Bubbly Water and City Life: Exploring What You Never Thought You'd Want

Thoughts or comments? Send us a text!What if the thing you’ve sworn off is the door you need to walk through next? That’s the spark behind a candid reflection on moving from quiet country life to a small city with more diversity, more community, and more ways to serve. I share how an unexpected love of bubbly water on a trip to Germany softened a lifelong certainty, and how that tiny shift opened space for a much bigger one: choosing a place that aligns with my values and offers real opportunities to volunteer, connect, and contribute.We dig into practical courage—how to test change with reversible decisions, why trade‑offs are built into every choice, and how fear shrinks when you run small experiments. From master gardener projects to neighborhood ties, I map how service becomes easier where paths cross and needs are visible. Along the way, I challenge a common habit: dismissing what we’ve never tried. Whether it’s mushrooms on a menu or a new ZIP code, direct experience beats assumptions, and curiosity becomes a reliable compass.You’ll hear honest talk about what’s shifting across the United States, how clarity emerges when old issues are brought into the light, and why purpose thrives when we choose environments that match our intentions. If you’re feeling stuck, this is a gentle, grounded nudge to prototype your next chapter, one small test at a time. And if plant wisdom and resilient living speak to you, I’m inviting listeners to join my book launch team for Nature Knows: Growing and Thriving Through the Wisdom of Plants—early reads, cover votes, and a chance to help ideas take root.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a push toward possibility, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us. Your next experiment might change more than your mind.Support the showBUY ME A COFFEE or SUPPORT ALFIE'S TREAT STASHLearn more about my book, Nature Knows: Grow and Thrive through the Wisdom of Plants HERE.Comments about this episode? Suggestions for a future episode? Email me directly at [email protected]. Want to be a guest on No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women? Send Mary Rothwell a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/noshrinkingvioletsFollow me on Facebook and Instagram, and check out my website!