I am so not a gardener. I am not inspired by gardening, I don’t dream about gardening and I really don’t even enjoy gardening. I do, however, love looking at beautiful gardens, I love walking through gardens and I love sitting in our backyard, that Laura has so wonderfully tended to, and enjoying the sounds, the smells, the calmness and the serenity. I just don’t want to be the person who does the backbreaking work to get it to that condition.
You see, to me it is backbreaking work, because that is my only experience with gardening. Anytime I have gone to work in a garden is because of necessity, not choice. It’s because I have let the garden get so overgrown with plants, weeds and rubbish, over such a long period of time through indifference, that it is no longer a simple and enjoyable pastime, instead it’s a horrendously tedious and painful chore. I do it only when I have to, but most of the time I avoid it like the plague. Laura, on the other hand, loves spending time in the garden and turning it into a place of beauty and serenity. For that I am very grateful.
Laura has a simple secret for her success as a gardener, and why she is able to enjoy it on a regular basis. It’s because, unlike me and many people I suspect, she pulls the weeds out as she goes. On a regular basis, maybe not daily but certainly weekly, she is scanning the garden and pulling out the weeds as she sees them, before they become monsters. Me, on the other hand won’t even notice weeds until one day, when the house is almost grown over with weeds, branches and bushes of every variety, I will say, ‘I think that needs some attention.’
Have you ever tried weeding and cleaning a garden that is overgrown and has turned into a jungle? Thankfully, it’s not something I have to do too often, but when I have, it’s been torture. For hours you pull weeds, get cut by grass and stabbed by thorns and then, when you stand up to look at the great work you have just done, there is hardly a scratch on the surface of the wilderness that is the backyard, yet, your hands are covered with cuts, scratched and grazes. When it comes to stuff I love, I will devote hours, days and even years to its pursuit. When it comes to chopping my way through a wayward, weed infested garden, I have no tolerance or staying power. I leave it for a few more months for the weeds I have pulled to grow back and even more to join them.
So clearly, the secret to a beautiful garden is not to leave it to a once a year backbreaking chore, but, turn it into a daily weeding and tidying process. It’s much easier to deal with the weeds that grow in one day, than it is to fight with the monster that has developed over an entire year. The bonus for you, this week, is that I’m giving you tips about how to look after your garden. Although, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, this blog is not about the garden outside, but the one between your ears.
Eliminate negative thoughts one day at a time…
The most fertile place in the world lies in the 6 inches between your ears. This lush garden bed has the potential of growing thoughts into any reality possible and helping you create the most amazing life you can dream of. It is also very vulnerable to the weeds of negative thoughts and beliefs which can easily grow into a forest of failure and frustration. The key is to be able to do the weeding, one day at a time, so that the negative thoughts don’t grow out of control and take a hold of your life. Now, if they have taken a hold and you feel like you are stuck or going backwards in life, then now is the perfect time to start the weeding process, Are you with me?
It’s almost a new year, and it’s another fresh start for you, if you choose to make it one. You can make 2019 anything you want, as long as you clean out the overgrown jungle of weeds that may have over-taken your mind. Step number one, whether you like it or not, is to spend some time clearing the junk and preparing your heart and mind for success. To do this, I want to help by offering you a NY’s gift. If you click here you will find a 60-minute video and some downloadable sheets to help you plan success and clear your mind for 2019. I would encourage you to set aside 90-minutes in the next couple of days to get the weeding over and done with, and, the plan in place.
The next step is pretty simple, just commit to taking the simple daily actions, you have decided upon, every single day, whether you feel like it, want to or not. This can be challenging, but it is very simple. The only reason why you may not stick to the course of action you have set yourself is because you have allowed the negative weeds start to grow back in your mind. So, I want to help you create a daily weeding strategy to ensure that your mind stays fertile, and the proper thoughts and actions grown into amazing success for you in 2019. How does that sound?
If you were focussed on your garden each day, every time you saw a weed you would say, ‘That weed doesn’t belong here’ and you would simply pull it out, right? The same thing can be done with your thoughts, if you are focussed on them every single day. Let’s say your goal for 2019, is to create better well-being for yourself. You have set a goal and decide upon some daily actions you need to turn into habits. As you are about to get up for your walk or run, if a thought comes into your head like, ‘I’m tired, I think I’ll give it a miss today.’ You can identify it as a weed and say, ‘That thought doesn’t belong here.’ Then you can simply replace it with, ‘I can’t wait to go for my walk/run because I know how great I will feel when it’s done.’
If later in the day, you are tempted by a muffin and think, ‘One muffin won’t kill me, and I don’t want to offend anyone.’ You will recognise it as a weed and say, ‘That thought doesn’t belong here.’ Then you can simply replace it with, ‘I would much rather have some fruit, because it will help me achieve my goals.’ Do you get the idea? When you do this on a daily basis, you will easily keep your garden clear of weeds and your mind fertile, positive and productive. This same strategy can and should be applied to every aspiration you have in any area of your life.
You truly are destined for great things, just as your garden is destined to be full of beautiful native plants and flowers. The only things that will stop you achieving your goals for 2019 and beyond are the weeds that you allow to grow in your mind. If they go unchecked, and they overgrow you will find yourself, this time next year, wondering why nothing changed. If you choose to do the weeding every single day, then your mind will stay clear, focussed, positive and will lead you to your best year so far and a future where anything is possible, and everything is probable. Keep the weeds clear each and every day.