I started my journey as a meditation and mindfulness instructor in Spring 2020. I left my civil engineering job at the beginning of the year to enter a sabbatical and reevaluate my purpose. Little did I know, my sabbatical would overlap a global pandemic! 

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My experience with anxiety and depression led me to incorporate mindfulness practices into my self care routine over the past few years. These skills changed the way I view my own values and connect with others. As I reflected on these core values through a time of great world turmoil, I recognized that community, self care, and sustainability are most important to me. And along with these values, I consider myself a "connector" as I've always loved networking and bringing people together.

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Through volunteer work, I developed and presented leadership workshops since I was in College. I love sharing what I learn to help others. Mindfulness is no different! It is a practice that enhances our individual quality of life and relationships with family, friends, and colleagues.

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So with these values of connection, community, mindfulness, and leadership, fleeceandforests was born in June 2020. The name fleeceandforests seemed only fitting with my love of the Northwest and outdoors.

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Fleece represents warmth, safety, and comfort to me. I feel content sitting wrapping in my fleece blanket or protected from the winter cold in my fleece jackets walking in the woods.

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Forests perfectly represent the power of connection. This ecosystem exists because all species are ultimately on the same team working together to survive by recognizing their individual strengths and those of others. We can apply this framework to our interactions by mindfully understanding that we all have our own strengths and needs.

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I look forward to growing mindful connections with you!

 

Feel free to email me at any time: elyssa@fleeceandforests.com.