by Ana L. Palles

It is easy to anticipate the upcoming harvest of sweet corn and succulent tomatoes when Spring’s Sun and easy rains coax a daily few inches of growth from recently planted seeds. To a casual observer, the cycle of planting and harvesting seems relatively simple. A little sun, a little rain, maybe a dash of fertilizer, and nature comes through once again.

Even if we’ve never been near a farm in our lives, we still mimic this ancient cycle in our day to day lives, planting the seeds of our hopes and dreams, wishing that they will bear fruit for us one day. For some of us, the harvest has been disappointing. What happened to all those enchanted images we played with in our imaginations in our younger days? Have we decided that they weren’t worth pursuing or did we simply lose heart that we would ever see them? Did we secretly believe that we didn’t deserve them, or did we think the time was long past for trusting in dreams?

The thing that we forget about those beautiful lush crops and the farmers that grow them, is that they tend their plantings with attention and care. They amend their soil with nutrient rich compost. They water and work with nature and its life cycles, with insects and birds to keep their fields healthy . And sometimes, they have to weather rough storms. They can tell by the smell and taste of their soil if everything is right for their plants. Hard-skinned fingers gently feeling the stalks and leaves of their shoots to check for strength, health and provide any needed support.

So often in life, we casually throw out our seeds never stopping to tend them but leaving it up to others and grace to take care of them for us. We might simply have done such a great job convincing ourselves that nothing grows for us that we fail to turn around and notice the tender sprouts. Sadly, many decide that they will never have a loving relationship or never enjoy prosperity when we can see opportunities all around them waiting for acknowledgement.

These folks are so busy settling into the role that they have created for themselves that they don’t notice the person extending the heart of friendship from whose roots love does often grow. They don’t notice the hiring employer waiting in a checkout lane tentatively inserting something into the conversation when they hear a spark of what they are looking for.

We sow our seeds when we decide we want to go after something. Sometimes the seeds surprise us and won’t grow where we thought we planted them. Sometimes the wind or the birds carry them off to sprout in an unexpected place. But seeds carry a life within them, much like our wishes and dreams. Someplace, somewhere, they will sprout. We need to recognize them when they do.

The place to start is by paying attention. You will begin to see some amazing sparkles of beauty and light when we focus our minds on seeing what is in front of us. Start by recognizing the value of your dreams and aspirations. Honor them. Realize that even if something cannot be made to happen instantly, we still need to fertilize and water our soil. Nurture those dreams they weave strands of joy wherever you go.

Here are some things you can do to help fertilize your soil. 

• Put on a favorite soft music cd, close your eyes and travel on the music.
• Read a poem slowly to yourself out loud – Keats, Whitman, Blake, Byron, Frost – pick one at random and read it out loud.
• Sing your soul song. Many indigenous tribes sang songs that they heard from their hearts. Still your mind and sing whatever melody comes from deep within.
• Drum. The drum is used in healing and blessing ceremonies and to clear space because it carries such a deep timbre. Drumming resonates within us like an ancient memory. Sit and drum while focusing on your breathing. Let your mind wander as it may.
• Check out some good coaching excellence blogs. Here is good one to tap: larryfoster.typepad.com.
• Explore new areas of business by taking a class at your local Chamber of Commerce or through the small business administration bureau: www.sba.gov.
• Join a local networking group to connect with others and exchange information, check out Ask Liz Ryan.
• Sign up for the local meetup.com group in your area. They have excellent events such as photography excursions or dream workshops.
• Get the finances on track. Check out the National Foundation for Credit Counseling: www.nfcc.org.
• Develop a positive relationship with yourself and start celebrating life!