About Us
Thank you for joining us on this journey. Allow me to share a bit about myself and the inspiration behind this website.
For the past three decades, I have been involved in the construction industry. Around 15 years ago, a subcontractor on a job shared a fascinating story with me. He described how, upon returning home from work, he would visit a tree and symbolically lay all his troubles upon it. This ritual allowed him to enter his home with a fresh mindset, free from the burdens of the day, and fully present with his family. I was captivated by this concept and amazed by the profound wisdom behind it.
As time passed, I noticed a change in my colleague. He seemed down, less happy, and not as vibrant as before. Curious, I asked him what had happened to his Trouble Tree? He humorously replied that he must have "killed" it by burdening it with too many troubles. We shared a laugh, and I suggested he plant a new one. It became a joke between us as the years went on.
During a guided meditation, the facilitator shared a story that sounded eerily familiar. It was the story of the trouble tree. Intrigued, I researched further and discovered that this was not just a tale my colleague had invented but an actual story with a profound message. This realization stayed with me, and I couldn't shake off the "coincidence." It became clear that this story, presented in the right format, had the potential to help people.
During my journey, I reflected on why my colleague’s Trouble Tree had withered away. I realized that by solely focusing on troubles and neglecting to nourish the Trouble Tree with gratitude, the tree had perished. This insight led me to the idea of combining the trouble tree concept with gratitude. By nourishing the tree with gratitude, we can cultivate a more positive, well-rounded, and present mindset. This metaphor for life encourages us to release our troubles, address those that require attention, and completely let go of those that no longer serve us. Simultaneously, we feed ourselves with gratitude and joy.
This website is designed as a mindful tool, to guide you through this process. Along the way, you can incorporate setting goals and creating lists of things you wish to accomplish within our goal-setting formats. We also provide a mindfulness section that will be expanding as time goes on. We believe this complements the trouble tree practice beautifully. Additionally, we offer valuable tools to help you understand your troubles better, including the option to label them if you find it beneficial. You will also receive daily motivation/inspiration and that will be sent to your email.
Creating this website and following my own Trouble Tree has been an amazing journey. The results have been truly extraordinary. I was searching for a daily exercise, akin to physical exercise for my body, that could complement other mindful practices with a more “hands-on” approach. To my surprise, I ended up creating the very tool I had been seeking. I am grateful to use it every day and now share it with all of you. We have kept Trouble Tree affordable at its monthly and yearly choices with family plans coming soon because as you’ll read next, Danielle shares her Trouble Tree experience with her daughter. We’d love for you to give this a shot and let us know how it’s working for you on our socials. This whole experience has been rewarding for our team and myself, and we sincerely hope it brings you joy as you embark on your own journey of learning and growth. Wishing you all the best as you navigate this new path.
Thank you,
Jeremy
What people are saying...
I became involved with the Trouble Trouble Tree project, intrigued by the concept and interested by its potential benefits for me personally and for others. Deciding to put it to the test, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself experiencing better sleep. However, it was my 9-year-old daughter who truly showed me just how impressive it could be. A chronic worrier, she struggled to settle down at night, often emerging from her room multiple times without being able to fall asleep. Despite trying various methods like soothing conversations, deep breathing exercises, and calming music, her restlessness persisted. Then, one evening, I introduced her to the concept of the trouble tree, and to my amazement, she embraced it eagerly, requesting to fill it out nightly. There was something that just clicked for her, by putting her worries in the tree it seemed to alleviate her anxiety, and she was really drawn to the gratitude aspect. By focusing on the positives before bedtime, she found herself more at ease, drifting off into sleep with ease.
-Danielle
Payton Hillman