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!
Beloved Architect of Identity,
I used to think some of my work didn’t matter.
You know that feeling, right?
You pour time, energy, even heart into something…
And then?
Silence.
No applause.
No obvious result.
You start to wonder:
What’s the point?
That was me, until I found myself in a tiny town in Oaxaca, Mexico, standing in a sun-drenched workshop full of color, yarn, and wool.
The weaver was explaining how they create their world-famous rugs.
He pointed to a piece on the loom and said something that made my jaw drop:
“Once a rug is started, that same person has to finish it. No two people weave in the same way.”
Read that again.
No two people weave in the same way.
It hit me like a bolt of lightning.
And suddenly, everything I’d been doubting started to unravel.
Because here’s the truth:
There is work only you can do.
No one else has your voice, your rhythm, your flavor.
Even if someone copied your steps, the outcome would still be different.
And not just different, less alive.
I stood there watching him spin Merino wool by hand, dyeing it with crushed pomegranates and red insects from cactus leaves.
He wasn’t rushing.
He wasn’t “hustling.”
He was honoring the process.
Every step, slow and intentional.
Because that rug?
It wasn’t just a rug.
It was patience.
Craft.
Story.
Legacy.
That’s when I realized:
The value of what we do isn’t always in the speed or splash of the outcome.
It’s in the depth of presence we bring to the work.
And the funny part?
I’d heard all the “advice” before:
“Just post more.”
“Be consistent.”
“Quantity leads to quality.”
Yeah, okay. I tried that.
Burned myself out trying to keep up.
More noise, less meaning.
Then I heard:
“You just need to niche down harder.”
Harder? Like, I’m choking the life out of my ideas? No thanks.
At some point, I had to ask myself:
What if the real metric isn’t output, but alignment?
The Zapotec weaver didn’t rush.
He didn’t outsource his gift.
He honored it.
And that’s the shift I made.
I stopped trying to be “productive” and started being true.
Now, I focus on work that only I can do.
I don’t measure it by clicks or comments.
I measure it by resonance.
If it moves me, it’s worth it.
And when it moves someone else? That’s just the echo.
So here’s your reminder:
No one else weaves the way you do.
You may not see the results yet.
You may not get applause.
But the process matters.
Your voice matters.
Keep going.
One thread at a time.
Until next week! Keep blooming!
Ruth
Reflect
- What part of your work still feels like it “doesn’t matter,” and who taught you to believe that?
- If someone studied your work like a handwoven rug, what would they see in the threads?
Reframe
Old belief: “My work isn’t that special. Anyone could do this.”
New belief: “No one weaves like I do. Once I start the work, only I can finish it.”
Your value isn't in how fast or flashy the outcome is.
It’s in the rhythm of your process, the care in your details, the soul only you bring.
Mass-produced output may win attention. But legacy is handcrafted.
You don’t need to be loud. You need to be true. Start weaving like it matters, because it does.
Actionable Transformation
- Trace the Thread:
Choose one project you’ve undervalued. Write out every small, invisible effort you’ve poured into it. What does that reveal about you?
- Claim Your Craft:
Start telling yourself, “This is work only I can do.” Say it until it shapes how you show up because your signature is in every stitch.
- Protect the Process:
Don’t rush. Don’t delegate the soul. Take your time with one thing this week. Let excellence, not efficiency, guide your hands.
P.S. I’ve been diving deep into this theme in my latest free resource: From Reactive to Rooted. It’s all about reclaiming your unique rhythm, building identity-rooted discipline, and creating from a place of wholeness. Download here.
P.P.S. If this story resonates with you, I share more lessons like this on X, offering honest talk about identity, purpose, and doing work that truly matters. Join the conversation: Follow me on X.
