By Dr. Elizabeth King, LCSW, CHt
It’s officially spring – we’ve moved the clocks forward, packed away the winter clothes, and are ready for the fresh season with joy and anticipation. We’ve had time to take stock since the turn of the year; and our New Year’s resolutions have had time to either become reality or wither on the vine. What’s next?
This is when we need to revisit our goals, reset them if we aren’t moving forward, and take advantage of the good things in our lives. It’s easy to drift, or to stagnate; it’s harder to dig in and start turning over new earth, to find a sense of direction and purpose.
How does your garden grow?
Spring is traditionally about rebirth and growth. Don’t lose sight of the fact that you are always a work in progress – no garden is ever truly “finished”, it can only cycle with the seasons, becoming more lush and beautiful each year.
Are you tending your personal garden? It’s time to take stock of the earth you grow in, the amount of shade and sun you receive, and whether or not you can benefit from the rainy days instead of being washed away.
- Weed your garden. Spring is a great time to get rid of the influences in your life that hold you back – or worse, choke the life out of you until you can’t breathe. Evaluate friendships and prune away bad, unhealthy relationships.
- Fertilize your garden. Surround yourself with people who feed you only the best things – the ideas that nourish, and the support that makes both you and them stronger. Sometimes fertilizer smells bad. Constructive criticism is like compost – hard to take in, but ultimately enriching far more than you could have imagined!
- Water your garden. Tears of joy and tears of sorrow both have a purpose. Don’t forget to allow yourself your feelings – whatever they may be. Only by experiencing them can they soak down to your roots, making you stronger and then dissipating into the ground around you.
- Mulch your garden. There’s no shame in accepting help or seeking it out. Look for those who bring out the best in you, and who provide a buffer when things seem to much to handle on your own. There are times when all of us feel the need to hunker down under a comforting blanket and recharge our batteries.
Without self-care and self-love, you can’t flower, and without flowering you can’t pollinate others and help them reach their true potential. The time for action is now, so grab your shades, gloves, and sunhat, and make your garden grow!
Spring time is the perfect time to put on that Lipstick Attitude and live a SASSY life. Who’s with me?
