Welcome to the Blooming Mindset, a weekly dose of clarity, mindset, and practical wisdom to help you stay consistent, think more deeply, and build a life aligned with your identity and purpose. I'm Ruth Rieckehoff, and I'm so glad you're here. Please share this newsletter with a friend!
News! Are you going to be launching anything this year? If so, be sure to get your free copy of the Simplifying Launches Bundle this week. Inside, you will find a carefully curated selection of digital products, including my Resonant Swipe File, designed to help you prepare and succeed with your next launch. While it doesn’t officially open until the 15th, you can hop on the waitlist here so that you don’t miss it.
Beloved Architect of Identity,
I didn’t sign up for a rodeo.
I signed up for a ziplining excursion in Costa Rica.
But apparently, to get to the first platform, you had to ride a horse.
That detail?
Nowhere on the sales page.
Everyone else was thrilled. Laughing. Taking selfies.
Me? I’m not exactly a “horse person.”
But I told myself, You’re here. Have a good attitude. Make it fun.
That’s when I met Colorin, my assigned horse.
Dark brown. A little restless. Maybe too restless.
We started riding through the countryside. Everything seemed fine.
Until another horse got too close.
Suddenly, Colorin and the other horse were not on friendly terms.
They fought.
They ran.
And before I knew it, Colorin reared up, the saddle slipped sideways, and I was on the ground.
My right foot was still stuck in the stirrup.
The guides freed me, but not before I landed in a nice, fresh patch of Costa Rican mud.
Light rain drizzled down.
Which meant my “mud look” was now complete.
I climbed back on Colorin (no choice, we were in the middle of nowhere) and finished the ride.
But here’s the thing, I had another excursion right after.
No hotel stop.
No change of clothes.
No store in sight.
So I showed up, mud-splattered, hair wild, to a restaurant, then to the next check-in.
People stared.
Some asked if I was okay.
Others just… looked.
And years later, while sitting on my couch in Southern California, I am thinking:
This is exactly what starting something new, a business, a project, or a transformation, feels like.
From the outside, people just see the “mud.”
The risk. The mess. The thing that makes you stand out.
They don’t see the fight that threw you there.
They don’t see that you got back on the horse, literally.
They don’t see the courage, the skill, the patience, the resilience it took to keep going.
And if you’ve been here before, you know:
People will comment.
They’ll say it’s risky.
They’ll tell you it doesn’t make sense.
They’ll look at you like you’re out of place.
But the truth?
Adventure always looks strange from the outside.
It’s not supposed to match people’s expectations.
Because when you step into something new, you’re not just changing what you do.
You’re changing who you are.
So here’s my reminder for you today:
If you’re in the mud right now, keep going.
It means you’re in the adventure.
It means you’re learning what it actually takes.
And one day, you’ll look back and realize that was the exact moment you became the person you needed to be.
So…
Here’s to muddy clothes.
Here’s to getting back on the horse.
Here’s to your next adventure.
I’m rooting for you always,
Ruth
Reflect
- Where in your life are you only showing people the “muddy clothes” version of your story?
- What’s one fear you’ve faced that others wouldn’t understand unless they lived it?
Reframe
Old belief: “If I start something new (like a business), I can plan away all the risk.”
New belief: “The risk is the adventure. My job is to adapt, learn, and keep riding, mud and all.”
Actionable Transformation
- Anticipate the unexpected – Before starting, accept that surprises are inevitable. Make flexibility a skill, not just a mindset.
- Document the real story – Keep a record of the messy parts. They’ll remind you how far you’ve come and inspire others later.
- Practice recovery speed – Measure progress not by how often you avoid setbacks, but by how quickly you get back up after them.
Products & Resources
Trust Yourself Again: A self-guided journey to rebuild self-trust from the inside out, so you can stop second-guessing and start showing up with quiet confidence.
Rooted Planning Kit: A simple, soulful system to map your month with intention without the overwhelm. Designed to ground your goals in what actually matters.
Bounce Back Blueprint (Free): Feel like you've fallen off track? This powerful reset guide helps you regroup with compassion and get back into aligned momentum your way.
From Reactive to Rooted (Free): Tired of putting out fires? This mindset and action guide helps you shift from scattered to strategic, so your days flow from clarity, not chaos.
Rooted Flow System (Free): Use smart frameworks (like the Eisenhower Matrix) to reduce overwhelm, simplify your day, and stay in flow without burnout.
P.S. If you’re starting something new, don’t just prepare for the smooth ride. Prepare for the muddy clothes. Because that’s where the real growth happens. Remember to follow for more insights: Follow me on X.
