What is Enough?
Dragonfly as my teacher.
The first time I stepped onto the land that chose me, I was physically stunned. I felt an overwhelming sense that God was speaking directly to me through the trees. My body understood well before my mind could comprehend what was happening.
My real estate agent was busy trying to force the for-sale sign back into the hard Indiana clay. Even though it was more land than I was looking for and way more than I had intended to spend, I heard myself say, “Don’t bother, I want it.” The 23-acre parcel of land surrounded by the Hoosier National Forest on all four sides had been on the market for only one day, but that was long enough to choose me.
At the closing I remember sitting across from Mr. and Mrs. Brown who had owned the property since 1964. They had left it untouched for decades. I asked what their intent was when they bought it and Mrs. Brown replied, “We were saving it for you, dear.” My heart instantly melted into a puddle.
Fast forward nearly twenty years later, I’m sitting on the porch in my tiny cottage listening to the wind in the trees. I love it here. The peace I find in these woods is unlike any other. In the last week I have been visited by deer, turtle, toad, bat, whippoorwill, sycamore, fox, firefly, wind, rain and stars to name a few.
Dragonfly as My Teacher
Two days in a row, I was blessed to be visited by the largest dragonfly I have ever seen. Iridescent gossamer wings sparkled in the sunlight like glitter. The large blue body danced on the wind in zigs and zags flying close but never landing. It was magical to stand in wonder and watch this stunning creature just simply being a dragonfly. That was enough.
Dragonfly has been a teacher for me since I started on my spiritual journey. I remember reading about the meaning of dragonfly as a spirit guide while on retreat at Seven Oaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I looked down at my yoga mat—dragonflies. Then I noticed the t-shirt I was wearing—dragonflies. Neither of which I had really “seen” before. I had been connecting with this spirit guide on a soul level before my conscious mind was aware of it.
Dragonfly has returned as teacher once again. As I’ve fully crossed the threshold and said yes to this chapter in my life, I have had to shed a lot of conditioning from the hustle culture around striving and definitions of success. (You can read more about that journey in the article below.) This left me thinking about the word, “enough.”
This is 52
Sometimes I just know things. I can’t explain it. It comes through me from something bigger than I am. When I was deep in the corporate world, I knew that I wanted to reach the vice president level. That felt clear. Anything beyond that was foggy. I also knew that I never wanted to stop working. I wanted a next chapter — a time when I would shift to wor…
What is enough?
I opened my journal and sat with this question. This is what came up and through me onto the page:
Enough is uncomplicated.
Enough is freedom from worry.
Enough is finding childlike joy in the small, ordinary moments.
Enough is stargazing without light pollution.
Enough is seeing Grandmother Moon at unexpected moments during the day.
Enough is knowing that abundance comes in many forms.
Enough is drinking a really good cup of coffee in silence.
Enough is feeling alive with what’s possible.
Enough is having the freedom to co-create with your muse.
Enough is a dog on your lap.
Enough is the first bite of a crisp apple on a cool fall day.
Enough is dear friends and family to share joys and sorrows with.
Enough is watching a storm roll in and through.
Enough is leaning into vulnerability - feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
Enough is a heart-centered conversation with a tree that has no words.
Enough is the smell of the Earth after a hard rain.
Enough is being in a community where you feel seen.
Enough is giving yourself permission to feel all of it - loneliness, awe, love, grief.
Enough is watching the sky change colors after the sun sets.
Enough is learning to listen to and trust in your own inner authority.
Enough is learning to let go and a willingness to unlearn societal conditioning.
Enough is a deep breath with bare feet in the grass and the sun on your face.
Enough is reverence and reciprocity with the sacred Earth.
Enough is simply being YOU unapologetically like the dragonfly.
Nowhere on this list is a salary figure, a job title, or an achievement. The list is about how I want to feel when I lay my head on the pillow at night — safe, at peace, connected, creative, alive, full of awe and gratitude for all that I have and all that I am.
What else would you add to this list?
The Unlearning
Some days are easier than others. I’ve been reminded recently that our gifts are also our teachers. Stumbling is part of the process. You don’t get out of Earth school without a few bumps and bruises. It’s part of the growing process. It’s humbling and beautiful all at the same time. I’m here for it. You too?
Below are a few ways to work with me and connect as well as resources to deepen into your own eco-spiritual practices. Let’s frolic.
Gemini New Moon. As we begin a new lunar cycle, this moon is calling us to consider what we can let go of. This is the best time to quit something that is not serving your highest and best good. Its grip on you will just loosen on its own. Amen to that!
Journal Prompt: What do you need to release to live authentically and in alignment with your highest purpose?
Come frolic with me on retreat. I am delighted to be part of the Sacred Conversations Retreat with Victoria Loorz and the Center for Wild Spirituality on July 29-Aug 2nd, 2026. The retreat is taking place of one of my favorite places — Seven Oaks Retreat Center in Madison, Virginia — where I first discovered my dragonfly teacher. Registration closes at the end of June. There are only a few spots left.
Join Seminary of the Wild Earth. This is the single most transformative program I have ever been a part of. I am living an entirely different life as a result. Registration is open for the fall cohort of Seminary of the Wild Earth. If something in you is stirring toward deeper community, weekly practice, and a rewilding of spirituality and vocation, this is a good moment to explore whether the Crow Cohort might be that container for you. Registration is open through July.
Get your spark back. Do you long for something more? Is there an idea that won’t leave you alone? You know the one - the sparkle of a project, the whisper of a business, a story begging to be told. It’s the idea that just won’t go away. It continues to tap you on the shoulder waiting to be birthed. You don’t have to do it alone. Get your spark back with the accountability and guidance you need to bring your idea to life. I am opening space for two new clients.
A Moment of Gratitude
Finally, a moment to share how grateful I am for you. Thank you for reading my posts. Every subscriber is appreciated, every comment read and every heart is celebrated. Your support means more than I can express with words.
I also want to celebrate the small acts of kindness, bravery, and resistance you take every day during this challenging time of collapse. We are standing at the threshold of a new way of being in the world. I am grateful to link arms with all the edgewalkers who are listening deeply and doing the work to lead with love. I applaud your efforts. It all matters - big or small. You matter. Frolic on!
Barbara Doane writes for those who are done outsourcing their wisdom. Rooted in deep listening to Mother Earth, Grandmother Moon, and the ancestral knowing in her bones, she explores what it means to trust your inner authority in a world built on hustle. Find Your Frolic is a home for people who want more enchantment out of life. Let’s frolic.
this is great! i shared it with some
women 💝💝💝💝💚
thank u
it is enough 🤲