Aryn Henning Nichols

“What makes you feel metaphorically wealthy?” I was posed this question in a newsletter last year, and it sat with me for a long time, tickling the edges of my brain with little pockets of delight. What makes me feel abundant? What makes me feel vibrant and lucky and taken care of?

I started with some little things: A whole pizza. Herbs on food. Beginning a new book series. Then I went a little bigger: TSA precheck. Nicely framed art. Monthly massages.

But it can be hard to feel like there’s any abundance of good things in the world when your grocery bill ratchets up, there’s no time for a summer vacation, your car breaks down…you get the idea. Bad stuff happens. And it always will. But you mustn’t forget that good stuff happens too. And it always will.

Approaching life with an abundance mindset can help make those harder times feel just a little bit easier. 

Much of an abundance mindset lives in the ability to believe. In yourself, in the world, in the future, and in the big, beautiful, unknown universe of possibilities. It also lives in the ability to hold gratitude for your current reality.

The way I see it, there are three aspects of an abundance mindset.

Manifesting abundance: Believe that good things will come your way. They have before, why not again? Set intentions and activate your faith in the universe.

Recognizing abundance: Focus on the good things in your life and let yourself feel happy about them. Savor them. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s a positive feedback loop, and we’re allowed to utilize this tool whenever we want. It doesn’t mean the bad stuff is gone; it’s just a reminder that we don’t have to carry it all the time. 

Cultivating abundance: Make a plan to bring more abundance into your life. Buy some fresh herbs. Wash your sheets. Make an Abundance Jar (click here for a template & prompts!). Set goals and go after them.

To start building an abundance mindset, try practicing an Upward Spiral of Gratitude. Gratitude produces dopamine and boosts serotonin, making you feel good. Instead of spiraling down, you spiral up. I promise: If you look for gratitude, you will find it.

Start by tuning into your senses. Close your eyes, breathe, and focus on what you hear, feel, or taste that makes you feel grateful. A warm cup of coffee, a cool breeze, the smell of fresh bread, etc. Then open your eyes and look around. What fills you with gratitude? Maybe knowing there’s food in the fridge, a sleeping dog at your feet, or fresh flowers on your table. Focus on those things and let yourself feel happy. Repeat as often as needed.

When you change your perspective, you change your reality. Remember though: People can change, but you can’t change other people. Your abundance mindset is for you, and you alone. Other people’s abundance will likely be totally different from yours. Don’t compare, and don’t allow other’s opinions to sour your thoughts on what makes you feel abundant.

Generally, there is always something that is working well in every person’s life. Focus on what’s going well in yours, and tap into that gratitude, happiness, and fulfillment. We live in a glorious, complex, abundant world, friends. Let’s grab hold of the good this summer.

XOXO – Aryn

ARYN’S CURRENT ABUNDANCE LIST:

Monthly massages
Frothy coffee
Herbs on food
Cloth napkins
Nicely framed art
TSA precheck
Fizzy water
Clean sheets
A whole pizza
Beginning a new book series 
Car wash tokens
Time with my besties

9 Ways to Recognize Abundance

1. Live in the possibilities
You can’t know the future. Let go of your limiting beliefs and imagine what good could come.

2. Say Affirmations of Abundance
Try these: “Even if I lost everything, I am surrounded by people who would help me rebuild.”
“I am resilient. I have handled many challenges in the past.”
“I am creative and resourceful, so I will always be able to find a path forward.”

3. Celebrate wins big and small. Celebrate other people’s wins, too

4. Be Mindful of a Scarcity Mindset
When you notice a feeling of scarcity in your statements, try reframing them.
Instead of “I can’t do that because I’m too busy,” say, “I’m not prioritizing that right now.” 
“I don’t have the money for that,” becomes “I don’t have the money for that yet.”
“I can’t do it,” becomes “I’m going to learn how.”

5. You Are What You Think
When you focus on things you don’t like, you’re more likely to notice other things you don’t like in life.
When you focus on things you do like, you’ll see more of those.
And when you tune into what you want in the future, you start seeing paths toward that future. 

6. Ask Yourself Questions
A little introspection can open up possibilities. What do you feel when you’re seeking abundance? Who has a positive influence on your life? What do you do when you’re not feeling abundant? What little things make you feel metaphorically wealthy?

7. Turn problems into puzzles of possibility.
How can you solve this in a creative way? When you believe change is possible, your brain starts noticing solutions. The more you do this, the more confident you become in your ability to create change.

