The Secrets I Learned from the Soil in my Backyard

It’s no secret that throughout the pandemic, many people became overwhelmed with anxiety, homeschooling and working from home. They experienced total burnout, quit their jobs or both. Arianna Huffington recently wrote about this, citing one expert who described this experience as post-traumatic COVID disorder (PTCD).

Slowly, we have begun redefining success and ourselves. For many of us, that meant tapping into inner peace and joy.

I recently took up a new hobby: gardening. I figured it would be the ideal way to relax and add more Zen into my life. There’s something very soothing about plunging your hands into the earth and watching beautiful things grow.

Here are 10 things I learned about how tending my garden helped me tend to my soul.

1. Garden beds infested with weeds rob flowers of their health.
2. Getting to the root of the problem requires pulling out weeds by their roots, which reduces further onset of weed infestation.
3. Weeding is not a one-time fix. It requires ongoing care so your garden can grow.
4. The best way to stop weeds from spreading is prevention: Be proactive by applying a thick layer of mulch, which also holds valuable moisture and nutrients in the soil.
5. Self-care is just like garden care. Many of the root causes of disease can be prevented through lifestyle changes: healthy eating, sleep hygiene, exercise and mindfulness practice.
6. Don’t over-populate your garden by filling every space with flowers. Grow into your garden. Grow with your garden. Allow space for flowers to flourish.
7. Cultivating some empty space – in your garden and in your mind – allows your plants to breathe and thrive. Less is more; when you de-clutter your garden or your mind, you’re allowing yourself to flourish.
8. Flowers are resilient. There’s no such thing as a gardening mistake. If your garden becomes over-crowded, then you can divide plants and move them to another spot to begin again. Just as many of us have had to do during the pandemic, flowers can pivot!
9. Build and tend to your garden over time: My first year, I planted perennials. The following spring, I added annuals, and this year, I’ve added planters and sculptures to give my outdoor space a more whimsical look.
10. Trimming, pruning and deadheading spent blossoms revitalizes your garden, so plants come back strong and vibrant.

Just like tending your garden, we need to stop thinking about recharging as a reward for working hard and burning out. Instead, we should all incorporate well-being and recharging practices into our work and daily lives.

Remember: When you take care of yourself like you would tend your garden, you’re planting the seeds to boost vitality and everyday life.

Need some ideas to kick-start your post-COVID recharging and recovery plan? Join my Virtual Wellness Lounge, which is packed with byte-size videos and downloadable tip sheets to boost your wellness journey or help your employees and co-workers get on track. Schedule a virtual wellness consult with me HERE. 

Be well!

PS: Here's a snapshot of part of my beautiful Zen garden -- the orange rabbit meditating is the perfect symbol for the peace and joy it brings me! I'd love to see your garden - hit reply and share a picture or two :)