How Does Your Garden Grow?

I glanced at the small garden area of my yard the other day, fantasizing about what I will soon be planting. Even if spring has not found its way to your corner of the world, perhaps you have noticed an opening bud or new green leaves popping up somewhere.

I’ve always thought gardening and creativity had a lot in common. Both require planning, preparation, getting your hands dirty, planting seeds, watering, feeding, sunshine, and waiting.  Consider these ideas:

Planning
Before you begin growing your garden, it would be wise to figure out what it is you want to plant. Do you want a vegetable garden? Do you want flowers in your garden? How much sun and water will your plants require? Before you begin a creative project like sewing a new dress you will need to decide what type of dress you want to make. What type of fabric will you need? Will the dress be formal or casual?

Preparation
Once you have decided what you want to plant, you will need to prepare. You might need to visit your local nursery to get packets of seeds or small plants to put into the ground. Before you begin to paint, you will need to have your supplies in order. You will need to visit your local art store. What kind of canvas will you need? Will you be painting with oil, pastels, or water color?

Get Your Hands Dirty
At some point you will need to dig in the ground and get your hands dirty. You will need to remove rocks and weeds that are in your way. At some point you will need to sit down and start writing that novel. You will need to deal with your writing blocks and critical voice.

Plant the Seeds
You will soon need to carefully plant seeds or seedlings in the ground, while not knowing for sure how long it will take before they begin to sprout. You will need to trust that your plants will grow. When you write, you have to begin putting down words, not knowing if they actually make sense. You will need to trust your creative process.

Nurturing
You will need to nurture your plants. You will need time to weed, water, and feed your plants. If you neglect them or do not protect them, they will die.     You will need to nurture your creative process, take care of yourself and protect your work or it too, will die.

Waiting
Perhaps the most difficult part of both planting a garden and doing creative work is waiting for the plants to grow and for creative work to evolve. Love and patience are required.

This spring, if you have an opportunity to plant even a small garden, love the process of both the sowing and reaping. As you create, love the process of creation as well.

Take good care,

 

If you find yourself wanting some support or help in clearing your garden, contact me for an informative discovery session via phone or in person. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

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