Let Go and Let’s Grow
The end of last year was a blur, but I’m back with the weekly blog and hope you’re as glad to be reading this as I am glad to be writing it.
I have to admit, I struggle a bit with this time of year, when marketing campaigns seem to be trying to squeeze every last ounce of the sales cycle. I ran errands yesterday and alongside all of the 2022 planners and workout equipment for the New-Years-resolution crowd, I saw gardening tools already on the shelves. I have to admit, again, that I felt a surge of anxiety.
A New Year’s Day icicle forms on my garden trellis.
It’s only the first week of January, and while I am gearing up for a busy installation season, I am still relishing my quiet time inside. I love sitting by the fireplace, reading cookbooks and novels, watching the snow fall. I have a seed catalog sitting on my desk, but I’m not quite ready to crack it open. Maybe next week, but right now, I’m letting my mind go elsewhere. After all, gardening is part of my lifestyle, not my whole life. That’s my goal for every person on this planet, to incorporate gardening into their lifestyle, not become a homesteader.
That’s the point of this week’s blog - let’s let go of all the expectations we already feel behind on for 2022. Let go of the judgement, the comparison, and just set an intention that you can inhabit in different ways. I’ll go first.
My intention for 2022 is to incorporate play more in my life. I’ve always taken myself very seriously, but I want to spend this year nurturing my inner child in ways that let me get out of my head and into my body. The garden, for me, is a place where I feel very comfortable doing this. It’s a safe space to play, to fail, to try again, to be in awe of nature’s capacity for growth. I plan to do this in other areas of my life, too, like taking dance classes again or completing a watercolor workbook.
The garden is a place where a lot of intentions can be fostered in a truly safe and meaningful way. If your intention for the year is to be healthier, spend more time outside, engage with your community, eat more vegetables, move your body, learn new things, live more sustainably … well, growing a garden can be a truly actionable way to accomplish that.
If you have an intention you’re setting for 2022, I hope you’ll share it with me. I’d love to help you find ways to incorporate a garden into your life to meet you where you are and help you let go of your expectations and find ways to grow in a meaningful and mindful way. Send me an email below with your intention for 2022, and we can keep checking in.