Positive Change Story: Troy Ratliff

This story from Troy is part of Robin Greenfield’s Positive Change Series. Read more stories here.

In 2021, I set out to do something I had always wanted to do — I began learning about edible and medicinal wild plants. At the time, I was looking for freedom and self-reliance. As I searched for information, I kept running across a man named Robin Greenfield.

I loved watching his One Year Foraging and Growing 100% of My Own Food videos. That, along with his minimalist lifestyle, inspired me and gave me hope that you can live a simpler life. I’ve always believed that the more you have to manage, the more time you spend managing. But when I looked around, I didn’t see any real-life examples of how someone could live simply in our modern world — until I found Robin. He became a beacon of hope — someone I could point to and say, “But he’s doing it.”

When I saw Robin was doing a book reading in San Francisco for his Food Freedom book, I jumped at the chance to meet him. I had harvested some morels earlier that day and brought them with me as a gift. Robin was so kind, so loving, and so grateful. His smile and excitement were contagious, and that moment really stuck with me. It made me want to pay closer attention to what he was doing.

I went back and found an older video where Robin talked about drinking from natural springs. That inspired me to find a spring near my home, and I’ve been collecting spring water for drinking ever since. His impact on my life was growing, but it didn’t stop there.

Robin also talked a lot about a book called Nonviolent Communication (NVC). It sounded like something I could really use. I’ve always had a hard time expressing myself, and at the time, I was trying to get better — for the sake of my son, who had just been born. My family found it easier to not talk to each other instead of having difficult conversations. Learning how to express feelings and needs opened so many doors for me. I’m nowhere near perfect at it — and at times, I suck at it — but it’s helped me connect with some of my family in ways I never thought possible.

Robin introducing me to NVC is something I’m deeply grateful for.

Alongside that, his Truth Series was life-changing. Watching Robin openly share everything he had been guarding, even things that made him uncomfortable or embarrassed, was incredibly inspiring. If he could be that bold and vulnerable — putting it all out into the world — then surely I could have an uncomfortable conversation with someone I loved about something bothering me.

Robin gave me courage: the courage to be vulnerable, to express my feelings, and to speak openly — even when it’s hard.

As I began watching more of Robin’s talks, both in person and online, another theme began to shape my life in a major way — his focus on community and service. I had spent so long trying to figure out how to be self-reliant. But that path, I realized, was lonely. I didn’t understand how much I needed connection — or how powerful it was to be needed by someone else. I used to think of myself as an inconvenience if I needed help. Now, I see how wrong I was. There’s so much joy in helping someone — and in letting them help you.

In trying to learn about wild plants, I ended up learning about myself — and I gained a friend. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

Thank you so, so much, Robin, for sharing your life with all of us — for being of service to all of us — and for being a force for positive change in the world.

Inspired to make positive change in your life? In: 100 Positive Changes to Live More Sustainably, Healthy and Happy I share the first 100 changes I made as a resource to help you on your journey.