Welcome to The LIFT
Let me know you were here by liking this post, leaving a comment + sharing it with your friends! If you haven’t subscribed, click the “Subscribe Now” button below for a weekly pick me up. A new issue comes out every Sunday + will be delivered right to your inbox. You can read previous issues here.
HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?
When I was out running this week, I saw landscapers out pulling weeds from the hillside shrubbery. I hadn’t even noticed the weeds were there until I saw how many had been collected + stacked on the sidewalk. As I continued running, I could now see that there were weeds sprouting up everywhere.
I am not a skilled gardener, but I do know that ‘nature abhors a vacuum’ + if there’s an open space, a weed will crop up. They seem to appear overnight + they proliferate so quickly. If you don’t remove them at the root, they will completely take over - eventually squeezing out all of the other plants.
SPRING HAS SPRUNG
The whole scene got me thinking about life + how it feels like spring in so many ways right now - weeds included. The pandemic has been a ‘winter’ of sorts. It forced us into hibernation. We’ve been living off the things we had stored up. Holding tight until the weather changed.
Now, we are emerging into the sunlight. Buzzing around a bit aimlessly. Excited about new opportunities, but not sure where the next sprout will appear. Things are changing + growing up around us. It’s hard to stay grounded + focused.
Maybe you set out at the beginning of the year with some clear intentions, goals + resolutions. You wanted to go into 2022 with a clear focus on certain areas of your life.
You were starting to gain momentum, but suddenly you notice a big weed in your life garden. Where did THAT come from?
TAKE A STEP BACK
I can’t believe we are already into the second quarter of the year. Nothing in life is slowing down. It just moves faster.
It’s a good time to step back for a moment. Do you remember what you set out to grow in your life’s garden this year? What crop are you focused on? Health. Finances. Relationships. Legacy. What seeds have you planted? What weeds need to get removed before they take over?
Maybe you set out to grow something new this year + you are tending to small seedlings of new growth.
Maybe you set out to maintain an already mature garden that just needs pruning + protection.
If you take a minute + look around, I bet you will see a weed or two sprouting up. It’s just that season. Crazy stuff appears in crazy places. It pops up out of nowhere + next thing you know, it has taken over.
So - give yourself a moment to scan the hillside. Are weeds cropping up that you hadn’t noticed? Distractions from your goals? Threats to your open space? Do you need a reset?
YOUR MISSION:
Take a moment with yourself to check-in. What needs to be removed to give space to your priorities? What needs to be planted to keep the weeds at bay? Are you thriving or does everything feel a bit out of control? Where can you be a better gardener for yourself?
RESOURCES:
READ: Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again | Johann Hari
READ: Why There’s Never Been a Better Time for Reinvention | Thrive Global
READ: 5 Everyday Habits That Make You Age Faster | Victor Mong
READ: Pivoting at every age! How to do it well. | Stacey Lindsay
IN SUMMARY:
It is SO easy to get distracted these days. There is always something popping up. I like to set little reminders for myself each quarter. To check back in on my goals. To make sure my calendar is full of things that support those goals. It’s amazing how quickly it can all get off course. But, with a little intention + constant weeding you can see the growth. Little by little. This can be an incredible season of life if we take advantage of the changing landscape + stay focused on what we want to harvest down the road.
See you next week?
NOTE: For those of you following my 50 Coffee Adventure, I am loving the whole process so far. If you haven’t booked coffee with me yet, let’s get it on the calendar!