How the Muddy Dahlia Publications Came to Be

Thank you for journeying with me through my creative process.

The final publications evolved into something beyond what my mind alone could create. Throughout my life, I have struggled to let my ideas and dreams emerge from my mind into the living and breathing world. Fear of judgment. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of who I really am, having the space and nourishment to sprout, bloom, and feel the warmth of being seen. I’ve hid in the shadows, feeling unworthy to write and make art.

Then something changed, and I took a deliberate pause from the Winter Solstice to the Spring Equinox. I forced myself to be still. I forced myself to sit in quiet, to ponder, and to really reflect on what has been holding me back for decades. I realized I was longing for a slower pace. A quieter time. Time to ponder and chew on things. Time to connect as a community and exchange thoughts and ideas. Time to disconnect from the fast pace, the algorithms, and the focus on hyperproductivity and multitasking, becoming the commoditized value of being human.

As I continued feverishly reading. I realized I was not alone. I was not the only person feeling this way. I didn’t have a character flaw. I didn’t need to continually beat and berate myself. I needed to take a step back. I needed to reconnect with nature. I needed to reconnect with my soul and my inner being. I needed to exhale and breathe. I needed to create. I needed to spread the word to help others. And I needed to do it now. This creation couldn’t wait any longer.

Our nervous systems are overstimulated and exhausted. We need a reset. We need true connection, not performative connection. We need reality and not an illusion of perfection.

We need to get messy in the garden and HEAL!

Thanks for stopping by!

Muddy Dahlia