Here we go … with more gardening metaphors for life. Lets face it, you can’t keep a grateful gardener down 🙂
As I watered my pots yesterday I realized that we take the blooms for granted and sometimes forget that its important to pay attention and water those roots. Plants need their roots watered so they can be their best. The strongest trees and the best flowers come from the strongest roots.
Just like our plants, we have needs that have to to be taken care of first if we are to grow strong and be our best selves.
Once our basic survival needs* are met, we have higher needs that are important for us to grow into being our best. These needs can take the shape of feeling loved in our closest relationships. Being counted on by our dearest ones. Being respected by colleagues. Being recognized at work. Being encouraged by friends. Belonging to a great community. Being free to make our own choices. Making time for rest and relaxation. Being able to express our thoughts and share our talents.
We rarely stop and look at our needs. There is a bit of a stigma there. After all … we don’t want to be seen as needy … right?
We may also judge others who are needy. Which often reflects on how out of touch we are with our own needs….
It can be a touchy subject, as acknowledging our needs makes us feel vulnerable.
But needs are at our very roots. From the basic needs to survive with food and water, to feeling loved, to expressing our authentic voice in the world. We all have needs. They are part of being human.
We need these roots watered in order to grow and bloom fully. When those roots aren’t being watered, we become driven by the needs that aren’t being met. Just like plants, we can become weak and over extended…. or invasive into others’ space to take what we need from them.
Needs are part of a human condition. When we get them met, we can embrace our humanity and be fully authentic in the world. We can relax and get on with living fully 🙂
So take a moment here and consider how you can water those roots of yours.
I’ll be exploring more about our needs and getting them met in future posts.
* Survival needs include air, water, food, shelter, sleep and security.
Find Your Middle Ground 
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