Bloom Where You're Planted

Spring weather is finally here!

The best part of the warmer temps for me is getting to take my pups out on two walks each day. On  the morning walk, it's just me and them, no music, no conversation, just us walking and listening to the sounds of birds and dogs and cars and the wind. We take the time to sniff, stroll, and wander over the extra loops in the neighborhood and get in a little over 3 miles.  It's my moving meditation.

This past week I've been thinking a lot about BLOOM. Where does a bloom come from? That got me thinking about how I can relate spring time concepts to my personal (and professional) journey this year.

Where does a bloom come from? 

I found this online:

"WHAT MAKES FLOWER BULBS SPECIAL

Flowering bulbs have an important advantage over regular plants: they can store energy from one growing season to the next. When a bulb starts to grow, it uses these stored reserves to develop roots, shoots, leaves and flowers. Being so self-sufficient means that flower bulbs don’t have to wait for perfect weather or ideal soil conditions. By nature, they already have what they need to thrive."

One more time, with feeling: "By NATURE, they already have what they need to THRIVE."

As I'm learning and developing, I'm storing everything I need in my "bulb" - everything that makes me ME, my experiences, my failures and victories, my perspective, my crazy snarky sense of humor, my relationships - everything! - is going to all ow me to BLOOM and THRIVE. 

Wow. That's something to sit with for a second.

I mean, think about it: the most beautiful spring flowers come from cold, hard, seemingly dead soil with only the promise of sun and warmth and success. Beautiful flowering trees spent the entire winter dormant, dark and bare. But in the spring, buds appear, and flowers fill the branches and later still, leaves grow and line each bough beautifully. We aren't so different. The ability to BLOOM is inside of each and every one of us. 

The hubster gave me a gift years ago (when I was changing jobs for the first time in 13 years) - it was a fantastic picture that my daughter took of a field of daisies (my favorite flower) with the phrase, "We are all just one adjustment away from being the person we were meant to be."  Each adjustment gets us closer to our glorious bloom! And then, when this season ends, we'll build up the knowledge and experience and passion and BAM! Bloom again. And again. And again.

I hope that you have considered how you can BLOOM where you're planted, right now. You have what you need to thrive. All you need is to give your bloom water and sunshine (literally and figuratively!) - and see all the wonderful things you're capable of!

Check out these photos from my daily walks with my pups - and don't forget to stop and smell the flowers every now and then (even when your pups want to get that squirrel!).

With hope and love and the promise of spring~

<3 Jen

April One Word Challenge: BLOOM

I don't know how it happened, but it's here. April.

January seemed to hang on for months, and February was cold and snowy. But leap and engage kept me busy. March seemed to fly by, all because I chose to march.

This April I can feel that I'm coming into my own in a way. I'm embracing the challenges, learning to manage all three rings of my circus, doing my best to take care of myself so that I'm better able to take care of others. This April it's time to BLOOM.

April's One Word Challenge just happens to correspond with one of my favorite things - planting and gardening. While I'll likely hold off planting the garden until Mother's Day weekend - I'm starting to get excited about the types of flowers and plants I'll have, wandering through the garden center and scrolling through Pinterest. I feel a smile spread across my lips - the smile you have when you know that you reap what you sow, that your efforts will result in something beautiful that you'll enjoy day after day.

As I consider M3 Living & Events, the clients that I work with and the people I touch, they are just like my garden. I plant seeds and nurture and worry and fuss over them - and with patience, the beautiful blooms remind me of why I was planting seeds to begin with.

I'm excited to dial in on my fitness and nutrition this month as I wrap up a 16 week challenge with the hubster! I started off my Monday April 1st with a fantastic workout, and even had my daughter as a guest (at 5:30am, no less). I walked the pups with a friend/client and got some extra mileage in because it was so beautiful. I enjoyed a veggie filled lunch and am looking forward to a committee meeting tonight for an event that I'm involved with over the summer.  What a fabulous way to kick off this month!

Truly - it's time to BLOOM!

I'd love to hear about your One Word Challenge choices and how they are keeping you motivated. Are these words helping you stay focused, motivated and positive? 

Let's share, connect and BLOOM together!

Ciao for now!
~jen