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I started gardening last year. Now, if you know me, you know that I have never been much of a green thumb. 2020 was my year to get my hands dirty. My aunt and I actually used to joke about who'd kill a supposedly indestructible house plant first. It was a 50/50 toss up between us, for sure. So, you could imagine her surprise when I called her last spring and told her I was taking up gardening. What prompted this sudden change?
Well, the COVID lockdown gave me time to pursue and learn something new and I desperately needed to get grounded. If I was being honest, it was more the latter. With all the upheaval in the world and uncertainty, I plunged my hands into the earth and learned how to grow, to bloom where I'd been planted as the saying goes. The world was upside down, I had lost my job and I needed to grasp onto something tangible. I chose dirt.
I even recruited my husband, who's handy and loves a project. He made me a beautiful garden to house my ambitious plans. Yep. I never do anything small. I went to Lowe's and got my supplies, outfitted and ready I thought, this is going to be epic. Talk about organic eating! I had visions of natures bounty filling our plates and how rewarding it would be to see the fruits of my labor. Literally.
I planted herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, lettuce, squashes, strawberries, watermelons, peppers, pumpkins and broccoli. Some crops did better than others. Even the squirrels and birds enjoyed their fair share. I planted hydrangeas, snapdragons, roses, & marigolds. The yard became our sanctuary and Lowe's our new date night spot.
The most valuable lesson I learned by starting my garden is that of intention sprinkled with a little trust. Honestly, when I began the intention was to learn. My son was taking Agricultural Science class and since we were in our first ever attempt at home schooling, I was bound and determined to make this an interactive experience. Nope. He was definitely not into it.
I thought my daughter would be interested. After all, she loves being outside. She was more open to it than my son for sure, especially when the first signs of growth began to sprout. However, she was more interested in the eating than getting her hands dirty. As for my husband, he was clear from the beginning, "I'll build you whatever you want babe, but after that you're on your own."
My first go was a bit chaotic and I didn't realize how much preparation it required. Things like, what to plant when and where and next to which companions. How much water, sunshine and shade each tender plant needed. My intention was to learn, and learn I did.
I made a ton of mistakes. Discovered all kinds of creepy crawly things and yes, encountered a frog or two. Warning! I am 100% deathly phobic of frogs. I know, I know...That's another post all together. Nonetheless, I was bound and determined to face my fears and enjoy fresh produce from my backyard. I learned that with just a bit of daily attention, sunshine and water, my plants flourished. Given the right conditions, there was very little I needed to do. I just needed to give my daily attention and care. I learned that not all plants cohabitate well and that like people, some get along better than others, some are bossy, stubborn, overbearing and most are resilient.
Planting the seeds of intention in you life is the same and requires daily attention and care to your "why". The intention of the seed when planted is come into its fullest expression. It is patient and determined. The seed takes root in the dark depths of the soil, unseen, yet thriving. So too, does our seed of intention grow in the vortex on an energetic level. The more we trust the process and support our growth with daily attention, the more flow we begin to experience. Our deepest desires take root and inspire our curiosities to learn and express our true nature. What brings us joy, moves us forward and lifts us up keeps us grounded and purpose driven. To be true to our nature all we need is fertile soil, sunshine, water. So, basically we're plants. Just because you can't see growth above the surface, doesn't mean miracles aren't happening. Then boom! Growth. Stay true to your intention and trust that what you have nurtured will yield a rich harvest.
The garden was about me. It was my soul's expression in an outward way of the care and tending I'd been craving. It was a way for me to unplug, do the planting work, and let Mother Nature do the rest. It was the perfect metaphor for this season of my life. Then one day, while talking to friend on Facetime in the garden, totally freaking out about what I was going to do about leaping into the unknown and facing my fears, I looked around at what I had planted, what I had created. I decided then and there, that I was going to start my coaching business. Bloom where I was planted, indeed. If the world was making a quick pivot into a new order, I was going to reinvent myself as well.
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