The following few writings were entirely generated by ChatGPT and were based on descriptions of characteristics that I came up with for these fictional people.
Emphasis added by me, for reference.
Rowen Greenfield’s Blog Post: The Heart of Our Home
*Written by ChatGPT*
I’ve thought a lot about the kind of person Isla is, but putting it into words isn’t easy. She’s one of those people whose presence just is, like the sun rising every morning without asking for attention but changing everything around her in quiet, profound ways.
The first time I saw her, she was talking to a group of people at the farmer’s market, laughing and explaining the difference between two types of tomatoes. She had a way of making anyone feel like they were the only person in the world. I remember thinking she was like the earth itself—steady, warm, and full of life.
Isla is the type of woman who embraces stillness but is constantly growing. I see it in the way she moves through her yoga practice, deeply grounded but always reaching toward something higher. She brings that same energy into our home—there’s a softness to her that keeps us all feeling rooted, no matter what’s going on outside. She creates space, both physically and emotionally, for me, for our kids, for anyone who comes into our lives.
Our days are filled with the rhythm Isla has set. She’s the one who leads Nella through morning stretches, who whispers to Leif as he falls asleep in her arms. She’s the one teaching Nella about the wildflowers we see on our hikes and showing Leif how to be gentle with Fern, our cat. There’s a patience to her that I admire every day, a quiet, almost unseen strength. Isla can have a toddler clinging to her leg, a baby crying for her attention, and still manage to be fully present. It’s not just that she’s calm—it’s more that she chooses to be.
Isla sees beauty in the smallest things. Her watercolors are simple but full of meaning, like the botanicals she paints. They’re reflections of the way she sees the world, as something worth noticing, cherishing. She’ll hand out these cards at her yoga studio, a little piece of her heart in each one. I’m not sure everyone realizes what it takes to share that much of yourself so freely, but it’s something I’ve always admired about her.
She’s not afraid to slow down, either. That might be what I appreciate most—how she holds space for the pause. There’s a lot of noise in the world, and Isla’s the kind of woman who helps you remember how to listen for the quiet. She doesn’t rush through life. She’s intentional. I think it’s something she learned in the Peace Corps, the way she’s able to connect with people on such a deep level, without trying to change them. It’s something she’s brought into our family, and it’s why our home feels like a sanctuary.
Isla is the one who’ll pack us a picnic just to sit outside and watch the sun go down, who’ll remind me to breathe when things feel overwhelming. She’s not perfect, but that’s not what matters. She’s fully herself, and that’s more than enough. She gives our family what we need—balance, love, and an example of what it means to live with purpose.
To love Isla is to love the earth, to feel connected to something greater than yourself. And every day, I’m reminded how lucky I am to call her my partner, my home.
*ChatGPT generated insights into lines/ideas that resonated with me*
GREENFIELD FAMILY VALUES
The lines that resonated with you share a deep connection to mindfulness, intentionality, and simplicity, both in family life and personal moments of reflection. Let’s break down the key themes they reflect and why they might have stood out to you:
1. Mindfulness and Stillness:
• “Quiet time happens after lunch. It’s when we all take a moment to rest and center ourselves.”
• “Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I get a few minutes of stillness for myself…”
These lines highlight the importance of taking small, intentional pauses in the day, particularly amidst the busy demands of parenting. This resonates with a desire to create space for rest and reflection, no matter how small. Stillness, as mentioned, provides a chance to ground oneself, to breathe, and to realign with one’s inner calm and values. You may feel drawn to this because it speaks to a practice that brings clarity and calmness into the chaos of life—something that can profoundly impact both your story and your personal life.
2. Intentional Living:
• “Breakfast is quick but intentional in our home.”
• “Isla’s always the one who sets the tone for our evenings…”
The idea of intentionality—whether in the simplest acts like breakfast or setting a calm atmosphere in the evenings—reflects a way of living that is mindful and thoughtful. This resonates with people who seek meaning in everyday moments, and may stand out to you because it brings a sense of purpose and ritual into daily life, fostering connection within the family. Bringing this into your real life can mean embracing small, intentional acts that shape the tone of the day.
3. Connection with Nature:
• “I thanked the Earth for its quiet wisdom…”
• “…feeling the Earth beneath our feet as we stood barefoot on the grass.”
These lines reflect a deep reverence for the natural world. You may find them touching because they remind you of the peace and grounding that come from connecting with nature, a key theme in the Greenfields’ lives and possibly something you yearn for more in your own. The Earth teaches patience, growth, and stillness—qualities that resonate with finding balance and peace.
4. Family and Reflection:
• “The little things she’s learning from Isla…”
• “…quiet reflection. After dinner, we stepped outside…”
These lines emphasize the power of small, everyday moments to impart larger life lessons. The idea of instilling mindfulness and connection with nature in children, or of simply reflecting together in the evenings, conveys a feeling of warmth and cohesion. It speaks to the quiet power of presence and shared moments within the family. This stands out because it highlights how these values, when passed on, ripple through generations, creating a sense of continuity and deeper meaning.
