Deadheading a rose

This Is An Art That’s Worth Practicing As A Working Mum

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My mum was a brilliant gardener.  She was at her happiest pottering in her garden. In the summer she did this one thing everyday that, I now realise, meant her garden always flourished.  And it’s only now as an adult I realise that there’s a life lesson for me as a mum in what she did.  I want to share it with you too as it’s a way to flourish in life.

On a warm summer’s evening my mum would pour herself a glass of martini and lemonade (her favourite tipple) and water her garden. She would walk around her garden surveying the plants and deadhead them.  And then most weekends she would prune the garden. 

This meant that her garden would always look in bloom.  Her plants were healthy.  She would cut away the things that were no longer contributing to the fullness of her plants.  The result was that her plants would grow thicker and fuller than before.

Over the summer I’ve been so busy that I’ve not had chance to do this as much as I’d like to in my garden and I’m noticing the difference.  My plants are looking tired.  They’re growing but they aren’t flourishing.

And it got me thinking about how this applies in my life, as mother nature is often our greatest teacher. She tends to have the most powerful wisdom in life.

If you’re feeling tired and noticing that you’re not flourishing then maybe learning the art of pruning might be useful.

  • Knowing when to prune your projects and plans so you don’t overschedule yourself
  • Learning when to deadhead the things in your life so you can use your energy elsewhere

So how do you decide what needs pruning or deadheading?

A good rule of thumb is anything that doesn’t contribute to both the purpose you’re trying to accomplish and the quality of life you’re trying to build.

Ideas on what could be pruned are:

  • Time wasting activities 
  • Projects
  • Commitments
  • Relationships
  • Habits
  • Possessions and belongings

Practicing the art of pruning your life’s weak wood and dead ends allows you to send all your energy to the things that matter most in your life.

What are one or two things in your life that are preventing or limiting you from flourishing?  What can you begin to prune today?

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