This is a small secret I've kept hidden away, tucked in my pocket for twelve years. This story felt sacred to Little Kate, so I've not confessed the words to any other human until sharing in this space.

My little sixth-grade-self was up against the smartest boy in the class, and the chance to snatch the gold medal from him was at my fingertips. I was told the word I needed to spell to win, and I smiled a bit because I knew it. 

A. U. B..... O. R. N.

Little Kate hesitated before saying the incorrect "o." She faced an inner battle to either win the spelling bee, or make herself small. In a split decision, her quiet self didn't want the glory-filled attention. She purposefully misspelled "auburn," giving up the chance to win the Loveland Elementary School spelling bee. I swept the deserved win under the rug and settled for second place. 

I remember going back to my seat, confused as to why I wouldn't let myself win. But friends, if I could go back to 2006, I truly and honestly would spell auburn the same way once again. Not to make myself small this time, but to remember that perhaps the sixth grade spelling bee was the moment my lion's heart began beating.

Even through the years following the spelling bee, I intentionally endured years of making myself small after that, letting myself hide in the corners of busy rooms. I wish I would've been listening for the echoes of a rumbling, fierce heartbeat. 

I now write, make and explore in pursuit of cultivating bravery in honor of Little Kate — the small, glasses-wearing girl who thought she was better as a mouse. If only, if only she knew that she would someday hike a mountain and climb canyons, and that she'd spend four summers as a wild camp counselor at the summer camp that carved beautiful bravery into her heart. If only she knew that she would someday illustrate a children's book inspired by that same summer camp. If only she knew one day she'd be the woman behind a business intended to cultivate courage.

I wish Little Kate would have looked in the mirror to believe there was a fiery spark igniting in her eyes. 

I do bravery missions for Little Kate, and for each human who needs to realize that bravery is indeed rooted in their bones, whether they realize it yet or not. Lionheart, please don't feel like you have to intentionally lose the spelling bee. Please root yourself and grow swiftly towards the sun. Let your younger, smaller self pour the water and nurture the blooms.

Dear friend, you are seen, deeply loved and powerful. Look in the mirror. Stare past the weariness in your eyes, look until you can see the familiar fire flickering. Place your hand over your lion's heart. Remember that it's kept you alive thus far. Remember your younger self and channel courage for her.

Bravely,
Kate Laing

Download this song: http://smarturl.it/OMAMalbumitunes Directed by WeWereMonkeys https://www.facebook.com/weweremonkeys Compositions © 2012 Of Monsters and Men / Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI) Recordings © 2012 SKRIMSL ehf, under exclusive license to Republic Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. http://www.ofmonstersandmen.com http://www.facebook.com/ofmonstersandmen http://www.twitter.com/monstersandmen http://www.instagram.com/ofmonstersandmen http://www.ofmonstersandmenmusic.tumblr.com

video edited by: https://twitter.com/DavidDBurkhart https://www.facebook.com/daviddeanburkhart For more good music, follow me on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/daviddeanburkhart I have a playlist called "Compact Cassette" that I update and change weekly (a regularly modified rotation, kind of like a radio station) Unofficial music video for the song "To Just Grow Away" off of the new album "There's No Leaving Now," by The Tallest Man on Earth (out now via Dead Oceans).

Gift a bouquet of roses to your love, give fresh blooms to your sisters, forage in the bushes for flowers for yourself. Happy Valentine's Day, loves. You are worthy, brave, deeply beloved and cosmically lionhearted. Give yourself flowers today and put them on your wall so your sweet soul might enjoy their beauty. 

I made this playlist just for you and for me and for all of us this Valentine's night. I think there's a little something we could all hear within these words, no matter our plans for the evening. And while you listen, my soul and bones would be so very happy if you built yourself a flower wall. 

* pick up or forage a bouquet.
* take each individual stem, thank it for being unique and lovely.
* tear off a piece of strong tape in whichever color you choose.
* turn the stem upside down and tape it to the wall.
* do those steps until you have a flower wall in your space.
* remember you're loved each time you glance at the blooms as they dry.
* you will see just how beauty can be preserved.

Love you, Lionheart. Today and every day.

Kate

A playlist featuring Branches, Matt Pond PA, Colony House, and others

My hands are itching to write letters to strangers — words laced in love, in hope, in encouragement — and write I will. It's now the last day of the Twelve Days of Love Letter Writing and that means we're on the tail-end of the opportunity to write words to twelve different strangers. 

This is More Love Letters' sixth year of campaigning for twelve days of twelve letter requests. Let's nestle into a cozy space with stationary and our favorite pens to write letters to twelve strangers who could use extra encouragement this holiday season. Grab your stamps and a mug of something warm (or some wine) and please, let me tell you about Alicia.

Love, it fills my soul to be a part of the team to share with you what Alicia's sister shared about her. Alicia is a light spreader, a love writer, a human who needs to know she's not alone. She's been walking through a difficult season of life and could use encouragement. Sisters tend to look out for one another, and Alicia's nominated her to receive a bundle of love letters.

Here's her story ::

“My sister recently moved to Chicago with her boyfriend of three years. Things had been progressing in their relationship and she imagined herself marrying him. However, the relationship came to a totally unexpected and heartbreaking end.

