gorgeous!! 🩵🩵🩵
Thank you for your comment Donna! Yes, it is an incredible sanctuary. I hope you are able to have one like it someday!
I love this! I have followed you for many years after becoming a mother of a noticer, your words have always resonated with ne and helped me find grounding. I truly appreciate you and all that you share with the world.
I am in the process of making a huge life change moving my family across the country from OK to NE FL coastal community. I am following my dream & heart but it has been hard as I feel selfish transplanting my family (husband, 13 yo daughter, & 10 yo son) to a world they didn't ask for. My daughter has struggled greatly with her mental health in the past several years and am so hopeful she will find her place and thrive. I NEED her to thrive.
As we walk into a new year, may we all thrive and have the greatest adventures of our lives!
Oh my goodness, this is a big move but you are being guided by heart and THAT is a game-changer. My family has moved many times and I know how difficult it can be, but giving my daughters a chance to start anew was a gift they both later told me helped them in many ways.
I know how worrisome it can be when our child is struggling with mental health. I am on the other side now so I hope that you will find things within my words that encourage you and make you feel less alone.
Hello from Germany. I’m so grateful that you created this space. I’ve been wanting to spend less time on social media and more time nurturing true connections- with my kids, spouse, friends, and hopefully also in this community. 🫶
Things that matter most to me right now are
My kids
Carving out just a little bit of me-time
Finding fun and joy again
Looking so forward to connecting with this group. 🫶
You are such a treasure in my life, dear Susanne. Thank you for sharing your list. We are on the same page, my friend.
I love this, have followed you for many years on social media, but a treehouse away from the noise - so awesome!! Following from Tamworth, NSW, Australia
I’m so happy you love the peace of the treehouse too!! 🌳🎶❤️
The idea of visiting a treehouse away from traditional social media feels so much better. It takes me back to my childhood favourite show Mr Dressup. Casey (a puppet child) lived in the treehouse. They were so lucky in my mind. Hi, Jewel from Canada. Thank you for the invitation Rachel.
Important priorities for me are
Being present
Nature
Quiet and reflection
Deep connection
Learning
Flexibility
Magical serendipity
Family
Hello dear Jewel, I breathed a sign of relief that you are here. You are such a guiding light and source of encouragement in my life. I love that this setting takes you back to your favorite childhood show! Thank you for sharing that along with your stunning list of what matters. I nodded on every single one!
Jewel- your comment about Mr Dressup instantly brought me back to happy me memories from my childhood as well. It also made me google it to see if the show was only Canadian (it was) but I thought it interesting to read that Ernie Coombs was a former understudy of Fred Rogers 🌈⭐️. Thank you for sharing your memory. 🫶🏼
So relieved to find this space where I can breathe, read slowly, ponder...thank you for creating the treehouse. (Although I’m afraid of heights, so I might stay on the lower branches!)
You can be in charge of the bird feeder! It's on the lowest branch! I am SOO happy you are here, Susie.
The bird feeder is just about my speed!
I’m grinning from ear to ear thinking about this treehouse and the BIRD FEEDER! I was already in love with Rachel’s Treehouse but even more so now. 😉 I put up bird feeders in May 2020 and I love them SO much despite the good natured teasing some give me. They really help me stay in the moment. I even have an app now (Merlin Bird ID) to keep track of who I’ve heard - it also has photo ID but I use it mostly for bird sounds. Anyhow - I’m glad you’re here Susie. Whenever you need a break from feeding the birds, I’m your girl. 😉
Isn't the Merlin app fantastic? I work at an environmental education center / nature preserve, and our environmental educators always urge our visitors to download and install Merlin. We've hung a whiteboard up in the Visitors' Center where folks can write what wildlife they've seen or what birds they've heard. It's really fun!
That's awesome! The app is indeed fantastic. Cheers!
Hi! I’m Liv, from the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate NY. I’m unfamiliar with your previous work and just happened to stumble upon this thread. The name of the post drew me in and the word connection kept me around.
You prompted this comment to list things that matter most to me and those include: my new family comprised of myself and my husband, his and my families of origin, our chosen family made up of friends who we hold near and dear, aside from those things I would say my health and recovery, my values, and my weird and confusing faith.
Another thing that matters most to me is my German shepherd named Tesla. She died suddenly in December of 2022 and I just completed my first full year without her. My list of things felt incomplete without mentioning her... but she’s also no longer with us so it feels like more of a “mattered most”... but that also doesn’t feel true.
Anyway, I don’t know if I landed here just for this moment or if I’ll stick around, but thank you for welcoming me into your tree house ✨🤍
Hi Liv, I love that you shared how you found yourself here. I am learning to trust where my heart leads me - and usually find some sort of amazing connection when I do so. I loved your list of what matters and felt a sense of connection when you included Tesla. I have a senior cat, Banjo, who means something to me that is difficult to explain to people, so I don't usually try. You seem like the kind of person who would understand. Thank you for showing up here today with your lovely heart.
Hello from West Central Ohio on this first day of 2024. My heart and soul spoke to me this morning and I changed to a paid subscription. Thank you for being here Rachel. You are my stability and my person so that I can be the person for my loved ones and others in need. Extending my hand out as well. Much love and Happy New Year.
This is the first message I have received in 2024 - it feels like hope for what's to come. Thank you, dear Carol. Your support means everything.
New phase of life for me. 2 sons now 18 & 21 years have pushed me into some redefining of self and needs.
I sure can relate to this! So glad you are here, Chris.
Thank you! And, happy New Year!
I’m currently living in Spring Grove Illinois raising two teenage girls. Rachel, you were a saving grace when I was a single parent of littles trying to keep us on a positive path. Now they are also “baby adults” but I thankfully have a gracious partner to pave this new path. Thank you for being a beacon during all times ….
Lori, this message means more than I can say. We've been walking side by side for a long time.. what a gift that is to remain connected through the spaces, transitions, and upheavals of life. I am so grateful to hear where you are now with a gracious partner, and I am so excited for what is ahead for us together.
Hi from upstate NY! I have been a follower of the blog, hfl socials, and of course your books. I have drifted away a bit as life has gotten noisier, but I am so grateful for this opportunity to reconnect with the HFL values that I loved to much, in the treehouse!
I am so happy you are here, Margaret! It delights me that you and Liv have already connected. This is what it's all about. ❤️
Aww hi! I’m from Upstate NY too ☺️
Oh cool! I’m in the Utica area, how about yourself, if you don’t mind sharing? 🙂
This is the quickest I’ve subscribed in a while! Your words have been a balm and hope for me and all have a prominent place on my book shelf. Glad to be reading and creating here on substack with you!
This makes me feel so happy! Thank you for telling me this.