March is about the time when those of us in wintery climates begin to get spring fever, at least... I have it bad. This year I want to plant a "pot garden" (meaning plants in pots, not pot plants, ha!), so I'm thinking ahead to when I should plant, what to plant, etc. I think about the foods I want to have later this year and what I will use them for, and I'll be working backwards on a plan of planting action.
Life is actually a lot like this process. We all have things we want to change about who we are, things we want to improve in or develop more. We have thoughts like, "I'd love to do that someday," or "I hope I'm like her when I'm older," or "I wish I could get better at this." It can be easy to have a disconnect between the "future me" and the "present me," especially in light of life developments that may take a long time or have lots of steps to get to the goal. It can be simple to relegate our hopes of becoming better to a future wish instead of a present possibility.
But we just can't say, "I would love to have a peach tree in the yard," and ten years later, magically, one appears. We all know that's ridiculous to expect that! Yet, for some reason, we expect our character to be like that. We expect that, magically, somewhere down the road, we'll be a healthier, happier, stronger, kinder person all of a sudden. Like a peach tree, today we have to plant the seeds of who we want to be if we expect to actually become that person in the future.
"But a peach pit sure ain't no peach tree!" some of you may say. That's true. And it's true in life. I am not suddenly going to become wealthy when I decide to buy a cheaper coffee today. However, the perk of starting with a character "peach pit," as humble and small as it may seem, is that the peach pit has the potential to become a tree. There is no tree without the seed.
So this month we'll be working on planting character "peach pits," those small steps we oftentimes dismiss as not being enough or even worthy of effort because they're such a humble start. (You know, "Only a 15 minute workout? What good will that even do? I'll wait 'til I have an hour a day to start it.") I'll have simple projects and small challenges that will hopefully jump start personal growth for you guys and help you plant a "peach pit" for who you want to be down the road.
What are some character traits or skills you really want to be better in, but you just haven't begun (or kept up the momentum)? Is there a small "peach pit" step you've dismissed as not being good enough for a real start?
P.S. I'm still figuring out my wardrobe woes, but hopefully I'll have some helpful tips and updates on it soon!
I love this perspective! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! We are a society of impatient people and we want results right now. That's just not how life works, and realizing that is something that we all need to experience to really grasp. Thank you for this reminder!
ReplyDeleteThis is so inspiring and so very, very true. It's so easy to look blind to the future and forget that we can't just wake up and get there, we must go step by step. We must plant those seeds, take baby steps towards our goals.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the one thing I would like to get better at is getting up earlier in the morning. I'm always the last one up, but I always say it's because I have nothing to do. But you know what, I think I am going to plant that peach pit and make something for myself to do. I am going to do it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement dear!
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
boyerfamilysingersblog.com
Yes, very true! I am working on trying to make small progress each day. Healthy eating and exercise are always a task to work on for me, and I am always trying to learn new skills and improve old ones.
ReplyDeleteWonderful analogy. I think one thing that I've been really struggling with is to take days off from work by choice (aka, not just because my health knocks me off my feet entirely). It seems so simple and straightforward, but for a natural born workaholic like me (who actually tends to enjoy big work loads and lots of challenges), it's anything but.
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica