Episode 130: Gardening for Wellness

[00:00:00] Introduction to Wellness In Every Season

[00:00:00] Autumn Carter: This is episode 130.

[00:00:02] Welcome to Wellness In Every Season, the podcast where we explore the rich tapestry of wellness in all of its forms. I'm your host, autumn Carter, a certified life coach, turn wellness coach, as well as a certified parenting coach dedicated to empowering others to rediscover their identity in their current season of life.

[00:00:21] My goal is to help you thrive, both as an individual and as a parent.

[00:00:25] I am so glad you're here.

[00:00:28] The Connection Between Gardening and Wellness

[00:00:28] Autumn Carter: I want to talk about plants. I know I have a plant problem, so we're gonna talk about it because it totally relates to wellness, I promise. Bear with me, so we're gonna take it outside. It is August.

[00:00:44] So right now in real time, it is May. It's right before Mother's Day, but this is going live for you in August and for where I'm at right now, in real time . I'm still [00:01:00] thinking about gardening and what to put in my garden. And for you guys in August, the thought is harvesting and then what to put in for fall plants.

[00:01:12] And this relates to wellness because spending time out in nature and all the ways that it brings in wellness to your life from doing that. But it also is that opportunity for us to reflect even if we don't garden. On how we can do that for ourselves in our own lives. So let's dive in to gardening in both aspects and go from there.

[00:01:56] Okay, so let's start with this thought. We're gonna start with [00:02:00] tomatoes. My daughter loves tomatoes, not my favorite. Have to cut it up to enjoy them. She will eat cherry tomatoes just right off the mine when they're growing and. So people who are gardening are busy picking that fruit. They'll eat it straight from the vine or plant, whatever.

[00:02:19] As you can tell, I'm not, I'm a novice outdoor gardener.

[00:02:23] Think about that. If you're not a gardener, how are you savoring the fruit of your efforts in your life? How are you? Allowing yourself to gently transition to the next season. This is a time where for some, I grew up in Arizona, so school will be, is just around the corner. And then here in Maryland, it's in September.

[00:02:53] So we're towards the end of summer break. What things do you want [00:03:00] to have on your horizon? What things are you looking forward to? What things do you need to let go of knowing that it was just that season of life and are you excited to let go of?

[00:03:14] Emotional and Environmental Wellness

[00:03:14] Autumn Carter: So let's talk about emotional wellness for a second.

[00:03:19] Don't mind me scrolling, but emotional wellness in thinking about being outside in tending for and nurturing. Plants, it can offer a sense of calm and accomplishment. If you think about that with parenthood, it also does the same if you think about that with certain hobbies that you may have. If you have that creativity and you're watching something bloom

[00:03:54] And tending to these things in the late summer of your life can feel. [00:04:00] Like a form of moving meditation. It gives you a time to reflect, be present, nurture something beyond yourself, and especially as the world feels like it's rushing towards fall. I personally love fall. I love going to, there's a farm maybe less than 20 minutes from our house.

[00:04:25] And they have apple cider donuts and pumpkin donuts. Sorry if I'm giving you a craving and cold cider. If it's a hot day. 'cause during that time of fall, it could either be hot or cold, you never know until the day arrives. Tons of different activities for kids. My favorite is that they have a corn maze.

[00:04:48] I love fall. I love the smell of the falling leaves as they're decaying. And I love the variety and weather. [00:05:00] I am somebody who likes to wear layers. Yeah. I don't know why I grew up in Arizona saying that. I love wearing layers. I love exploring all the seasons, especially now living on the East coast.

[00:05:14] I love feeling

[00:05:21] well. I love seeing the reminder. As the plants are turning, they almost look like they're dying, right? We have different areas of our life that we neglect and it feels like it's dying, and it's that opportunity to decide are we going to nourish it so it grows back, or are we gonna let it go and allow for new growth in the spring?

[00:05:43] And you can think of this in the spiritual, on this realm with gardening, especially in August. It's when plants are in their full glory so we, we can feel it in our lives as well. We have this [00:06:00] fullness in whatever we're creating, and then we have this sense of reverence about harvesting something that we've grown or seeing nature thrive under your care.

[00:06:16] And you can see that with maybe animals that you have. Your career, if you're towards the end of your career and you're looking towards retirement, that's what I originally was gonna talk about was retirement. And all of this becomes a metaphor for trusting in timing,

[00:06:37] tending to growth, even when it feels slow and appreciating beauty before things. Fade and that can happen in relationships, that can happen in so many different ways, and it also feeds into environmental wellness. Can you tell, I'm nerding out on the different dimensions of wellness here. It reminds us of the impact we [00:07:00] have on the earth and what we can cultivate even in small, intentional spaces and for families or communities.

[00:07:08] It strengthens social wellness. We're gonna try and hit all ther areas of wellness. That we can, but it offers moments of connection and shared joy. Passing a tomato across the fence. I do that with my neighbor. A couple years ago it was zucchini 'cause I let them grow too long on the vine and if they grow super big, they're watery and they don't taste as good.

[00:07:31] So we were sharing vegetables that way. Teaching a child to clip herbs or gifting a neighbor some cucumbers, it was so much fun to have the summer chore for the kids to be go pick the strawberries.

[00:07:47] And oftentimes they'd come inside with just a few, and then you could tell they'd eaten even more than the few that they picked to share. So that was fun.

[00:07:59] Reflecting on Personal Growth and Achievements

[00:07:59] Autumn Carter: So [00:08:00] we know that August isn't very flashy, it's super hot, and. It's not a month that most people think of when they imagine planting seeds or new intentions. But I want you think of it that way as summer is closing and you have your children, they're done with summer camp or almost done. They're done with the babysitter.

[00:08:23] They're done being underfoot full-time. If you're at home full-time, they are going off back to school or things are changing because you're homeschooling. If you do that. With the school year that other schools do and you get this chance of changing your rhythm as you're, it is just that change is about to happen.

[00:08:56] The harvest is in full swing blooms are slightly [00:09:00] faded, but still vibrant and there's a kind of grounded. Mature beauty and watching what you've nurtured finally come to its own. We felt that in different stages, even if you're not a plant person let me share with you my plant that I'm enjoying right now,

[00:09:18] and we have this in so many different phases of our life. Check out these blooms. I 3D printed this for when I went on vacation so that I could water it, and then it had extra water in the tank. Like this one really likes to this African violet likes to have a lot of extra water and it's so fun to work so hard and see blooms like this happen, and we can have that in our lives.

[00:09:42] How many parents, if you're not a parent yourself, have you seen that are so just sometimes it's more fun to watch the parents than the kids when the kid is doing really well in a sport or. [00:10:00] It's their turn to say they're lying in the play. Just seeing that pride and that I put forth the effort into this child and then they, that child put forth effort into creating this beautiful thing.

[00:10:13] It's just, it's so fun to watch, but that is something to think about with August.

[00:10:21] What are you looking forward to harvesting in your life?

[00:10:27] What do you wanna attend to in your life?

[00:10:33] Do you have some weeds that you need to pull in your life? Do you have the need to get your hands dirty in, something else, a different project? Do you need to take a moment to really pause? And realize that you've made it in whatever goal you've set for [00:11:00] yourself. When was the last time you actually reflected on how far you've come on whatever journey you're traveling?

[00:11:07] This month reflects in dimension wellness that's often overlooked is called the wellness of maintenance. It's not hustle, not transformation, especially during this time of month we're, slowing down. It's really hot, so we don't wanna be outside as much. And it's about nurturing what's already here, whether that's your body, your mental health, your relationships, or your space.

[00:11:32] August invites us to be present with what is and gently care for it. So with that in mind, let's start our wellness practice. Take a deep breath in with me and imagine yourself standing in a warm garden at sunset. You see everything in full bloom, and the [00:12:00] sunset is casting different colors, different shades than you normally see on this garden, and you feel the.

[00:12:08] Warmth of the sun is starting to fade. You can see all the different colors. You can hear different bugs starting to come out the noise, but no mosquitoes in this version. The air smells of basil, tomato, and maybe even lavender. You hear the humma bees, the rustle of leaves and in your hands as a bull, not to gather more, but to hold what's.

[00:12:36] Ready and ask yourself, what part of me feels ripe right now? What have I attended quietly this year that is finally starting to bear fruit, even if it's only in small ways? Breathe into the gratitude for that, and if there's still a part of you [00:13:00] waiting trust that this season is still coming. And imagine yourself walking inside, walking into a room that has the perfect temperature with this bull, and you now get to enjoy your harvest.

[00:13:28] Now, what are you enjoying that you harvested?

[00:13:35] What things did you hope would bear fruit and maybe haven't? And of those things, what things do you need to let go of? Maybe allow yourself to transition to something else, or what things need more attention that you've been neglecting.

[00:13:57] I want you to envision setting [00:14:00] down that bowl.

[00:14:04] And just relishing in the I did it mentality and the piece that comes with that and the extra jolt of energy that comes with that. And then I want you to just. Take your hands, your arms, your legs, and just do a little dance, brush off any feelings that came through that you don't wanna hold onto any emotions, just clean the slate a little bit of that, and hold onto, just have that kind of cupping motion of the feelings that you want to keep and let's move on.

[00:14:49] If any of this speaks to you and you feel like you aren't where you wanna be on your path, please let's schedule a free call together and let's explore that. You can go to wellness in [00:15:00] every season.com and contact us page, and it's really contacting me, not us. I have different little people helping me with different little areas of my business, but.

[00:15:09] You're really contacting me. It goes straight to my email. Let's set up a call together. Let's work through this.

[00:15:19] Spiritual Wellness and Nature

[00:15:19] Autumn Carter-1: There are, there's something else that I want to talk to you about with this, and it is spiritual wellness. A lot of people on my newsletter are saying that the area of wellness they're struggling with the most is spiritual wellness. And I'm gonna tie that in with this because when we are looking at plant life, so spending time in nature.

[00:15:46] If we are somebody who enjoys plants and gardening, whether it's indoor gardening or outdoor, there is this reminder when we're out in nature that we don't need to force [00:16:00] things. Things come in their own time.

[00:16:02] That flower blooms in its own time, and when it's time it decays and it falls to the ground and it fertilizes the ground. That same thing happens in our own lives, and it happens with more beauty and grace when we remember that it's natural and we let go of things when we need to instead of holding onto them longer.

[00:16:28] Another thought with spiritual wellness is that. When we spend time in our figurative or literal garden, we are spending time reminding ourselves that we are a piece of this greater puzzle and that we are so much bigger than ourselves as well, because for me, it's easier to see with [00:17:00] little children.

[00:17:02] Especially little children who have huge personalities. You have this realization, or at least I have, that our spirits are so much bigger than our bodies, even as adults, and we have

[00:17:22] the ability, the blessing, the power. To call down things that feel at times greater than ourselves to call down this higher goodness, this higher authority, this higher clarity, higher sense of being because we are worthy of it, because we are born with this godhood. And we can use that in a religious context or non-religious because we are [00:18:00] created after his image.

[00:18:03] If you're religious like I am or we are created after the image of the universe, if you're not religious or whatever your spiritual beliefs are, we are worthy. And we are perfect. And it's. Sometimes hard to really align with the fact that we are perfect and we are progressing because sometimes it's hard to remember that we can have both at the same time instead of perpendicular there parallel they told, but just enmeshed totally run together.

[00:18:47] And with that thought. Here is a very easy practice that will help you on your spiritual track, and it's so simple that you're gonna go, duh. [00:19:00] But also it's the thought of are you doing it? And I say that with love because I fall off and then grab, get back on this wagon.

[00:19:10] Practical Tips for Spiritual and Personal Growth

[00:19:10] Autumn Carter-1: So it is grabbing a notebook or your phone and opening the notes.

[00:19:16] And make a garden gratitude list whether or not you have an actual garden. Your garden is your life. Jot down three to five things you nurtured the summer projects, habits, relationships, even parts of yourself. Note how they've changed, ripened or surprised you. And this is easy, yet a very powerful way to shift from overwhelm.

