Smart Women Plant Their Seeds
Last Friday, my children and I went to an Eco-Fest at my son’s school. It offered creative ways to think about living organically and sustaining our planet. At one point my 5 year old daughter Jenna wandered to a booth a few feet away from me, and I noticed that she became very focused on what they were doing. Minutes later, she appeared with something wrapped inside recycled paper that she was carrying very carefully. “Look Mom, I’ve made a pumpkin plant. All we have to do is plant it when we get home and it will grow a pumpkin.” Jenna carried that recycled paper containing dirt and pumpkin seeds with such care for the rest of the afternoon. She was so proud and excited about what she had created, as well as the future when the seeds grow into an actual pumpkin. This got me thinking about women in the world who are carrying their big ideas, dreams, and goals with them----have you planted them so they will grow, or do you continue to carry them around—possibly in recycled paper, or maybe in your mind?
There are ideas and dreams that we all get excited about, but we never plant the seed or grow the idea. Why? What happens? Life happens. We get busy doing our “to do” list in life. Some of the “to do” list is vital and important and some of it is just plain filler that keeps us from living a life full of energy, passion, and purpose where we are realizing our big ideas and dreams. How do I know this? My daughter Jenna carefully carried her seeds wrapped loosely in paper all afternoon through the event and then home. She put it on the kitchen counter and asked me, “Mom, when will we plant the pumpkin seeds so I can grow a pumpkin?” Do you notice how she said that? She was already realizing her idea before it had occurred. Not only will she plant the seed but it will grow! This is what happens to you when you have enthusiasm for something. Guess what? I procrastinated on Friday evening as we had plans as a family. Then on Saturday, we had sporting events for both Jack and Jenna. So here we were on Sunday morning and the pumpkin seeds sat wrapped in their recycled paper on the kitchen counter. What do you think my daughter asked me before she had fully opened her eyes Sunday morning? Yep. You got it.
We all have our reasons why we never get around to realizing what’s most important to us. A wise mentor once shared a simple question that could always get me back on track. “Are you committed to your goals or your excuses?” Well said.
How about you? Are you carrying a big idea, dream, or goal around in recycled paper? Is it stored somewhere in your mind? Have you packed it away so well that you don’t even know where it is? Is there something that you were once so focused and excited about that somehow slipped away or sat on the kitchen counter? There is something. There always is. I invite you to take some time and think about what it is. Connect with your biggest vision of what that idea, dream, or goal might be. And then take action on it. Make it happen.
Jenna and I did plant her pumpkin seed yesterday. Then she stood firmly in front of it and began singing (someone told her plants like songs). She is confident that her seed will grow into a big pumpkin.
Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.
© 2008 Joy Chudacoff
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Joy Chudacoff is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions and a Certified Professional Coach. To read more articles by Joy and learn more about her Success Circle workshops and teleseminars, please visit her website, www.SmartWomenSolutions.com or contact Joy at Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.