Two Hemlocks and a Worldview

While walking with Akela one winter morning, we came across two towering Hemlock trees. As I stood there, I couldn’t help but feel as though the trees were trying to tell me something. Drawn in by their silent presence, I stepped closer to look, and to listen.

What I discovered was that both trunks acted like a natural picture frame. When I gazed through the space they created, my view of the world beyond was limited to a narrow perspective. This experience made me reflect on how our worldview operates in much the same way.

Our worldview is shaped by our deeply held beliefs—beliefs formed over time through childhood experiences, societal norms, religious teachings, and education. Like the two Hemlock trees, our worldview frames how we see and interpret life. But as Akela ran joyfully through the snow, I found myself wrestling with an important question: What if our current worldview no longer serves us? What if it's become restrictive, limiting our ability to grow, connect, and thrive?

Author James Clear puts it this way: “When a certain worldview dominates your thinking, you’ll try to explain every problem you face through that worldview.” Even when we feel stuck, anxious, or disconnected from others and the natural world, we often continue defending our present experience, even if it no longer benefits us.

But what if there is another way? What if we could apply a growth mindset to our worldview—challenging and reshaping our beliefs to see life through a broader, more expansive lens?

In my post, Learning How to Thrive, we explored four ways to train the brain to think in new ways. Today, I invite you to take a simple but powerful step: go outside and spend time in nature. Observe the trees, the flowers, the movement of the wind. Listen deeply.

And then, ask yourself: What wisdom does nature have to offer me today? How might it expand my perspective?

The answers may surprise you.

Transform Your Landscape. Elevate Your Life. 

Unitas Project