How Does Your Garden Grow?
As spring approaches, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening. Whether it’s a flower garden they desire or a vegetable garden want to have, they begin planning what they’ll plant and what they need to do to ensure a successful garden.
Gardening is also a nice metaphor for our wellness. There are three things that one can do with a garden. They can observe it; they can pull out the weeds; and they can plant the things they desire. Those three things are what we also need to do to enhance our wellness.
When it comes to our well-being, observing is fundamental. Also known as self-reflection, observation involves noticing things about ourselves that are good and not so good. Observation includes thinking about what we might want to do less of and what we might want to do more of. Often, we’re on automatic pilot, doing what we always do and following default ways of living and relating to others. Our beliefs, assumptions, and biases, as well as our good and bad habits, go unnoticed – that is, until we engage in some observation and self-reflection. Feedback from others might also aide that process.
Once we’ve observed our “garden”, the we can decide what weeds we need to pull and what things we want to plant to create a garden that truly benefits us and blesses others. Whatever work that requires will be well worth it!