How Your Environment Can Influence Your Success | Talk-It-Up Tuesday
A lifestyle-to-nature analogy
One of my favorite analogies pertains to the concept of having the "right environment."
If we were to decide today that we wanted to plant something, maybe a flower or a tomato plant, would it suffice to throw a seed in a pot of soil and call it a day? Just leave it sitting on an unlit shelf or in a cupboard and expect it to magically grow?
NO.
We instead offer it what it needs to grow and flourish: sunlight, water, possibly even nutrients. We recognize that, in the wrong environment, that seed will not sprout and is therefore essentially wasted.
With this in mind, why do we not feel the need to ensure we have the proper environment for OUR own growth?
Here on my blog, I focus on art and how it exists in everyday life, but in fact, this concept is relevant to just about anyone and any lifestyle.
Artists, check. Nurses, check. Mechanics, check.
Like plants, we can evolve from one stage to the next. We may change from a seed—ripe with potential—to a sapling, just beginning to enter the world by showing a sneak-preview of what we have to offer. Eventually, we grow and develop leaves and petals and plump fruit. And just as it is satisfying and rewarding to watch the growth of a plant over time—to witness all that it can become—it is equally, if not more, gratifying and fulfilling to witness all that WE can become...
IF we are given the right conditions. Or more so, if we CREATE the right conditions for ourselves.
We all have passions. But are we allocating the resources necessary to foster the growth and success of these passions? Are we giving them what they need to thrive? More times than not, the reason our passions quit thriving is because we quit offering them what they need to survive.
Consider this:
It takes time for plants to grow. It never happens overnight. Are we allotting ourselves the time to practice what we love, to test new techniques and grow in skill? Or are we placing unrealistic expectations upon ourselves about how long it should take to achieve our goals and then losing faith in them when they don't occur overnight?
Plants need soil. This is where their roots spread, and the soil serves as the base—the foundation—for strength and stability. Are we immersing ourselves in the right soil (AKA the right environment) to spread and strengthen our roots? Do we interact with others like us and join groups that advocate for what we care about?
Plants require water and sunlight for proper nourishment. This is how a plant obtains the energy to continue growth. There are times a plant can technically survive without sufficient nourishment, but if you've ever seen a plant like this, you'd notice how the stems are flimsy, the leaves are brittle, and the color is lackluster. If we do not nourish our passions, they may not immediately die, but they certainly WON'T thrive. Have you ever noticed how dry inspiration runs until you watch a video or read a book about your passions, and then the empty well rapidly fills back up? A key to continuous success in whatever we do is that we never cease our attempts to greedily consume new knowledge and perspectives, as this serves as the fuel for our growth. We must feed our minds often.
I finish this off by asking you to step back and decide if there is some sort of gap or hole or emptiness in your life where a dead/dying passion lies. If not, great. Continue on living and enjoying your best life!
BUT if you feel that you know what you'd like to do and are desperate to discover all that you might become, take a step back and assess whether you are giving yourself a suitable environment to blossom.
If not, change it.
For me, this analogy lies deep in my heart and in the message of From Farrah. This is why my by-line reads "letting our creative selves bloom." My blog is all about offering a safe space for myself and others to embrace their passions and bloom into someone they love.
Admittedly, not everyone in every field can find what they need from here, but if nothing else, it is my hope that From Farrah can help get people in the right mindset to figure out where their interests lie and direct them onto the path toward converting those interests into a lifestyle.
Until next time...
