How will you live this one life that was entrusted to you?

The Wind, One Brilliant Day

The wind, one brilliant day, called

To my soul with an odor of jasmine.

‘In return for the odor of my jasmine,

I’d like the odor of your roses.’

‘I have no roses; all the flowers in my garden are dead.’

‘Well then, I’ll take the withered petals

And the yellow leaves and the waters of the fountain.’

The wind left. And I wept. And I said to myself:

‘What have you done with the garden that was entrusted to you?’

-Antonio Machado

It’s a hard realization that many of us let the gardens of our lives go unnurtured and our dreams unrealized.

We let the weeds grow. We allow them to steal nutrients and sunlight from the flowers we most cherish. We don’t take responsibility for our actions and neglect to assess or tend to our garden’s basic needs.

Where do we begin?

Say no to avoiding it.

Say yes to embracing it.  

Lean into the discomfort and go straight to the garden of your life to find out.  

Pause. Breathe. Reflect. Discern.

• Take time to assess the condition of the garden of your life. Where does it need care?

• Identify and remove the weeds that are not serving you. These might be thoughts, beliefs, relationships, or actions that steal the time and energy that was meant for you, those you love, and your higher purpose.

• Set healthy boundaries by saying yes to the things that energize and lift you up, and no to the things that don’t.

• Nurture yourself with positive mindsets and balanced relationships.

• Practice enjoyable physical activity and refreshing sleep.

• Thrive by feeding your mind, body, and soul with the nourishment it needs.

• Make time in your life to stop doing and simply be.

Just like tending the garden, take it one weed at a time and give consistent attention and care to what brings you joy.

How will you provide yourself with a fertile base of self-care to grow from?

How will you live this one life that was entrusted to you?