Now that Puxsutawney Phil has officially predicted an early spring, it’s time to start thinking about the warmer days ahead. As March approaches, we can begin to envision longer days, warmer mornings, and the sound of birds singing. But what I most look forward to this spring is playing in the garden.
Working in the yard can be such a peaceful activity. For me, gardening is therapeutic. Not only does it provide relaxation, but it also inspires and motivates me. Perhaps that’s because of the immediate gratification that comes from cleaning up the numerous broken sticks embedded into the wet dirt, freeing up the baby grass to emerge from the ground. Or, maybe it’s the sweet smell of the tiny buds from the early blooming trees. All I know is that as soon as that first daffodil pops its head out of last year’s mulch, I’m ready to put on my gardening gloves and head outdoors.
Yet this euphoric feeling of spring being just around the corner doesn’t only center on gardening. As the days of winter begin to wind down, we often feel an urge to get other things to grow in life, not just the plants outside. This is more about releasing limiting beliefs and seeing what happens when the sun falls upon our more open-minded attitude. It’s as if all of the sudden the promise of spring opens our vision to other possibilities. The world looks brighter, cheerier, and surprisingly sparkly. As the icy and snowy memories fade into sweet smelling, warm early spring days, we feel alive and ready for the next step. It’s the perfect time to plant our seeds.
No doubt winter wears us out. The limited sun, long and dark nights spent binge watching Netflix while eating chips and drinking wine will eventually get us. Yet, when we can actually go for a walk after dinner, watch a child’s baseball game, or even see the sun setting just as we leave an evening yoga class, well that just changes things, opens the door for new beginnings, and perhaps even alters how we see the world around us. I think that we are all anxiously awaiting spring.
For the past several months I’ve been so focused on publishing and marketing Learning to Bend, that I haven’t been thinking about what’s afterwards. But now I am able to pause and ask myself some questions. How do I want to spend the next several weeks/months? What’s flowing well in my life and what isn’t? What do I want to change? Where can I grow? What are my seeds, and how am I going to plant them?
Certainly, there are phases in life when we don’t have time to push the pause button. We must continue full steam ahead because there really are no other options. But when we have the space to slow down – and perhaps plant some seeds – I believe that it serves us well to do so. This pause permits us to take note of the things that are working, as well as what is missing. It allows us to consider doing things differently.
That’s where I’m at right now. And to be honest, I’m really excited and ready for the creative juices to begin flowing so I can return to the draft of the next book. The thought of sitting in coffee houses, headphones on, an almond latte by my side, deep in thought as I furiously type away on my laptop sounds exciting - so does getting into a better yoga routine, pushing harder during workouts, and trying healthy recipes for dinner. Plus, I want to learn something new, read more, and go to the movies.
Now is the time to begin planning our gardens so we can later watch them bloom. Of course, not all of our plants will survive. Some of these seeds will never even germinate. Still, we can intentionally scatter our intentions around us, knowing that certain ideas will flourish and become beautiful beyond belief.
So, what seeds do you that you want to plant? Start by identifying what is working in your life as well as what isn’t. Then pause for a moment to wonder and become curious. What changes do you want to make? Where can you grow?
These last weeks of winter are the perfect time to plan our spring gardens, creating a space to nurture and cultivate the beautiful possibilities of tomorrow. Let’s all plant those seeds and then wait with wonderous eyes as our dreams begin to blossom.
