I’ve loved trees since I was a kid. Reading in their branches was one of my favorite things to do. When I was writing ARROW, I realized how much we use trees as metaphors for so many things in our lives, and that’s where the Tree of You activity was born. I did this at the book launch party for ARROW back in 2021, and it was a lot of fun. My intern Signe tells you all about it below:
How to Create the Tree of You
There are many different aspects of your life that make — well, you! You might have some core personality traits, but there are also many little things that add up and make you as unique as the rings and bark on a tree.
To start off the tree of you, take a piece of paper and trace your hand on it, fingers splayed out. You can either close your finger tips, or leave them open, much like Samantha’s below.
Next you will make little branches that stretch out toward the other edges of the paper. You can add leaves, make the branches end, anything that feels comfortable to you. You can also add things to your tree, like a bird’s nest or a hole in the trunk.
After you have outlined your branches, add some broad words on the main branches (your fingers) that you believe have a big impact on your life. On the other branches above, add other qualities of yourself.
Once you are done, you can fill in the rest of the paper however you with! You can do random colors, make it a realistic tree, or dress it up however you would like!
This is your Tree of You! After you create yours, share it on social media and tag me (@samclarkwrites on Twitter or @samanthamclarkbooks on Instagram). I’d love to see it!