Give Yourself Room to Grow - Re-Pot Yourself this Spring

We are all in some ways living as potted plants.  We live in a family, we live in a neighborhood, we live in a job; in all of these we are more or less potted in that place.  But in order to grow we must, from time to time, like a plant that outgrows its pot, we need to be replanted.  Now this does not mean we have to move out of our neighborhood or get a new job or leave our family, but it does mean we need to expand ourselves or we will grow root bound.  Spring is the perfect time to do this.  Below are five things you can do to re-pot yourself. 

1. Do something creative this week.  Being creative opens up the mind and the spirit.  You don't have to paint a masterpiece or write a best seller to be creative.  Bake some muffins, buy or pick some flowers and arrange them in a vase.  Re-arrange the furniture in your living room or bedroom, write a poem, take some photos and post them on Facebook or print them out and give them away.
2. Take a walk in nature without your headphones.  We are bombarded on a daily basis with input from the media - it's hard to think and really be yourself with all that technology telling you what to do and what to think.  Simply going for a walk and letting nature in, the sights, the sounds and the feel of it, is soothing to the soul.  nature is the great un-potted.  Tress and plants grow where they are panted by the wind and are nurtured by the sun and the rain.  The birds and animals are the same - if we take time each day or as often as possible to be like them, this will go along way to re-potting our own lives. 
3. Pay it forward.  Most of us live in a world of abundance, even if we don't really think we do.  Whatever you have in abundance, you can afford to give some of it away.  Is it time? Is it energy?  Is it a helping hand, a smile, a humorous comment, a compliment, a kind word or two, your expertise, a donation to a charity you admire.  Is it some of your stuff.  Most of us have a lot of stuff, stuff we don't use - make a donation to someone or some group of the stuff you no longer use.  Maybe what you have in abundance is love - find someone who has little love in their life and give them some of yours.  Sometimes what you give is some humility - you keep quiet when saying something would only lead to more conflict.  Sometimes paying it forward means taking a stand and standing your ground when something is important and needs support.  Paying it forward means being thankful for what we have in abundance and sharing it with others.  And of course, if you need any help with any of this, please give me a call at 720-258-5963 or shoot me a quick email at lorrainebanfield@msn.com
4. Read a new kind of book or watch a television show or go to a movie that is not your typical fare.  If you always read or watch mysteries, romances or comedies, then try something different.  Ask a friend what they read or watch.  Go on Goodreads and see what is getting a lot of buzz.  Make sure the book or show is of high quality and not just mind candy - that usually won't have the effect of shifting your perspective which is the idea behind re-potting yourself. 
5. Listen, really listen to your self-talk.  Most of us have a running dialog with ourselves that is mindless and unconscious - it's what one writer called Musak of the mind - it's there but barely conscious, like the music that is played in stores and restaurants.  Get a little pocket size notebook and record what you hear yourself saying.  What is the theme?  Do this for several days and then sit down and reflect on what you heard.  Ask yourself if your inner dialog is on your side or on your case?  If it's on your side it will be forgiving and supportive and if it's on your case it will be negative and often harsh.  What you want to do is keep the positive and turn down the negative - get into the habit of disputing negative self talk.   

Spring is coming - take this time to think about the idea of re-potting yourself so you can grow even bigger and better than you are now.  These five ideas will get you started...let me know what happens, I welcome feedback. 

Blessings, Lorraine