Life – Bloom Where You’re Planted

06 Sep Life – Bloom Where You’re Planted

In the youthful stage of my life, I was drawn to a friend’s poster, Bloom where you’re planted. It is still a sound piece of advice, and recently I’ve been thinking about its application to everyday life.

Married vs. Single

Take married/single, for example. I believe there are pros and cons to both situations. The trick is to focus on the positives, and de-emphasize the negatives, of whichever state you find yourself.

I think it’s also important to find substitutions or ways around the negative aspects. I really like being married, but if I weren’t I would find whatever substitutions I could for the things I missed. This is certainly what I see my single and widowed friends doing – often in multiple ways! And they talk about the pleasures of being free and not beholden to anybody.

Youthful vs. Elderly

I don’t know that I really appreciated the state of being young as much as I might have. Sometimes, however, I catch myself looking back with a bit of longing for that phase of life. When that happens, I give myself a mental shake and remind myself to “bloom where I’m planted” in this later stage.

For instance, it took me a long time to find my own voice, but now that I have, watch out world! I know myself really well now, and finally recognize what my gifts are that I can share with others. I care a lot less about what others think of me, because I’ve finally realized how rarely they do!

Dream Job vs. Real Job

May you all find your dream job. In the meantime, what can you do to bloom in the job you have, even if your “job” is retirement or being a board director.

I find it helpful to focus on what I’m good at and what I enjoy doing, and try to do more of that. The flip side is to identify what you’re not so good at, and see if someone else can either help you or take on that task. And maybe you can take on something of theirs! Consider, too, what you can learn about this job and about working with others that will help you in future situations.

Final thoughts

Soak up and learn as much as you can, be mindful in all that you do, and always do your best wherever you’re planted in life.