Although my family is all within driving distance, he was all she had in her day-to-day life. She is heartbroken and can’t fathom living her life without him there–her best friend. She feels immense loneliness and doesn’t have a community around her to support and help carry her through.

Alicia is the most loving person I know and spends time writing letters to strangers and hanging love notes in the trees of her town on Valentines Day. She loves through her words and actions on a daily basis and I know that receiving words of encouragement from others could really lift her spirit and help her to know she isn’t alone.”

Let's show up for Alicia this cold Friday night. I'm familiar to the loneliness she feels, and I'm certain that having hundreds of strangers rallying with her to help her realize that she isn't walking this road by herself. Write her a love letter, place a stamp on the envelope and send it her way. Your letter will be bundled with other letters from around the world and delivered in January. Let's rally for and with dear sweet souls who flood the world with joy. 

PLEASE SEND LOVE LETTERS TO ::
Alicia’s Bundle
℅ Genna F.
1331 Keenland Drive
Bartlett, IL 60103
USA

Want to keep writing? There are eleven other requests on the More Love Letters blog. Pour yourself another cup, head over to that corner and see if any or all of the stories speak to your soul. You're welcome and invited to write just one letter, or send mail to each of the twelve strangers' bundles! 

Please be sure to postmark all love letters by December 20, 2017. Be love, be light, be joy to the brave and kind and strong humans who need to be reminded that they are lionhearted. 

Want to know more about More Love Letters? Head over here. 

Love you, lionheart.

Kate

Dear ones, if you know me even in the slightest, you may guess it would be an actual dream of mine to wear a tree (AKA some accessory made of wood) every day. I'd live in the forest if I could — living off the land, exploring beauty and examining all that our wild and beautiful world has to offer. 

Though it's not a feasible option for myself at the moment, I do still go out on explorations to forage from nature. I tend to lose myself while digging in the dirt, snipping blooms and getting my hands dirty. I get caught up in the pinecones and bugs and all that nature has to offer.

A tool that every explorer should have in her arsenal is a good time-keeper, otherwise she may find herself lost in the forest, buried in dark shadows as the sun goes to sleep and night falls. The pathway may only be lit by fireflies and the subtle moonlight. In my case, a solid watch — a time keeper — can help me ensure that I don't spend too much time in the forest. 

The sweet humans over at Jord Watches assisted me in solving my issue of losing track of time. I can now wear a refined, classic wooden watch on the daily. I don't want to linger in the wildness' darkness once the sun sets. I promise you that when I check the time to be a  ~ logical ~ human, I still I swoon every time I glance down at my wrist. That's quite often because when I find myself writing new words or I'm out exploring. It's easy to become so deeply entranced that I lose sense of reality. 

I wear the Frankie Dark Sandalwood + Slate watch, which is made of 100% natural, hand-finished wood. I cannot lie — I'm very picky and selective when it comes to solid craftsmanship. Once again, I cannot lie — my artist's eye is in love with how flawless Jord's craftsmanship is. This watch has so far been able to withstand my foraging endeavors — remaining a classic, trendy and solid accessory.

If you head over to www.jordwatches.com/g/katelaingkateworks, you can pick up one of these one-of-a-kind wooden watches for yourself or a loved one, with 25% off! Pour yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of whiskey and perhaps do some Christmas shopping -- but keep in mind that I wouldn't judge if you bought a Jord watch for yourself.

Psst! Hey you! Click here if you want to shop for a quality wooden watch. You will visit this link, fill in some information and receive a code in your inbox. After that — you're free to browse and shop for the humans you still need to find gifts for this holiday season! 

Here's a link to my specific watch: the Frankie Sandalwood + Slate. 
Looking for men's watches? Women's watches? Browse away, babe. 

Explore. Forage. Keep track of time. 

Love you, lionheart.
Kate

Luxury Wooden Watch

Autumn whispers a desire for coziness and daydreaming, I think. We might drive down our streets, swooning over the overhanging fire-colored leafed branches — dreaming of what lays beyond the map of our own city. Autumn beckons for diverting our current path, to step in crunchy out-of-the-way leaf piles both down the road from our homes, maybe halfway across the country.

This playlist mix is inspired by my recent travels to the American Southwest and the arrival of our familiar friend Autumn. The songs remind me of my desire to pick up and go somewhere, anywhere. They also remind me of sweaters and a campfire, gathered with dear humans reminiscing of seasons past. 

You can find the whole playlist called "Autumn Travels" on my Spotify (linked below), but you can also find a sneak preview right here, right now via YouTube links. Pick the songs that make your heart light and make your feet crave to dance around the sunbeams near and far.

Turn on the sounds softly, softly in your living room, or as loud as possible in your traveling vehicle. Nestle in your blanket cocoon in a shadowed corner and close your eyes with slow, slow breathing. Open your eyes and engrain the beauty of the outdoors into your soul. Fall in love with the words, over and over and over again. 

// click here to head to the full spotify playlist //

// and here's a preview of what's to come if you click this ^ bit ^ above ^ //

// click here to head to the full spotify playlist //