Pulling the Weeds, Growing my Garden! (of Life)

I had a major Aha Moment today.  After pulling weeds out of my garden, I came inside to wash my hands.  Though I wear gloves while gardening, I still needed to wash my hands. As the water was running from my faucet, I was looking out my window at my garden…and IT hit me.  I just pulled the weeds out of my garden and I need to pull the weeds out of my life!  Here’s what I mean:

Weeds grow and they steal the water and soil nutrients around the vegetables and fruits and flowers that you actually want to grow.  One or two weeds might not seem like a major problem, but they will manifest into a major problem if you don’t get rid of them.  If you ignore the weeds, more and more will grow; and they will take away the nutrients and water that the fruits, vegetables, and flowers need in order to thrive. 

And, in that moment, in my kitchen while cleaning off my gloves and hands, I realized that I need to get another type of weed out of my life…Negative Thoughts and Negative People!  As much as we all try to live a happy life, we can never be perfect. Bills frustrate us, sick kids worry us, family drama annoy us, etc.  Our life is filled with wonderful moments that we relish and enjoy; yet, there are days where something happens and we are drained.  We could be having a great day, playing with our children, watching a movie with friends, enjoying a dinner date with our spouse, driving from a successful coupon saving grocery shopping spree when out of nowhere, something tries to destroy that amazing moment.  The kids start fighting over a toy, a topic of gossip comes up in conversation that you wish you didn’t hear, or you park your car in the garage only to realize you forgot to buy diapers (and you know you just used your last one before you left the house to go grocery shopping)!  There goes your mood!  Now your day is officially a nightmare!  And anyone in your path is sure to suffer.

But, wait…those are just weeds…ones you need to just cut and throw out.  So, how do I do that?

cucumbers

Suggest a different toy or game or movie for the kids so they aren’t so focused on that one toy. Or, take out a stop watch and teach a lesson in sharing by having the kids only play for a minute each with the toy. Turn the car back on and drive back to the store, or pat yourself on the back for having an extra bag of diapers hidden in the closet, just for these emergencies.  Call your spouse or text a message to please get a box of diapers on the way home from work.  And, that gossip?  Who will benefit from that nonsense?  No one.  Switch the subject, especially to something more interesting or funny.

In other words, Breathe and Refocus yourself to the good parts.  Your life was fine until this bad moment…so take out the darn weed and get rid of it.  Don’t ignore it or walk away from it.  Find a solution RIGHT NOW and don’t let it annoy you a second longer than necessary.  Show yourself and your kids and friends and spouse that you can deal with a little setback effectively with awesome problem solving tricks. 

basil

Don’t just walk past that garden and shake your head at the new weed that just popped up overnight. Pull it out right away!  Get rid of it.  Trust me, if you don’t, the weed’s best friend and the entire clique will join that darn little weed in a day or two.  Then it will really frustrate you!

So, all those people who say something negative or don’t believe in your dreams, goals, aspirations, THEY are the weeds in your garden of life.  Don’t allow someone’s negativity to bring down your positivity.  Prove to yourself that you are a success and your ideas are awesome. If they work, awesome; if they don’t, then you will modify them. You will learn from your mistakes.  But if you allow these weeds to control your life, will you ever learn anything?  Will you ever improve?  Will you ever succeed? 

strawberries

This afternoon, I’m enjoying a salad with all the ingredients from my own garden: lettuce, cucumbers, green onions, sweet onions, peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries.  (Yes, my hubby found a way to protect the garden so no animal gets to it. And, believe me it was a lot of trial and error.  But we wouldn’t have a garden if he just gave up on it.) If I allowed the naysayers to change my mind about anything, I wouldn’t have half of what I have.  And, guess what.  I felt like a salad today.  I didn’t go to my fridge nor did I have to get the kids buckled into the car and drive to the store and try to figure out the best prices for the healthiest produce.  I stepped outside, picked the vegetables and fruit I wanted in my salad, washed them off in my sink, cut them up, and enjoyed a deliciously healthy salad.  Oh, I saw a few weeds as I was picking through my garden.  Do you know what I did?  I pulled them out and got rid of them. 

Life is too short to worry and be upset.  Do your best and stay positive.  Get rid of the weeds before they take away the great out of you (like water and nutrients).  Enjoy life and smile.  You definitely deserve it!

  Questions: 

1. What is a goal you want to achieve this year? Why is it so important to you?
2. How will you make sure no one's negativity (even your own, sometimes) will stop you from accomplishing your goal?

Get Rid of the Life-Sucking Weeds and Grow your Genius Goal!  

We can celebrate your success  together...SOON!