Making Things Bloom!
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.
So there you have it. A nursery rhyme about Mary growing her garden. And a beautiful garden she grew! How about you? Do you like to grow things? For simplicity sake, lets start with flowers.
I love to grow flowers. In the summer months, I plant and cultivate a beautiful outdoor flower garden each year. But during the cold, snowy winters of Chicago, I grow my own mini flower garden indoors near my kitchen sink in an area where two windows converge. Friends (in dismay) have asked me how I could possibly get my green plants to bloom beautiful flowers in the dead of winter. They tell me I must have a “green thumb”.”Nope,” I respond, “my thumbs are the same color as yours.” 🙂
So why do some people believe that just can’t grow anything–even flowers? You really don’t need technical school to grow flowers. But at a minimum, you do need plants with the potential to bloom, good soil, moderate temperatures/environment, plant food, water and sunlight. And you need to give these plants your attention and patience. Like with most things in life, its a combination of your time, intention, attention and passion which will create energy to grow something or not.
How to best grow a flower garden is not really my message here. But it provides a beautiful example of how you have the ability to develop, formulate, create and grow most anything in your life. Whether you choose to develop a business/company, a relationship, a family, a building, a ministry, a team, or a never-before-thought-of idea, the same basic principles apply. Lets use the garden analogy:
1. First, plant the seed (the idea, the cornerstone, the foundation) in nutrient rich soil.
2. Nourish your seed with water, ambient temperature, sunlight and plant food to enhance germination. (Create the best environment for your idea, relationship, business, team to grow)
Be patient. Nature doesn’t rush or force growth. You can’t either. (A sweet Tweetable!)
3. Check your seedling daily. Observe when it sprouts new leaves, buds and it grows taller. (Pay attention to what you are developing. If something doesn’t look or feel right, consider it a warning sign. Monitor growth and be alert to early signs of potential problems.)
4. Give your plant some TLC. Some folks swear by talking to their plants or playing music nearby. Some will stroke their plants so their touch (positive energy) is given to the plant. (Anything you are developing will need your laser focus and attention. If you really can’t devote the time and energy required to develop and enhance it, delete it from you Life Bucket List…Nothing longstanding is created without an investment of your time and energy.)
5. Observe the gorgeous blooms. When your plant begins to flower, revel in that “green thumb”status! Celebrate. Take pictures! Its nature unfolding before your eyes with its gratitude of a colorful beautiful bloom for yours and others’ enjoyment.(The best measure of success of developing/creating anything is not just your own personal satisfaction, but in the inspiration, motivation and enjoyment you have shared with/given to others. When you can illuminate another’s life (even in the smallest way), you have made an impact much larger than pure ego satisfaction you feel from the accomplishment. This is the key to true success.)
6. And it goes without saying that even after your plants show their colorful flowers, you will need to maintain their health so they can re-flower again and again and again. (Anything you grow/create will need to be cultivated and monitored to ensure it will continue to thrive and be productive and fruitful.)
So “thumbs up” to growing your next garden, relationship, business or idea. If you have the passion (desire), good intention and ability to give it your attention, it will bloom like crazy. Heck, who knows, you may even own your own greenhouse one day!
Best wishes on growing ANYthing!
xoxox
~Pam~
Keep Living Life Passionately!
