Enjoying the Harvest

Planting a garden can be a very rewarding and sometimes disappointing endeavor.  One sets aside the land, container or greenhouse and begins making plans.  What will I enjoy eating, preserving, cooking, freezing, sharing…  As one looks at all the possibilities for the garden, the process becomes very exciting.  I can plant 5 varieties of lettuce?  How many different types of beans are there?  Tomatoes come in different sizes?

The journey of tending the garden has its ups and downs… too cold, too hot, no water, too much water, weeding, fertilizing, thinning, sunshine, rain…  The garden is exposed to elements we have no control over, and yet, we trust the plants will grow and bear fruit.

As the bounty is ready to be harvested, one may notice some plants did extremely well while others were less plentiful.  If I focus on those plants which failed to produce to my expectations, I can be disappointed…  the if only’s, the what if’s, the self-criticism regarding the attention I gave them starts to kick in.  I end up focusing on the lack instead of turning around and seeing the bounty in the rest of my garden.

When you look at your own garden of life, do you notice where you place your attention?  Does the lack and self criticism kick in or do you look at the successes – the bounty? 

During times of financial challenges, it is often easy to look at the lack and begin to feel the effects of this negative energy.   When one turns around and looks at the bounty the energy changes – look at your harvest and be in gratitude for all the choices you have made and nurtured in your life.

Some crops do fail and that’s part of life.  When we focus on them our experiences are negative.  When we are thankful for the lessons learned in tending them, we can begin to look at the next step on the journey.  We can choose to plant a new garden knowing what obstacles to avoid and embracing the wisdom which created the bounty.  As I focus on my successes, my energy increases and new choices emerge.  I release the fear and trust…

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Today I

Release the need to control the outcome
Trust the process of life
Celebrate my successes
Am grateful for all the blessings in my life

And so it is…

Liz Robitaille is an internationally recognized Louise L. Hay teacher and founder of Wisdom is Within Coaching.  She can be reached at 877-986-5321 or liz@wisdomiswithin.com

This column is available for syndication.