How to Bloom Where You Are Planted
Posted on October 05, 2020 by Ellen Burgan, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Challenges are part of life. It's what you do with the challenges that moves you forward (or keeps you stuck). Tips to bloom where you are planted.
As I was walking with my dogs down a forest-lined road, a plant caught my attention from a few yards off the road. It was standing straight and tall as it soaked in the sun rays on it’s mossy “log home.” There were no others of its kind near, and that didn’t seem to bother it one bit.
To me, this plant depicts the expression “bloom where you are planted.” It’s thriving in its given environment, taking advantage of opportunities like the sun and nutrients available from the moss and log, and it looks strong and happy.
I believe that each and every one of us can bloom where we are planted. Whatever our personal goals and dreams are, there’s a way to bloom and achieve them.
Blooming where we are planted sometimes includes surviving difficult times. It might be necessary to make choices on how to modify our environment in order to succeed.
Time, patience, determination, and other variables might need to be adjusted so we can bloom to our full potential, and of course bring joy to life.
But, what if…
“Bloom where you are planted” is great if you’re happy with your life. But this idea can be a struggle if you’re unhappy with where you’re at in life.
Are there “weeds” choking you, or limited resources preventing you from blooming to your full potential?
Maybe you’re in a job that keeps you stuck. Or maybe your social life is feeling more toxic than fun or interesting.
It might feel like you’re being choked by weeds rather than blooming like a wildflower.
3 Tips for How to Bloom Where You Are Planted
Choices. It all comes down to choices. If you don’t like where you are, YOU get to decide if you want to uproot and move – and that can be figuratively or physically.
In any given situation, you can always:
- Change it
- Accept it
- Or resist it
The following are combinations of changing and accepting a situation. Resisting a situation is unpleasant, so I’m choosing to skip that choice.
These ideas are good food for thought whether you are or are not happy with where you are planted. Never stop growing!
1 – PERSPECTIVE, PERSPECTIVE, PERSPECTIVE
Your environment gives you opportunities to grow, although sometimes those opportunities are not obvious.
For example, at this point in your life you might have expected to have a successful, fulfilling career, 2.5 children with a white picket fence, and a handful of other goals.
When things don’t happen like you planned, a different perspective can be helpful.
Step back and take a look at the big picture.
Everything you go through is a step in your journey. Your personal perspective of your circumstances plays an important role in your mindset, and therefore your ability to see the possibilities.
When you step back and look at the big picture from a more objective view, it gives you the opportunity to see how, possibly surprisingly, your desires and challenges have all moved you forward in your journey.
Each twist and turn in your journey can gift you with an experience that strengthens you. Setbacks and challenges can make your environment more rich in “nutrients” for you to grow strong.
Entertain the idea that a setback or challenge is the perfect opportunity to bloom where you are planted in the most unexpected way.
2 – GET CREATIVE
In a photo I snapped, ferns creatively found a way to bloom in the crack of a very old, concrete structure. The weather was extraordinarily hot and there was no soil to support its existence. Yet, it was thriving in the cracks.
Are you in a crack? If it’s just a crack in a solid foundation, get creative with how you can adjust within the crack and bloom anyway.
Getting creative can mean a whole range of things, and changing your mindset is a great first step.
- Believe in yourself
- Have an attitude of gratitude
- Be optimistic
- Overcome your fears
- Focus on solutions (not the problems)
- Empower yourself
If you are the type of person who leans toward the negative side, you’ll likely get more of the negative. The opposite is true with leaning toward the positive side of any given circumstance.
Look at that crack as an incubator for your dreams. Learn some lessons that will get you onto that solid foundation. It may require patience, but it can be an important part of your journey toward your dreams.
Get creative and think about what you CAN do to improve yourself and make the best of your situation. You can choose to look at it as a fatal crack, or you can look at it as a unique opportunity.
It’s tough when you can’t see your way out of that crack, but trust that you’ll get there. Keep going! Never give up, and grow despite the circumstances.
3 – DO SOME WEEDING
Surround yourself with positive people. The people you hang out with influence your thoughts, actions, habits, choices and even what you dream of for your own life.
There are real benefits of spending time with people who are confident and are authentically interested in both their own and your personal growth.
Think about the people you spend time with.
- Are they someone you’d choose as a mentor?
- Do you have similar aspirations?
- Do you respect their character?
- Are they actively trying to better themselves?
- When together, are you doing fun, positive, healthy things that make you feel awesome?
Negative people are like weeds – their negative attitude grows fast and fiercely, and it can choke your work at growing a positive mindset.
Might it help you bloom if you spend less time with someone in particular? Some people you can’t eliminate from your life, but you can recognize how they negatively influence you, and try to keep a healthy distance, if possible.
Bloom Like a Wildflower!
At times, you may feel like your dreams and goals are beyond your reach. In that moment, it can be really, REALLY hard to think about surviving, much less thriving.
Trust that you are on a path that is taking you to your dreams. No matter what your circumstances, take action to continue growing so you can be happy and strong.
Challenges are part of life. It’s what you choose to do with the challenges that moves you forward.
Need help? If blooming where you are planted is something you need help with, please reach out to me for support. I’d love to help you find the clarity, confidence, and courage to bloom into the best version of you.
