I know, you’re probably thinking: what does gardening have to do with creating the life you really want?
I’m going to tell you!
Gardening As a Metaphor for Life
I’m a son, husband, father, pretty good cook, entrepreneur, and an avid gardener. I’ve planted some very abundant gardens, and through the years, I’ve realized that life, just as gardens, requires the same conditions to flourish.
If you want to create a great garden, you first need to examine the soil. You need to turn it over to know what’s in it. Only then can you confidently ask yourself: What do you need to get rid of, and what do you need to add to it to deliberately create the perfect growing environment for your crops.
Turning Over Our Minds
When trying to create the life we want, we would benefit from “turning over” our minds to discover what dead-end thinking we need to get rid of, and what we need to replace it with.
To create the life you really want, you need to master your mind by becoming aware of the autopilot thinking that exists. By replacing it with “conscious thinking,” aligned with the vision and values you have for your life, you can begin to create your perfect life.
Planting “Thoughts”
When growing a garden, you need to plant seeds that are aligned with the crop that you would like to grow. You wouldn’t plan carrot seeds, if your intention was to harvest tomatoes.
The same goes for your life: you need to plant thoughts that will attract the life you really want. Thoughts are things, and just as a magnetic field attracts metal, our thoughts attract our life. So, they better be ones that attract the life we really want!
While turning over the soil, you would remove all rocks that would only get in the way of your new seeds from sprouting. Similarly, when examining your thought patterns, you can begin to remove hidden subconscious programs you were given when you were very young. You would thus begin to remove any limiting beliefs, self-sabotaging behaviors, and negative self-talk to ultimately reprogram your mind.
Tending to Your Garden and Your Mind
You wouldn’t just throw any old seed down, on any old dirt, in any old place, walk away, and then come back expecting to see an abundant crop in your garden. In the same way, you wouldn’t expect to plant any old thoughts on top of limiting beliefs, self-sabotaging behaviors, and negative self-talk and expect to create a new life aligned with the vision of the life you’d really like to have.
To grow an abundant crop, you’d feed it, water it, fight off any diseases and troublesome insects, and make sure it had just the right amount of sun shining on it. Similarly, to achieve the life you want, you need to care for your mind by guarding against any old disempowering programs, and replacing them with new ones that support your vision of a beautiful bountiful life.
The Result: An Amazing Garden and Life
Your new thinking will create new actions and new experiences, resulting in new neural pathways in your brain and thus, a new life.
Not only will you be able to give your children an amazing garden, but, more importantly, you will give them a model that they can apply to create both a life well lived and the best version of themselves! This will hopefully be a lesson that they will pass on for generations to come.
About the Author
I’m Bob Bencivenga. For many years, I’ve studied the ancient eastern philosophies, transformational psychology, and modern brain science. I’ve developed practices and tools that you can use anytime, anywhere to master your mind, transform your thinking, and evolve your consciousness — so you can have the best life, and be your best self.
To learn more, download my Free Ebook “3 Steps to Feel Great Right Now Regardless of Your Circumstances.” Get started mastering your mind and transforming your thinking.