Dwelling in Possibility

I’ve always had an insatiable love for learning. As a child I grew up in a small town in northeast ND near the Canadian border (population 75) where I rode the bus to and from school everyday. I spent most of my free time outdoors climbing trees, riding my bike, creating, building forts, ice skating, and hanging with my dog and my cat as we roamed the neighborhood. I remember feeling so free as a kid and like there was something more “out there” than the vast fields of farmland that surrounded me for as far as the eye could see.

That love for learning continued after I graduated from high school and I set out to discover the “out there”. I booked a one-way ticket to Anchorage, AK to nanny for a family with a boy named Shawn who had Down Syndrome. He stole my heart. Not only did I have access to the most incredible views, hiking, and seafood, I was also living in one of the most beautiful places on the planet. The experience deepened my love for the natural world and Shawn helped me to discover my passion for working with kids. I decided to become an Occupational Therapist when I returned to ND and not too long after that I had a child of my own. My son followed about 4 years later.  Parenthood is the best ‘hood’ and kids will teach us as much as we are teaching them if we are open to it. They softened me, taught me patience, discipline, and how to have FUN!

Fast forward to today and that daughter is 20 and my son is 17 (and I have 2 bonus kids that are 11 and 8) I feel I’ve lived a hundred lives since my kids were little! Between now and then I went back to school at UND for Nonprofit Leadership, became a certified Yoga teacher and started teaching Kids Yoga, opened a food co-op from start to finish, became a certified meditation instructor, opened a mindfulness consulting business, gave a TED talk, lead workshops and retreats, was awarded a 2 year BUSH Fellowship, and have traveled all over the U.S. More recently my husband and I traveled to Nepal to visit an orphanage that we support. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience that made me feel even more grateful for my life and all the roads I’ve traveled in life.

Because I’m multi-passionate I feel my love for learning continues to ask the question “what’s possible here?” I care deeply about community, service, and the wellbeing of others. When we feel better we do better and I try to leave people and places better than I found them.

As I continue to dwell in the space of possibility I say ‘yes’ to things that scare me a little bit. That is usually where we experience the most growth. When we feel a little fear it's just a call for courage.  So as I step into this “yes” at The Innovation School, I trust this is the next beautiful step on my path to discovering more about myself and those around me. I’m so grateful for this new beginning, to share my gifts and talents with TIS, and to learn from those I will be working alongside with. Let’s discover what’s possible as we journey on this new adventure together!

Heidi Woods

Executive Director of The Innovation School

EMail Heidi