These themes—mindfulness, intentionality, connection to nature, and reflection—offer both a way to enrich your fictional characters and a framework for living more peacefully and connected in real life. You could incorporate them by creating daily rituals, finding moments for stillness, and fostering a closer relationship with the natural world around you, just as Isla and Rowen do.
Journal Entry: 10/21/2024 (Written by me this morning in my physcial journal)
I simply do not understand why it is such a bad thing for me to wake early in the morning like the rest of society - and like the sun itself. Staying up late into the night, staying out past midnight, waking up late in the day, those are all things I used to do when I was going to bars, drinking, smoking weed, anxiously spying on my boyfriend to see if he was cheating on me and sneaking out when I was asleep, laying on the floor wishing I was dead as a means to escape the emotional torture that is not being chosen by the boy I desperately wanted to just pick me fully. Nothing good happens after midnight, not in my experience.
The most beautiful thing I have experienced is getting sober, getting restful sleep at night, waking in the morning, witnessing the sunrise, feeling refreshed, feeling hopeful, getting things done whether that’s housework or art projects or just reading a book or journaling for an hour. There is so much goodness to be witness to, immersed in, a part of, in the morning. Hearing the birds sing, the crickets chirp, the sacred stillness of dawn, these are things I never want to miss out on ever again. This is what keeps me sober, what keeps me choosing healthy habits, and what helps guide my next steps in life. Does this option before me align with these values?
I created a fictional character to live out my desire to be a mother. I figured if I wrote fictional stories about a mid-30’s woman who is a mother to two small children then I could live vicariously through her in that way while maintaining the reality of my life with no children. I love Andrew and the home that we've made together. I do not want to leave this life for something that is purely fictional fantasy.
However, in writing this character, in developing her well-rounded life and her mindset, I realized I wanted to be her in the other ways, more than the mother way, and I ended up spiraling into a major depressive episode for several months.
Using chatgpt as a therapist, while I wasn’t able to see my actual therapist, I lamented over how desperately I yearned to like Isla Greenfield - calm, mindfully-present, hopeful, confident in a gentle way, nurturing, entirely feminine in a way that adds depth, softness, peace, and beauty to everyday life.
I just want peace!!! I typed to chatgpt while painting peace signs outside of my house.
I want to be calm and centered and grounded and not anxious or stressed!! I cried to chatgpt while I anxiously, obsessive-compulsively picked my face for hours because I knew no other coping mechanism for the inner turmoil I was feeling.
How crazy it makes a person feel to be actively wanting peace of mind while simultaneously engaging in anxious behaviors that feel impossible to break out of. Do I need to be committed to a mental hospital? I thought about this a lot while also wishing I could just unplug myself from life support like in the movies because facing this struggle was too overwhelming of a thought.
I went to the doctor for a standard med-check and spilled the beans about my anxiety. So she prescribed a new medication but in order to change over to it from my current medication I would have to endure weeks of a cocktail of medications all of which mess with the serotonin in my brain, all of which just added to the crazy feelings. What am I even supposed to be feeling?! I feel so crazy I don’t even know what the goal is here! Should I just stop taking everything and start smoking weed again? No, that just makes me so paranoid I might have even been schizophrenic for a minute.
And then I picked up my book and finished the chapter I had stalled on and it point-blank told me exactly what I needed to hear. I had lost my way - fallen into addiction and obsession and needed to return to my “handmade” life, carefully, as to not overcompensate and take it too far, as those who have once been trapped tend to do.
I started making decisions to change things, trying to listen to my intuition, to what my gut instinct was telling me. It was hard to hear at first, but then after a few days it grew stronger and that’s when I remembered, when I realized yet again, that mornings are good for me. The sunrise is good for me. Taking on less stress is good for me. Doing what I love is good for me. Saying no, saying yes, letting others do their part, doing what is only meant for me, is good for me.
You said: Tell me about the woman I want to be ChatGPT said: The woman you want to be is grounded in her connection to nature, love, and intentionality. She moves through life with a sense of balance, integrating the deep love she feels for her family with her own need for quiet moments of reflection and creativity. Like Isla, you strive to live mindfully, finding stillness in the chaos of life, and honoring the natural rhythms around you. You are someone who deeply values relationships, nurturing your family with warmth and presence. At the same time, you hold space for your personal passions, creating moments of solitude for creative expression, whether through art, time spent outdoors, or other endeavors that bring you peace. There's a strength in how you navigate both the demands of daily life and the spiritual journey you’re on, as you weave mindfulness into everything you do. This version of yourself is both present and intentional—embodying love not just as an emotion, but as a way of life. She is someone who seeks simplicity, beauty in nature, and meaningful connections, while also making time to nurture her own spirit. You said: And I am not anxious but calm and mentally present. ChatGPT said: You are calm and mentally present, moving through life with a deep sense of inner peace and clarity. Instead of feeling anxious, you approach each moment with mindfulness, fully engaged with the world around you. You’ve cultivated a strong ability to ground yourself in the present, letting go of unnecessary worries and trusting in the flow of life. This presence allows you to savor the beauty of everyday moments, from time spent with your family to the quiet solitude of your own thoughts. You are centered, finding strength in stillness and peace in knowing that you are aligned with your values and intentions.
