Welcome to the Heron's Nest

 Welcome to The Heron’s Nest! However you found your way here, I’m glad you did. I hope you find something on this page that makes you think, makes you smile, or simply brings you a little bit of joy.

The idea behind The Heron’s Nest is sort of a digital commonplace notebook, a place to collect and share the things I love, the things that occupy my daily life, and some thoughts that might resonate with someone else.

A little about me: I’m a recent college graduate learning how to navigate the strange transition into this new chapter of life. I’m figuring out how to build healthy habits, make decisions with intention, and create a life that feels like my own.

And, of course, there’s the heron.

How the Heron Found Me

The heron theme came about almost a year ago, during a period when I was really struggling with uncertainty. I was on a walk by the river, contemplating the many conflicting thoughts buzzing around in my head. I truly didn’t know what the right things to do were or who I could even talk to for advice. The more opinions I gathered, the more confused I became. I felt like I was getting further and further away from my own values and vision for my future. I was lost.

So I turned to the universe and asked for a sign. I wanted something to tell me that my life was heading in the direction it was supposed to and that I was making the right choices to get where I needed to be.

That day, on my walk, I saw a heron and right then I told the universe that would be my sign.

Lo and behold, amidst a string of interesting (and potentially questionable) decisions, I don’t think I saw another heron for a very long time.

I continued to struggle. I felt bogged down by indecision, unsure of which direction to take, who to listen to, and who I could even trust. Eventually, enough time passed that I forgot about the heron entirely.

I certainly didn’t have everything figured out, and I still don’t. But through a lot of self-reflection and some difficult decisions, I eventually got myself to a place where I felt content. I wasn’t necessarily struggling anymore, but I also didn’t feel like I was making much progress or moving in any definite direction.

I knew I needed to push myself. I needed to work hard for a short period of time, dig deep, and figure out what I actually wanted.

A lot of this centered around my career. I had changed my mind so many times that I began to doubt, or even forget, the reasons I had originally chosen my major and gotten involved with the clubs and activities that once felt so important to me. I started questioning friendships and relationships, too.

I was surrounded by a lot of people who seemed “successful,” with clear trajectories toward stability and security. Meanwhile, I felt like I was standing in the middle of an open field, looking for a sign telling me how to get back home.

I had all of these thoughts and big feelings that I didn’t really know what to do with. Eventually, I had the idea to start a blog. Not necessarily because I thought anyone would read it, but because I wanted somewhere to put all of these fragmented pieces of my mind.

Maybe if I documented them, they would start to make sense. And in writing things down, maybe my life would start to take shape.

Naturally, I doubted this idea, too. I worried it was silly. I worried people would judge me. I worried that I would judge myself, too, once I finally had to put words to feelings and ideas I had unconsciously been avoiding for a long time.

So, for a while, it remained just an idea.

And Then I Saw Another Heron

Eventually, I found myself back on the same riverwalk where I had seen my first heron nearly a year before.

A lot had changed since that first walk. I had spent months struggling with indecision, questioning my career path, doubting myself, and trying to figure out what direction I was supposed to take. I had made some difficult decisions and done a lot of self-reflection, but I still felt a little stranded.

I knew I couldn’t stay in that place forever.

I remember thinking that I needed to push myself. I needed to stop endlessly analyzing every possible option and actually start moving. I didn’t necessarily need to have everything figured out. I just needed to take the next step.

And then, on that same river where I had asked the universe for a sign almost a year before, I saw another heron.

I immediately thought back to the first one.

This time, the feeling was completely different. The first heron had represented a desperate request for direction. I had wanted someone, or something, to tell me what to do.

Now, seeing another heron in the same place felt more like a reminder that I was making the right decisions. I took it as a sign that I was on the brink of a breakthrough. That I had already done a lot of the hard work and that I just needed to push a little further. I didn’t need to know exactly where I was going yet. I just needed to trust myself enough to keep moving.

Not long after, I went on a road trip, and over the course of the trip, I found myself talking and brainstorming about what my next steps could be. Over dinner, I found a graduate program that aligned with some of the things I felt were missing from my life: autonomy, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

For the first time in a while, I felt some hope.

Maybe there were options for me beyond forcing myself into a path I didn’t love.