8. Make an Abundance Jar!
Write down the things that make you feel abundant. Put them in a jar and pull them out whenever you’re feeling low. Check out our templates and prompts here!

9. Practice an Upward Spiral of Gratitude!
Gratitude produces dopamine and boosts serotonin, making you feel good. Instead of spiraling down, you spiral up. If you look for gratitude, you will find it. Tune into your senses and note the things around you that make you feel grateful. Repeat as needed.

For artist Pete Sandker, painting in the Driftless and living in the Driftless are forever intertwined.

“The patterns and cycles of nature, the flowers and birds changing with the months, summer and winter constellations in the night sky. All of that is permanently in there, in the place where my paintings come from,” Pete says. “There is no separating it.”

As a child growing up outside of Soldier’s Grove, Wisconsin, Pete spent his days soaking in nature, spending time out in the woods or helping with the goats his family raised. Living deep in the valley with no neighbors exposed him to the solitude and peace that nature can bring. 

As an adult, Pete still seeks that calm in the natural world. He often finds it in the areas around his home in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he initially moved for school. He was planning to complete a Physical Therapy Assistant program but withdrew shortly before classes started. He decided he was more interested in art.

“I never planned on being a painter, though. It never seemed like a viable option for a career, so I’ve had a lot of different jobs in my life,” he explains. He especially enjoyed being a landscaper, savoring his time working outside in beautiful locations. Then, when he had free time, Pete created art as a hobby. But he started thinking maybe it could be more than a hobby when he noticed a call for artists at the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove. “On a whim, I applied and got accepted,” he says. “The response was so positive and encouraging, it changed my life forever.”

That was over a decade ago. The art community welcomed Pete with open arms, and he realized his calling was to capture the beauty of the natural world through art. He has since taken his skilled watercolor work to art shows, fairs, and galleries across the region.

Pete loves experiencing nature wherever he is. He can walk from his La Crosse home to public forest lands and takes advantage of that opportunity as often as possible. And when he’s on the road, he finds other spots to explore.

“As long as my mind is clear and free of distraction, I can connect with the mystery and beauty of nature pretty much anywhere” he says.

But even after traveling all over, the Driftless calls him back every time. 

“I love the simple beauty of the Driftless Region. There are no towering mountains or huge waterfalls or crashing waves like in other parts of the country. Those things are incredibly beautiful, and I love them, but with all that awe and wonder, having your breath taken away… there is this other feeling, almost a mild stress from being overwhelmed,” he explains. “Here, there are endless rolling hills and quiet mist-filled valleys, slow rivers, welcoming forests. I just feel more at peace here.”

The quiet moments of peace are where Pete tends to find his inspiration. He will look around, marvel in the beauty of nature, and an idea will spark. “Even some interesting lichen on a tree in the middle of the city can be inspiring,” he says.

He describes his art as “watercolor with an interpretive view of nature,” saying his approach “mixes realism and detail with whimsy, creating unexpected images and shapes, hopefully telling a story unique to each person who sees it.” Pete’s creations tend to feature wildlife, plants, insects, foliage, and bodies of water, all intertwined in complex, detailed depictions. With closer examination, there are often little secrets and nuances to admire. 

“What I like most about watercolors is the way they can transform from a solid bright line to a flowing wave of color and patterns,” Pete says. “They have a life of their own. You can plan out what you want them to do but sometimes it’s like they make their own choices.”

Pete loves to take this a step further and capture movement – especially water or wind – in his paintings.

“Lakes, waterfalls, even just a trickle of spring runoff, you can feel a certain energy from water, like we are just meant to interact with it,” he says with enthusiasm. The same kind of energy exists on a windy day. 

“Wind in the leaves, waving the grass in a meadow, the feel of that invisible force is so mysterious and calming. No matter the weather, if there’s wind, I am happy. Even in the dead of winter, there is nothing quite as exhilarating as hearing the wind at night, howling through the naked trees.”

Pete’s planning new energy within his own life and work as well. He will attend art festivals across Minnesota and Wisconsin this summer, and has new projects on the docket, like a coffee table art book that will incorporate his paintings and descriptions, and a little further down the line, a future children’s book. In the meantime, he continues to find peace, solitude, and inspiration at home in La Crosse. The region seems to always give his art life, he says. “The Driftless has been nothing but a positive experience for me.”

See Pete Sander & his art at a 2025 Art Festival!

