Each of us is like a tiny seed, full of potential and the ability to grow wherever the sun shines best.
‘To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.’ Audrey Hepburn
And to plant the garden of our dreams, we need some reliable tools. They’re all accessible – just look inside yourself.
Begin with a vision. What is it you really want to achieve? Make a wish list. Prioritise the things that are achievable, sustainable and important to just you. This is your garden.
Now nurture your soil by laying a solid foundation. Declutter and create your own systems, Add some self-love by exercising and eating well, then top it off by gaining the skills you need to achieve your vision. This fertile mix will be a strong footing for future growth.
Make sure you’re planting the right seeds for you. If you want to grow giant sunflowers, make sure your sow giant sunflower seeds, but if you want pumpkins – that’s a whole different seed and set of needs. To get the best results, plan ahead.
Look at your growing conditions. We all have different needs to grow and thrive. Assess them. Know your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Look at other plants around you – are they supportive, nurturing, caring? Or do they take over and drain the energy from your soil. Analyse your gardening conditions.
Build boundaries around your garden so you can achieve your vision. Learn to say no to unrewarding commitments, keep negativity at bay and use time-blocks to maintain a distraction-free period of work.
Any garden needs regular tending and maintenance to thrive and yours is no different. Assess what needs to be done consistently and make a schedule. Prune and weed regularly. Remove unwanted, energy-draining stems and weed out unnecessary time-wasters. Be vigilant. Use your gardening instincts to build confidence and be inspired and happy with other gardeners successes.
Now you should have the best possible conditions for a truly magnificent garden. Trust in yourself and allow time for all your endeavours to blossom and bear fruit. Setbacks happen. Pick yourself up and continue. Positive change is a result of overcoming challenges.
It’s time to harvest and reap the rewards of all your hard work. Have you achieved everything you wanted? If not, where did things go wrong? Make the necessary changes and sow another crop.
Continue until all the growing conditions are just perfect for you to become happier, healthier and simply better at whatever you put your mind to.
Be the garden you want to be.
‘We must cultivate our own garden.’ Voltaire
