Celebrating Six Years of Growth: You Are a Gardener’s Journey

As we commemorate the six-year anniversary of You Are a Gardener, I reflect on the incredible journey of being part of this empowering and heartwarming project. From illustrating the original book to creating the Hello Gardener Video Series and crafting viral video content for their blog, each step has been a labor of love. You Are a Gardener, founded by Shanna Truffini, is not just a brand; it’s a movement that encourages children who need positive and healthy ways to navigate life’s everyday stressors and uncomfortable emotions. The book has blossomed into an  all-encompassing SEL platform dedicated to empowering young children with the essential vocabulary, mindset, and tools to grow forward, feeling confident and calm.  

Illustrating the You Are a Gardener book was a true honor and delight for me. Getting a chance to step away from screens and pick up a paintbrush was such a luxury in today’s digital world. Shanna and I have worked hard to marry the two – bringing the characters in the book online – as we venture into creating viral video content and crafting for the blog, we continue to spread the message of empowerment and growth to an even broader audience.

As Shanna looks ahead, the journey continues with an exciting array of viral videos and crafts that aim to inspire creativity and emotional intelligence in the hearts of young minds. She has worked so hard speaking in front of thousands of kids in schools all over the East Coast.  Here’s to six years of growth, resilience, and the enduring belief that, indeed, we are all gardeners of our own emotional gardens.

To learn more about You Are a Gardener, visit www.youareagardener.com. Join us in celebrating this milestone and continue to sow the seeds of emotional intelligence for the next generation.  If you want to learn a bit more about my creative work for the company, I encourage you to read this blog on Shanna’s site – as well as giving a quick scroll through her Weeds to Seeds blog.