[00:19:45] To appreciation and to remind yourself that progress is happening even in the heat of the summer, and that we are having growth, even if it feels like it's stagnant, [00:20:00] and putting together the whole idea of gardening and the idea of spiritual wellness. Just tying those together. We're gonna have some coaching questions.

[00:20:10] What areas of my life feel like they're in the August phase? Not new, not finished, just ripening.

[00:20:20] What am I being invited to? Tend to gently, instead of pushing to grow faster. That's one that I'll reflect on myself. What does maintenance look like for me right now and how can I honor it as part of my wellness?

[00:20:42] And tying in more of the wellness, the spiritual part. What spiritual practices have I neglected that I need to pick back up? What spiritual practices am I doing that aren't quite doing it for me, [00:21:00] that maybe I need to adjust to make work better for me or let go of? And picks up something new.

[00:21:13] Here's a total gardening one. What plant do I wanna have in my garden for the fall? And that can be for real garden or garden of your life. For me, for the fall I, love spring fruit. So I forget to plant for the fall outside gardening. So that is my, what I'm going to be working on is what do I want in my fall garden and really plan it out.

[00:21:47] I do square foot gardening, so I'm gonna plan that out. I what help do I need with the goals and the adjustments that I [00:22:00] wanna make in my life? Who can I reach out to for help? Yes, you can reach out to me, but are there others?

[00:22:09] Conclusion and Next Steps

[00:22:09] Autumn Carter-1: I hope these questions help you feel more in line with where you need to be, where you want to go, and remind you that you are on the path that you belong on.

[00:22:23] And if you feel like you're not, this is part of the journey is we get off the path and we get back on, and when we look back at the end of our life, we will see that it has been the way that it's supposed to be for our own growth and journey and that it is unique.

[00:22:41] And I wanna thank you for sharing your time with me and for allowing me to dive in and out of literal gardening and spiritual wellness to tie all of this in together so that you can see how nature. [00:23:00] Can come in and out of our life in different ways and how we should take nature into our lives in any way that we can.

[00:23:11] Please, if you know somebody who loves gardening or is struggling with spiritual wellness or struggling to let go of some things, please share this episode with them and. With that thought, I will be having my next episode be about more about letting go and that forgiveness because that's been something that I'm working on with my own personal coach.

[00:23:36] So I wanna share that with you. I will talk to you next week unless you're on my newsletter. I will see you in my newsletter. Bye.

[00:23:45] Autumn Carter: Thanks for tuning into this week's episode. I am your host, autumn Carter, a certified life coach dedicated to empowering individuals to rediscover their identity, find balance, miss chaos, strengthen relationships, and pursue their dreams. My goal [00:24:00] is to help people thrive in every aspect of their lives. I hope today's discussion inspired you and offered valuable insights.

[00:24:07] Stay engaged with our wellness community by signing up for my newsletter at wellness and every season.com/free resources. When you join, you'll have the option to receive a five day guide called Awaken and Unwind, five Days to Mastering Your Mornings and Evenings, along with Free Guides, special offers on my programs, practical tips, personal stories.

[00:24:29] Much more all related to wellness by setting up for both offers on the page. Don't miss out on these valuable resources designed to help you thrive in every area of wellness. Join today and start your journey to wellness in every season. Your share subscriptions and reviews help us reach more people seeking empowerment.

[00:24:50] So please spread the word about our podcast and about our newsletter. Thank you for being a part of our podcast community. I look forward to continuing our conversation, [00:25:00] sharing stories and exploring wellness in all of this aspects. Take care until our next episode. You can also work with me one-on-one or on demand through one of my programs by visiting wellness in every season.com/programs.

[00:25:17] One last thing to cover the show legally, I'm a certified life coach giving general advice, so think of this, this more as a self-help book. This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. I am not a licensed therapist, so this podcast shouldn't be taken as a replacement for professional guidance from a doctor or therapist.

[00:25:37] If you want personal one-on-one coaching from a certified life and parenting coach, go to my website, wellness and every season.com. That's where you can get personalized coaching from me for you. See you in next week's episode.