The Seed Analogy (and also a confession about tacos)

Today I happened to notice some seed packets, and I couldn’t stop thinking about them. There is so much potential in those little envelopes. Each seed has the capability of bringing forth fruit, but only if someone sets the process in motion. Each seed must be removed from the packet, planted in adequate soil, provided with sunlight and tended- watered, weeded, and fertilized. Conditions don’t have to perfect, but the basic needs must be met for the seed to realize its potential.

Our goals are like those seeds in a packet. They will remain wishes trapped in a tiny envelope unless they are removed from our minds and hearts and then planted, nourished, and tended. Without giving our goals the proper conditions to bloom, we will be trapped in a cycle of looking for results that that haven’t been mapped out with an effective plan.

So…. where am I going with this?

We should tackle our dreams objectively and measurably. You want to lose weight. I get it. How much and by what date? Is that a reasonable timeline? If so, what kind of dietary and exercise changes are you going to make to get there? How will you handle roadblocks and more importantly- how will you celebrate success? Do you have an accountability partner- a person or journal or online app that you use to share your daily progress and frustrations?

Then we need to realize that sometimes you’ll follow everything to a “T” and it still doesn’t happen as quickly or noticeably as we’d like. Or perhaps, it’s all going smoothly, and one day you have a blip where you lose focus or give in to old habits. That can be frustrating, heartbreaking, tear inducing…but you need to know that it is NOT permission to give up. It just means that the tending process may need to be adjusted. A plant that is over watered can still come back to life and thrive. Give yourself the grace to realize this is a process. You are worth trying again- trying one thousand times over- until you succeed.

Confession time: As I was writing this piece, I was feeling rather hypocritical. The seed analogy came to me earlier that day, and I was so stoked to write about it when I got home.

Then I opened the fridge to make dinner and I realized I hadn’t planned ahead. I was out of nearly everything. No plan and no readily available ingredients is a huge problem for me. I was hungry and mad at myself. My brain immediately went to full on incompetent mode and started surfing Uber Eats.

Two words: Self. Sabotage.

Tacos from a local Mexican restaurant caught my eye and 30 minutes later I was stuffing myself silly and washing it down with wine, because at that point why not?

Sitting there stuffed and bloated and a little tipsy and emotional, I opened a social media app and was inundated by ads of women with abs- real abs. Ladies, who I am sure do not turn to tacos and wine at the first signs of adversity. And while I do feel sorry for these gals and their lack of tacos… I was also envious. Jealous of their iron wills and good habits. ‘Why can’t I be like that?’

Oof.

We’ve all been there. This is where grace- and facts- become so important. We have to get real and not tear ourselves down.  My facts: I try my best to move every day. I do not regularly eat out. I’ve cut my wine/alcohol consumption down considerably. This one meal where I went overboard is not going to derail me…unless I let it.

Read that again. You have the power to let a poor choice define who you are OR you can take it as what it really is- a moment in time where you enjoyed some tasty food that you did not have to prepare and the bloating and discomfort was just a lesson. Process it and move on. 

We are not defined by one choice here and there. We are defined by our habits. When the choices become habit, we simply need to examine them to see if they are beneficial: if they serve us, or if they do not. Adjust the sails but stay in the water. The journey continues.

So, Taco Tuesday, I’ll see you again. But maybe with a little more reserve next time.

Because really, what is life without tacos?

Love yourself, peeps. You’re worth it.