11/12/25

Hello, fire-starters, edge-walkers, and audacious hearts!

What if?

What if you went digging through my blog posts and landed on a post from October 19, 2012?
I’ll save you the trouble and share it here — because it’s worthy of a revisit 14 years later. Here's a recap.

My gosh, how time flies.

Back in 2012, I was just beyond hobby-artist territory — painting, experimenting, and looking for new ways to stretch my creative wings. Somewhere along the way, I stumbled upon a call for artists. The Capital Grille restaurant group was hosting a wine label competition for their Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon.

They were searching for a spectacular label to match their equally spectacular wine. The winning design would be featured on bottles poured in every Capital Grille — from Orlando to Indianapolis to Atlanta and beyond. The wine itself was crafted by Heidi von der Mehden of Arrowood Winery in Sonoma, alongside their Master Sommelier, George Miliote.

And I thought… why not?

I decided on a design inspired by a single thought:

I’d spent plenty of time in the wine aisle admiring beautiful labels — and this was my chance to create one myself. So I painted. I played. I poured myself into it.

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned competition to stir the creative fires.

And while my painting didn’t end up gracing those bottles, the original painting did sell soon after and now hangs in a dear friend’s dining room in northwest Ohio.

Looking back, I’m reminded how powerful it is to follow even the smallest nudge of curiosity. That painting was never “just” a contest entry — it was an open door.

So I’m writing this here as a reminder — to myself and maybe to you — to look again for those doors. To say yes to the little sparks that catch your attention.

Have you felt one of those lately? A thought that says,

Please, walk that path.

Because more often than not, I’ve found that where it leads isn’t where I expected — it’s somewhere even better!

Here’s to experimenting, exploring, and daring to do the thing that seems impossible.
After all, no “possible” thing ever began that way.

Go. Be. Do. LIVE.

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Wild-Heart Practice of the Week:
​"Follow the Nudge"

This week, practice saying yes to a small spark of curiosity.
Not the big life-changing leap — just the quiet little tug that whispers, “I wonder what would happen if…”

Maybe it’s trying a new medium, wandering a different trail, or finally sending that message you’ve been thinking about.

Don’t overthink it. Don’t plan it to death.
Just take one small, brave step toward it — and see what unfolds.

Write it down if you like:

Then go do it — not for outcome or approval, but for the joy of discovery itself.
Because every wild-hearted adventure begins this way:
with one quiet what if…

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Field Notes is a weekly letter. A landing place. A pause in the noise.
A simple reminder to come back to yourself, one breath at a time.

If you like what you’ve read here...please feel free to forward to a friend.

Until next time...in love and light! Namaste.
​Rachel

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You can find more writings by Rachel here on her blog.

You can find Rachel's Tedx Talk that ultimately led to the creation of these Field Notes at www.RachelDickson.com​

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