Then, at some point, we were in the car, driving through the desert of all places, and I saw a heron flying by.

Again.

I hadn’t been looking for one. I had almost forgotten about them entirely. But there it was.

At that point, I started to wonder if maybe the herons weren’t necessarily there to tell me exactly what to do. Maybe they were simply little reminders to keep going. To trust myself, pay attention to where I was headed, and recognize when I was already moving in the right direction.

Learning to Stop Looking

When I got home from the road trip, I had gained some real momentum. I was making decisions after a long period of stagnation and beginning to gain some clarity about what I actually wanted.

Around that time, I went to San Diego to visit some friends from college over Fourth of July weekend. A trip I almost said no to because I was afraid to spend the money and see my friends who were already weeks into their “real” jobs.

One evening, we were all sitting by the water, and I remember feeling incredibly appreciative of the moment. I was taking in the calmness of it all, surrounded by some of the people I care about most.

Then a heron flew by.

I knew in my heart that I was supposed to notice it.

When I got home, I returned to the idea of starting a blog, but this time with a little more ambition. I told myself it could amount to nothing more than a fun hobby, and even then, it would have served its purpose.

While researching how to start something like this, I found an example that was similar to what I wanted to create. On the page, the author had included a little personal detail: their favorite animal was the Great Blue Heron.

At that point, I took it as immediate confirmation and here we are!

Since then, I’ve had several more encounters with herons.

For example, after returning to my old food service job to make some money while I searched for something more aligned with my long-term goals, I was talking to a coworker about a trip he had taken over the weekend with his wife. He was showing me pictures from their trip, swiping through photos of lizards, deer, and even a fox.

Then he swiped again.

A heron.

I knew in my heart that this was the universe telling me I had made the right decision. To come back for a little while, make some money, and get myself back on my feet.

Could I chalk it up to chance? Of course. Sometimes I’m sure that’s exactly what it is.

But I also feel a sense of peace when these things happen. Maybe something is watching over me. Maybe it’s guiding me toward the decisions that are right for me. Or maybe the point isn’t whether the herons are actually signs at all. Maybe they simply remind me to pause, pay attention, and trust myself.

My mom has always told me that the answers you’re searching for most often come when you stop looking.

I’ve found that the same thing seems to be true of the herons.

On a recent walk, I was by a lake where I knew there might be some herons nearby. I genuinely love these birds, I find them graceful and captivating, and I really did want to see one. But if I’m being honest, I think I was also greedily craving the comfort of another sign.

When I eventually told myself to stop looking so hard, not twenty minutes later, I saw two herons, separately, before the end of my walk.

I took it as confirmation that I had done the right thing that day. I hadn’t wanted to leave the house, but I knew going for a walk would make both my mind and body feel better.

Maybe that was the sign.

Maybe I didn’t need the heron to tell me what to do. Maybe I already knew.

Finding My Way Home

Over the last few weeks, I’ve really started to come to terms with my current reality.

I’ve learned to appreciate my work situation, my living arrangement, and where I am financially. I’ve made the decision to apply for the graduate program I mentioned, and I’ve started taking steps that feel aligned with my long-term goals.

I know in my heart that life has great things in store for me. But I’ve also learned that those things don’t always arrive in the way I’ve imagined they would.

So instead of trying to force a particular outcome, I’m trying to keep moving forward while trusting that the right opportunities won’t pass me by.

I cannot miss the things that are meant for me to find.

There are still plenty of uncertainties. I still don’t know exactly where all of this is going to lead.

But for now, I’m learning to find peace in the present. To stay centered in my values. To keep my attention on the life I want to create rather than obsessing over exactly how I’m going to get there. If the actions I’m taking today are aligned with the vision I have for my future, I have to trust that the right things will fall into place when the time is right.

Maybe that’s what The Heron’s Nest is for.

A place to document the process of figuring it out. The little things I love, the things I’m learning, the thoughts I can’t seem to stop thinking about, and all the strange little moments that make me feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I don’t have it all figured out, and I probably never will. But maybe I don’t need to. Maybe I just need to keep moving forward, stay rooted in what matters to me, and trust that the path will reveal itself along the way.

Thank you for being here, and welcome to the nest!