Have you ever found yourself stuck in a loop of overthinking? You know what you want to do, but fear, doubt, and anxiety hold you back? Maybe you’ve wanted to start a homestead, launch a small farm business, or just speak up in a room full of people—but instead of taking action, you get paralyzed by worry.
I’ve been there.
Recently, I had an experience that gave me an unexpected revelation—not just about homesteading, but about life itself. I attended a seminar on Organic Matter for Successful Growing led by Bryan O’Hara, an experienced farmer and author of No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture. He was also named the Organic Farming Association’s 2016 Farmer of the Year, so needless to say, the guy knows his stuff.
The seminar was packed with incredible insights about soil health, composting, and organic growing practices. But beyond the farming wisdom, I walked away with something even more valuable—a deep realization about anxiety, action, and personal growth.
Let me share what happened.
The Moment Anxiety Took Over
After Bryan’s lecture, there was a Q&A session where attendees could ask questions. Bryan and three other seasoned farmers were on stage, ready to share their expertise.
I had some practical questions about cow manure—specifically, how wood chips affect decomposition and whether anaerobic breakdown was a concern. I grabbed the mic, asked my questions, and got straightforward answers.
No problem. No fear. No overthinking.
But then, something changed.
I felt compelled to bring up a different topic—lead contamination in soil. Years ago, our soil tests revealed high lead levels near my chicken coop, garden, and even my kids’ swingset. This is something I’m deeply passionate about because many gardeners have no idea their soil could be contaminated due to previous land use, old paint, or pollution.
I knew this was an important topic. I wanted to share it. But as I sat there waiting for my turn, something weird happened.
My heart started pounding.
I felt a tightness in my chest. My hands were shaky. My mind was racing, trying to decide exactly how to phrase my comment. I felt my body’s fight-or-flight response kicking in, telling me to stay quiet. To back out.
I took a deep breath and asked myself:
👉 Where is this coming from?
👉 Why do I feel panicked about this question but not the previous ones?
The answer hit me hard:
My anxiety wasn’t about speaking. It was about waiting to speak.
I was anxious in the anticipation of taking action. But the moment I finally spoke?
The fear disappeared.
Action Dissolves Anxiety
That realization stuck with me:
👉 Fear thrives in inaction. It grows when you hesitate, when you overthink, when you sit in anticipation of doing the thing.
👉 Fear dissolves in movement. Once I actually took action, the anxiety lost its grip on me.
And the more I thought about it, the more I saw this pattern in my life—and in homesteading in general.
How many times have we put off something because of fear?
- Starting a garden because we’re afraid we’ll mess it up.
- Selling our products at the farmers market because we’re worried no one will buy them.
- Speaking up in a group because we’re scared of looking stupid.
But the truth is, the solution to anxiety is action.
This reminded me of a quote from a book my friend Cate Morrill gave me—Snow Stars and Wild Honey, written by her grandfather George Morrill:
👉 “Action, not anxiety, is the antidote to worry.”
George built a life from nothing in rural Vermont, and his wisdom still holds true today.
Homesteading Example:
Firewood & Worry
Let’s look at a simple homesteading example.
It’s winter, and you need firewood to heat your home.
You have two options:
- You sit around worrying—about how much wood you need, how expensive a new chainsaw blade is, how exhausting it’ll be to split and stack it.
- You get out there and start stacking. One log at a time.
Which path leads to warmth? Which path actually solves the problem?
It’s the same with any goal. The people who succeed aren’t the ones who never feel fear. They’re the ones who move forward anyway.
My first business:
Goat Milk Soap & Trial by Fire
When we first started our farm, I milked goats and made goat milk soap.
And let me tell you—the first batch? Not great.
I worried about whether people would buy it. I second-guessed myself constantly. My natural instinct was to stay quiet, to be the invisible girl who didn’t put herself out there.
But here’s what I realized: Being invisible doesn’t sell soap.
So I kept making batch after batch. Some flopped. Some turned out great. I adjusted, learned, and improved.
Taking action built my confidence. And confidence only comes from action.
The Lead Panic & Taking Action Anyway
Going back to my soil question at the seminar—when I first found out about the lead levels on our property, I almost had a panic attack.
I imagined my kids getting sick, my garden being unsafe, my whole farm being ruined.
But in that moment, I had two choices:
- Stay stuck in fear. Panic. Cry. Spiral into worst-case scenarios.
- Take action. Find solutions. Figure out what we could do.
We chose action. We moved the swing set. We changed where we grew our vegetables. And in researching solutions, I learned:
✔ Raising soil pH to 7 helps prevent lead uptake in plants.
✔ Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage) help detoxify lead from the body.
I wouldn’t have learned these things if I had let fear keep me frozen.
And when I finally spoke up at the seminar, not only did I get more advice, but I also helped others in the room who hadn’t considered testing their soil before.
Manifestation requires Action
Here’s the thing—when we talk about manifestation, it’s not just about thinking positive thoughts. It’s about taking aligned action toward your goals.
And guess what?
👉 The word “attraction” has the word “action” in it.
You can’t manifest your dream homestead, a thriving business, or a peaceful life if you’re stuck in overthinking. Stagnation breeds anxiety. Movement creates confidence.
I’ve struggled with this my whole life—worrying about speaking up, fearing failure, feeling like I needed one more certification before I was “qualified” to share my knowledge.
But guess what? Readiness doesn’t come from learning more. It comes from doing more.
Even writing this blog, I hear that little voice saying, Who are you to talk about this? Who even cares?
But I’m hitting publish anyway.
Because the people who need to hear this will find it.
Final Thoughts: Take Action Together
I want to build a community of action-takers. People who get out there, try, fail, learn, and grow.
And remember—action is the antidote to anxiety.
Let’s grow something extraordinary together.
With Love,
Kelley
Get Bryan O’Hara’s No Till Intensive Vegetable Culture
For my practical and easy to use
Tools for Homesteaders including the
Seed Planting Calculator & One Year Harvest Calculator
and more, check out my
