The Grass Isn't Always Greener On The Other Side...

Spring's arrival has meant the days are warmer, the grass is growing, the rain is pouring. And something we often associate with Spring is, of course, gardening. Gardening is not only an enjoyable hobby for some, a necessity (at least to some degree) for most, and produces landscapes enjoyed by all, but it can also be a great teaching tool. There is also a lot that can be gained and learned from taking a closer look at gardening as a metaphor for our own personal growth.

In today's world, we so often look for external solutions to our problems. We rely on things outside of ourselves to be happy. We live in a constant state of comparing ourselves to others, often leading to jealousy, insecurity, and lack of self worth. There's a quote that I love - "The grass isn't always greener on the other side. It's greener where you water and tend to it." We can't live our lives waiting for happiness to come to us, or wishing things were different, or assuming it's just not meant for us. We have to take ownership in the planting, caring, and cultivating of our own gardens. In the words of another great quote, "If we aren't growing, we're dying."

The recipe for successful gardening is not a secret. Following these same steps for ourselves can help us reach goals, live our life's purpose, and lead to happy, fulfilled lives where we bloom.

Weed & Clear - Let's assume you're not starting in a nice, new fresh pot, but rather, wherever you are in the yard. We aren't young children anymore - we've lived life, experienced successes and failures, gains and losses, changes, challenges, traumas, and transformations. We've been shaped by these experiences, and they have had a hand in making us who we are today. So it's important to begin with a little self-study - reflect on where you are in life, what your strengths and weaknesses are, where you've come from, where you're going and where you want to go, what things you wish to sustain and what things you'd like to improve or change. This will help you "assess the yard", your starting point, so you can make decisions going forward to help you thrive. Then we can "weed & clear" - start to remove things in your life that do not align with your goals or truest self. Perhaps that means working to eliminate bad habits, toxic behavior patterns, destructive or hurtful self-talk, avoiding negative people, and creating a more positive and productive environment.

Tend the soil - Once you've reflected on what aligns with your true self and what parts of your life you'd like to grow, we can tend the soil. This is beginning to lay a foundation for change that will support your efforts. As an example, if you were looking to lose weight to get healthy, perhaps "tending the soil" would look like first getting approval from your doctor, then creating a healthy-eating meal plan, finding an exercise program that works for you, joining an online support group of like-minded people, and spending some time doing some intention-setting for your health journey.

Plant the seed - This step speaks for itself. When it comes to growing ourselves, this step can be simplified to one word - BEGIN. Just do it. Take the first step towards change.

Water & Sun - Every plant needs the basic necessities to grow and thrive, such as water and sun. Make sure that your basic needs are being met as well. Regardless of what your goals are, you will have a better chance of achieving them when your body is working at its best and being cared for. These essentials are not new concepts to anyone, yet we all often need the reminders:

• Water - make sure you are staying hydrated

• Food - fuel your body with nutritious foods and try to reduce harmful ones

• Movement - good for our bones, joints, muscles, heart, mood, mental health, and more

• Sun - connect with nature and get out in the sun to get your daily dose of Vitamin D

• Rest - get plenty of sleep each night to maintain health and wellbeing

Fertilize - The essential basics alone usually aren't enough, and we need a little more attention to nourish our souls. This is where self-care comes in. Oftentimes overlooked as a luxury, indulgence, or even a crutch, self-care is regularly dismissed as unnecessary to our health and well-being. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Without self-care, it is an inevitability that we will experience burn-out at some point, unable to keep up with the demands we place on ourselves. This may result in mental or physical health issues, increased stress and anxiety, mood irritability, depression, or worse. It is crucial to make sure that we are making the time to take care of our own needs - placing the oxygen mask on ourselves before we help others. We cannot pour from an empty cup.

Trim & prune - Perhaps you've taken all the steps and are really rockin' & rollin' towards an incredible personal growth milestone or breakthrough. Great! But make sure that we "rinse & repeat". We need to revisit the steps regularly to see if anything has changed, either within ourselves or with our goals. Tweek and make adjustments as necessary. This will allow us to continue to grow and thrive towards our truest selves.

As we embrace the beauty of Spring, let's remember to put that same level of work into ourselves that we do into our gardens. When we put in the time and tend to ourselves, the grass will always be green and lush where we stand, and we will bloom where we are planted into the most beautiful versions of ourselves.