Instructions for Living by Heidi Barr

Instructions for Living

No one can tell another
how to live–so be wary
of anybody selling that particular 
brand of promise. There is no way
you'll get your money's worth. 
Rather, go get some seeds, 
or a pair of snowshoes, or adopt
a creaturely companion to keep you 
company on the trail–anything
that gets you outside, interacting
with wild things like soil and snow 
and your own breath meeting air
as you move through the woods, 
anything that reminds you you're alive
and now is the time to pay attention 
to the path you're on.

Artist’s Statement

Though the process is often messy and full of mistakes, I’m committed to making my life and work a daily practice centered around working toward a decolonized world, where all humans, creatures, and the land are treated with respect. Writing poetry and offering it to others is a big part of how I do that. Hiking through forests, wading in rivers, digging in the soil, surrounding myself with natural wonder, and giving voice to what I notice, helps me stay grounded in reality.

Heidi Barr is a writer and wellness coach whose work is founded on a commitment to cultivating ways of being that are life-giving and sustainable for people, communities, and the planet. She is the author of several books of creative nonfiction, including Collisions of Earth and Sky and Woodland Manitou, and co author of 12 Tiny Things. She’s also authored two poetry collections, one cookbook, and is managing editor of Wayfarer Magazine. Her third poetry collection, Just Wild Enough came out in April 2024. She lives with her family on Dakota land in rural Minnesota, where they tend a large vegetable garden, explore nature, and do their best to live simply. Learn more at heidibarr.com