Every year, my husband and I head off to a retreat called Relationship Rising. It's not one of those get-pampered-and-relax type retreats. It's one of those getting down into your shadows, dealing with the things you have been putting off all year, learning more about your inner world and how you relate to everything and everyone around you type retreats. One of those experiences where you pop out the other side lighter but a little roughed up, and take the rest of the year to integrate everything that just happened through you. Why am I telling you this? Well, there are two reasons. 🌱 Firstly: I will be away all of next week. I should have time to check in on comments daily but won't have time to create any new resources. 🍅 @Lynne Vella your indoor tomato-growing information is at the top of my list for when I get back. 🌱Secondly: how we do one thing tends to be how we do everything. How we move through the world and relate to everything is worth taking note of. When we strengthen our connections with the world around us — the planet, people, animals, our homes and even our ‘things’ — we tend to relate to them differently. 🙏 I recently read a story about a factory in Japan where a piece of machinery broke down and could no longer be repaired. Everyone who worked with the machine came together to hold a small ceremony and thank it for its years of service. This had quite a profound effect on me and one that I know will continue to shape my relationship with the world around me. This is where the consciously curious part comes into this community: exploring how we relate to the world around us and how this shapes our daily decisions. When we feel more connected to something, we often take more care with it. We might pause before replacing it, wonder where it came from, or think about where it will go when we have finished with it. For me, conscious living begins with noticing. Getting curious about our habits, our relationships and the things we take for granted. From there, even a small everyday choice can become a way of caring for ourselves and the world around us. 🌿

Whether you’re just beginning to question the products and choices around you, have already made a few changes, or are ready to explore more deeply—you are welcome here. This community is a place to become curious, learn from one another and try small, practical changes in a way that works for your real life. There is nothing to catch up on and no expectation to change everything at once. When you’re ready, begin with the Start Here section in the Classroom. It will show you around and help you choose a useful place to begin. After that, take your time. Explore what interests you, ask whenever you need support and let one small step lead naturally to the next. I’m so glad you’re here. 🌿

As we begin this new chapter, I wanted to share what the next few months will look like. 🌿 The Rest of September and October: This will be our settling-in and orientation period. We’ll spend this time getting to know one another, exploring the updated Classroom and discovering what members are most interested in. You’ll see friendly questions, useful resources and a few reflections from me—but there is nothing you need to keep up with. Please share your questions, observations, ideas and small wins as they arise. Most importantly, tell me what you would like to explore. Your answers will help shape where we begin together. 🌿 November In November, we’ll begin our regular monthly rhythm: - Week one: Choose our experiment or personal area of focus - Week two: Explore a useful resource, idea or demonstration - Week three: Check in and share what we’re noticing - End of the month: Reflect together at our Small Steps Together (Zoom call) gathering You can join the shared Monthly Experiment, choose something of your own, or do both. 🌿 December December can already feel very full, so we’ll gently pause the usual monthly rhythm. Instead, we’ll explore simple ways to make Christmas and the holiday season feel more conscious, meaningful and less wasteful—without turning it into another list of things you should be doing. Join in with whatever feels helpful and leave the rest. 🌿 January From 1 January 2027, Start Small. Live Well. becomes a paid community for new members. Our founding members will continue to have free access for as long as they remain in the group. We’ll ease back into our monthly rhythm in January. It may still be a quieter holiday period for some of us, and that’s completely okay. The experiment will be there whenever you’re ready to join in. For now, settle in, look around and help us discover what this community wants to explore first. 🌿