When you plant a garden, you till the soil and add something like compost, peat moss, or manure to nourish it so it has the nutrients it needs to create life. Then, you put in a seed or plant, water it, and watch the magic happen. Incredibly, a seed could produce a beautiful flower or a huge pumpkin. It is truly amazing.

Whatever you believe is a higher power, I believe, has a hand in all this. Whether you believe we came from asteroids or God’s hand, there is a universal force that we all share. And we share it with plants, animals, and the earth. Those fortunate enough to be in tune with this experience have an energy connection. I have one with plants, animals, and the earth. I feel a connection somehow. And, no, I’m not dancing in the moonlight or talking to the plants all day. I appreciate plants, animals, and the earth and respect them.

It got me thinking about ourselves. Aren’t we beings grown from a seed like a cucumber or a wildflower? Yes, we are. So, given that, wouldn’t it make sense that we require the same attention and care a garden takes to blossom and bloom? Absolutely.

Ask yourself, how does your garden grow? Are you flourishing and happy? Or are you just barely hanging on, desperately in need of sunlight and water? That answer, no matter what it is, tells us everything we need to live a “good” life.  And by “good,” I mean a life where you wake up refreshed, happy to start the day, have incredible experiences, and then sleep soundly. That is not a lot to ask. And it is possible for all of us.

Just like a plant or garden needs sunlight, water, and food (and weeding if outdoors), we need attention, too.

We need sunlight to feel good and give us vitamin D, which is needed for our bones, inflammation, glucose levels, and immune system. I take a vitamin D3 supplement because I don’t get enough sunlight, and my vitamin D levels have been low. Most of us don’t get enough sunlight. We spend the majority of our time indoors (one reason to avoid skin cancer.) But we need vitamin D to survive. Low enough levels could cause rickets. If you feel blah and tired, especially in the winter months, try a vitamin D supplement. Clear it with your doctor first, of course. I’m not a doctor; I only play one on TV.

We need water. Our bodies are made up of around 60% water, and it is essential to get enough water to function properly. Dehydration can cause a slew of things we might not even think of, like feeling irritable, confused, or drowsy. Prolonged dehydration can cause urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and even kidney failure. So, we need to drink enough water to be healthy and happy.

According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “The National Academy of Medicine suggests an adequate intake of daily fluids of about 13 cups and 9 cups for healthy men and women, respectively, with 1 cup equaling 8 ounces. Higher amounts may be needed for those who are physically active or exposed to very warm climates. Lower amounts may be needed for those with smaller body sizes. It’s important to note that this amount is not a daily target, but a general guide.”

So there you go. Drink water!

Now to the weeding and feeding our gardens. What we think about is mind food. If we put in crap, we feel like crap. If we think healthy, happier thoughts, we feel happier. It is simple, but I know challenging to do. Whatever we experience does not feed our gardens, we feed our minds by how we process the experience. You could be in the worst mood, and a little kid could ask you if you like fruit, and it makes you laugh. It really happened to me at Walmart. It was hysterical. He was maybe three. Though I wasn’t in a lousy mood, I was feeling stressed, and I relaxed just thinking about the experience.

Having good experiences feeds our minds with good thoughts, and that trickles over to our health and well-being. If you are sick or in pain (I feel for you), try to think healthy thoughts. You might feel horrible, and the pain seems unbearable, but just try to think one or two healthy thoughts. “I am healed.” or “I feel great.” or “I am so thankful for my healthy, pain-free body.” I’m telling you this works as it has worked for me. It just takes a thought, that’s all. Try it. Repeat it.

The weeds? You know what they are. They are those pesky learned behaviors and messages that keep us feeling less than and yucky. We have to pull out any weeds creeping in continuously. Suppose a driver honks and throws you the finger because you did something legal and safe by putting on your turn signal and parking along a curb, and it ticks you off. In that case, you need to pull that weed out quickly and not let a stranger who has issues of their own (obviously) cause you to think any negative or unproductive thoughts.

We deserve a blooming, healthy garden. Walt Disney World has beautiful gardens. They are impeccable because a multitude of people work on them daily. Weeds don’t have a chance because someone is there to pluck them out. Their topiaries are gorgeous because artists manicure them regularly. It takes time and effort to make a garden beautiful.

It makes sense then that we should give ourselves the time and effort to make our lives beautiful, too.

Thank you for reading this. I hope I’ve given you something to take with you. Remember to give yourself sunlight, water, and good thoughts! You deserve it.

To your garden,

Francesca