The concept of pouring into one’s self-acceptance and growth, in the same way one would water a plant, was something that I’ve recently been giving a lot of thought. When I first started contemplating this idea, I was in the last semester of my senior year in college. One of the biggest obstacles I was facing was my overly self-critical nature. It was causing me to become dismissive of my own ideas, thoughts, and judgement. One day, I realized that validating myself was the key to breaking down this barrier, and reaching my full potential. I needed to invest in my own wellbeing through reflection, acknowledgement, and validation of my own thoughts, ideas and feelings.
For me, this shift in my mindset became my own form of self-care. Acknowledging that my perspective has merit and value made me want to continue pouring into myself. I realized that I not only wanted to pursue my passions, but also wanted to invest more in my overall wellbeing. This got me thinking, that once we’ve decided what we want out of life, we can begin to build a foundation for ourselves, which is rooted in what we know our individual purpose is. It is then we can give ourselves the care and the tools we need to see our dreams come to fruition. We just need to continue nourishing and tending to the original roots we’ve planted, so that our visions and potential can rise above the surface.
As weather changes, sometimes it is difficult for vegetation to flourish. Similarly, the conditions in our lives change. However, it is important to protect ourselves despite the challenges that snow, sleet, and hail on our ambitions. We must spread the mulch and leaves over our souls, shield our dreams, and stay resilient through the challenges . The weather that aims to destroy the seeds we’ve sown come in many forms. For some, it may come in the form of self-doubt. For others, it could be the negative voices and opinions of others. We can shield our dreams from these deterrents by affirming ourselves, as well as by being more discerning as we select those with whom we share our plans and ambitions.
As much effort as it takes to till the soil of our dreams, we mustn’t allow negativity to chip away at our progress. It takes many years to grow a tree, but only moments to chop it down. It can take years for us to reach our goals, but for some of us, especially those who highly value the opinions of others, one or two isolated moments of discouragement can tempt us to throw away years of progress. Still, it is important to remain firmly planted in our visions for ourselves. While self-doubt and the opinions of others can creep in, it’s a waste to chop away at all of our growth.
Practicing self-care and “watering yourself” is a journey that takes a unique form in each individual. Whether its taking better care of our health, engaging in a new hobby, or leaving a bad relationship, recognizing the catalyst that will kickstart the actualization of our goals is key to growing into the people we want to become.