Sow Many Seeds
As we embrace an unconventional "winter" season, I am eager to start my spring garden. Although the bulbs are beginning to emerge from the ground, I am maintaining a balanced "anticipating spring" mindset, despite usually being an early adopter of spring fever. I am preparing for more winter while simultaneously putting things in place for the upcoming spring.
We have tapped our sugar maple trees, and I have started our first seeds—onions, peppers, and some slower-growing herbs such as rosemary. With much more to come!
I relish these seasonal tasks that keep me connected to nature, serving as physical reminders of time in motion. Engaging in these activities also provides my mind with the space to wander. As I immerse myself back into the world of seeds, I can’t help but contemplate the seeds we sow in our personal lives.
Much like the intentional variety I plant for my future garden, it prompts me to reflect on how I sow seeds in my personal life. Am I sowing various seeds to encompass my diverse interests and connections, or am I choosing a "mono-crop," focusing solely on one narrow aspect of my life? (Perhaps it's time to branch out a bit more.) What about you?
When it comes to your personal "garden," are you planting a wide assortment of seeds, or are you stuck in a "mono-crop" mindset? If your time is predominantly spent in one area, ask yourself what aspects of yourself you might be leaving behind.
Life is multi-dimensional, and nurturing all the essential elements of your identity will lead to a greater sense of peace and ease. How you deliberately spend your time shapes the life you are living.
Remember, we choose what is important to us. We choose what we value. And we choose the measuring sticks with which we measure our value and self-worth.
Invest in yourself across a wide range of areas. If you love music, attend concerts. Learn to play an instrument. Share your knowledge with others.
When you travel, invest in the cultures. Learn a new language. Connect with new people.
Make time for both old and new friends. Be open to expanding your social circles by joining new groups or investing in your community. Get involved in something—sports, fundraising, starting a side business, going back to school, volunteering. Expand your hobbies to engage in all the seasons of your life.
Take time off to rejuvenate. Practice meditation. Get to know yourself.
Explore not just to fill the time, but to genuinely care about each experience. Invest in all the facets of who you are. Sow a myriad of seeds, and watch as the garden of your life grows in abundance.
Have you read The Blue Zones? Dan Buettner travels the world searching for the secrets of living a long and healthy life. It is now a documentary on Netflix. Individuals who live long lives tend to stay fully engaged in life well into their 100’s. Sow many seeds (and eat lots of veggies). ;)