June 6-8: Edina Art Festival, Edina, MN 
June 14: Artspire, La Crosse, WI
July 12-13: Art Fair Off the Square, Madison, WI
July 19-20: ArtFest, Green Bay, WI
July 26-27: Art at the Park, Appleton, WI
August 2-3: DBQfest, Dubuque, IA
August 9-10: Art in the Park, Lake Geneva, WI
August 16-17: Festival of the Arts, Oconomowoc, WI
September 6-7: Wausau Festival of the Arts, Wausau, WI 
September 20-21: Driftless Area Art Festival – Soldiers Grove, WI
October 4: Waunakee Artisan Market, Waunakee, WI

Abundance is a funny word. It’s one of those things you don’t think about… until you think about it. What does “feeling abundant” even MEAN?!? For me, abundance is making time for the things that bring me joy. My coffee ritual in the morning. Getting my favorite grain bowl from Blazing Star (Dilly Beet forever!). Walking and talking with my besties. 

I dive into our theme, “What Makes You Feel Abundant? Finding Joy in the Little Things,” with my infographic on page 45 (where you can see the rest of my current abundance list). I hope you start thinking about your own abundance list next as you read Olivia Lynn Schnur’s Mental Health article about Cultivating an Abundant Life. 

La Crosse artist Pete Sandker, who created this summer’s cover art, absolutely fills his work with abundant colors, flowers, animals, and movement. I love how each piece seems to hold special little secrets when you look closer.

A funny, small-town thing happened in this issue: our writer from Lanesboro, Steve Harris, wrote about Community Builders Phil and Heidi Dybing… and then you’ll see Heidi quoted in Laura Barlament’s story about the Stringwood Chamber Music Festival pages later in the magazine. I had no idea Heidi was going to be a source for two articles in this issue, but it goes to show how important community builders are to the vitality of a place!

Folks who know me know I love to read. Perhaps that should be written I LOVE TO READ! Climbing into bed with my book is perhaps my favorite time of day. So, I was excited that our second Community Builder features Mary Mulvaney-Kemp, founder of Vernon County Wisconsin’s RedLou Library. Anyone who is passionate about helping other people love to read is the bee’s knees in my book (ha, pun!).

I love to learn, as well, and was stoked to have Luther student (now graduate!) Clara Wodny work on a fun, educational piece about the Decorah Impact Crater and Pentecopterus decorahensis. She even created illustrations to go with it!

From our middle school Future Focused student contributors, we got some truly delightful submissions about what makes them feel abundant. Their teacher, Dana Hogan, prompted many of them to write about a metaphorical “Abundance Jar.”  The result was so inspiring, I decided to expand the section to include five students. AND…their writings inspired the summer Paper Project: Make your own Abundance Jar! I put together a template and some prompts to make it even easier.

What could be more abundant than a cake party? How about a cake party with 30 cakes?! Thanks to my neighbor, Kendra, for the pitch about Wendy and Jim Stevens’ 37-year tradition of hosting a massive cake party each year on their property near Decorah, and to writer Renee Brincks for putting the Cake Party Magic into such a lovely piece (ha, now a cake pun).

And I seriously love the Sum of Your Business interview this summer, featuring our friends at Sogo Snacks, Dan Bellrichard and Liza Hicken. Dan took time out of his schedule to answer our Q&A, and his insightful replies really hit home for me.

Finally, I think for the first time ever, the probituary interview is a surprise! Calvin Anderson’s daughter, Jennifer Anderson Warwick casually slipped in questions during regular conversations to put together the last page Q&A this summer. How fun!

I hope this issue inspires you to find new ways to create – and recognize – abundance around you this summer, friends. Cheers to a season filled with magic!

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

In this issue, you’ll find:

What Makes You Feel Abundant? Finding Joy in the Little Things. Artist Pete Sandker • Community Builders – Phil and Heidi Dybing / Lanesboro – Mary Mulvaney-Kemp / Viroqua • Decorah History, Deep Time Edition • Mental Health: Abundance • Cake Party Magic • Paper Project: Abundance Jar! • Stringwood • Sum Biz: Sogo Snacks • Probit: Calvin Anderson • And More!

Read the whole thing online here:

Listen to our summer playlist while you read!

Tap into the vibes we were trying to create with the Summer 2025 Inspire(d) Magazine. What Makes You Feel Abundant? Let’s find joy in the little things, friends! <3

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