Shed: When Growth Means Letting Go
It's mid-August here in the Pacific Northwest, and I can feel autumn gathering in the shadows. The bracken ferns in the forest are already starting their slow fade, old fronds browning at the edges while new growth pushes through. There's something deeply satisfying about this time of year—nature's reminder that release is not only natural but necessary for what comes next.
My second affirmation card, "Shed," arrived at the perfect moment. Not just because of the season, but because I'm in my own season of letting go.
What I'm Releasing
My son is almost a year old now, and the patterns that worked when he was a newborn—the survival mode, the minimal expectations, the complete restructuring of my creative life—no longer fit who we're becoming. I'm shedding those emergency protocols and learning to adapt to this new rhythm of motherhood and artmaking.
I'm also releasing something more insidious: the self-deprecation that's been my default for too long. The voice that says, "Do I get tons of likes on Instagram? No. Does that mean my business is sure to fail? Probably." It's an old skin that's grown too tight, and like the garter snake in this card, I'm learning that shedding isn't comfortable—but it's how we grow.
The Wisdom of Shedding
Garter Snake: The garter snake sheds its skin as it grows—a reminder that letting go is natural and necessary for expansion.
Bracken Fern: Old fronds die back as new ones unfurl, showing that release creates room for renewal.
This card's affirmation—"I release what no longer fits"—feels like permission to outgrow the stories, habits, and patterns that once served but now constrain. There's something almost ritualistic about this concept, like the quiet magic of autumn preparation, gathering what serves and composting what doesn't.
Building the Deck
Creating these cards has become my own form of medicine—each one a small rebellion against the glossy, performative wellness industry. There's something deeply satisfying about finding wisdom in the messy, honest ways that nature actually works.
I'm creating one card each week, building toward a full deck of 21 cards that will become something you can actually hold—a complete toolkit for navigating growth through nature's wisdom. When I'm about three-quarters done, I'll be launching this collection through Kickstarter. Each card follows the same format: a nature-based affirmation, the wisdom of animals and plants, and a gentle action prompt that you can actually use. "Begin" taught us about starting before we feel ready. "Shed" invites us to release what no longer serves.
The cards work together like chapters in a story—or like seasons in a year. Sometimes you need to begin. Sometimes you need to let go. Often, you need both.
How to Use This Card
Set up your own releasing ritual:
- Place the card where you'll see it during this season of change
- Add objects that represent what you're ready to release (old journals, photos, items that carry heavy energy)
- Include something from nature that's naturally shedding or changing—fallen leaves, snake skin if you find it, dried flowers
- Write what you're releasing on paper, then safely burn or bury it
The action prompt suggests writing what you need to let go of, then tearing, crumbling, burning, or burying it. There's something powerful about making the internal external—giving your release a physical form and ceremony.
Following the Journey
If this resonates with you—if you're tired of shallow affirmations and hungry for something with roots—join my email list. You'll get behind-the-scenes glimpses of each card as I create them, the stories that inspire them, and first access to the Kickstarter when it goes live.
This deck is for the people who find beauty in decay and growth, who understand that real healing isn't pretty or linear. It's for those who know that sometimes the most profound wisdom comes from the forest floor, not the mountain peak.
I don't know if this deck will succeed in any measurable way—but I'm shedding the need to know that before I continue. Like the bracken fern, I'm trusting that making space creates possibility.
What are you ready to release as we move toward autumn?
—
This is the second card in my upcoming 21-card affirmation deck—a collection that explores how nature teaches us to navigate growth, change, and healing. Join my email list for behind-the-scenes updates and first access to the Kickstarter launch.
