Born to Bloom!

Photo by Susiebloom

Welcome to my Bloom Blog!

I am a big fan of fresh starts, new beginnings, and blank slates. And I don't need a new year to claim them. I can choose to regroup or do-over anytime. But, there is something invigorating about opening an unmarked calendar to January, eager for the new experiences that will fill each day...and, pencil in hand, plan for them. What adventures and opportunities await? Yes, I'm an optimist, but please don't hold it against me, haha! ;D

The thing is, we are born to bloom, my friend! We are meant to grow. Like all living things, we start small and pass through many phases and stages of growth and change, each one vital to our well-being and development. And, bonus! As humans, we can actively nurture our own progress and thrive! In fact, since it's happening whether we like it or not, we can choose to "own the change", as a friend of mine says. If we embrace the process of growth, we can bloom even more beautifully and boldly than we otherwise would.

With intentional, daily effort - even just a little - consistently and persistently developing healthy habits that help instead of hinder our progress, we will become all we are meant to.

How do YOU hope to bloom and grow this year...one day at a time?

Remember, this bloomin' process is just that...a process. I am happy to say that I am not the same person I was a year ago or 10 or 20. Progress is being made, albeit slowly sometimes. And that's okay. Blooming is evolvement. It takes time...our entire lifetime. And we're all growing at our own pace, so let's be patient with ourselves and others - not comparing, but cheering and encouraging each other on, blooming together.

I used to call myself a "late bloomer" but now I just call myself a bloomer. There's no late when it comes to blooming and no one can take our unique place in this big garden of life we're growing in here on Earth.

Depending on the environment and circumstances we arrive in at birth, we begin our pilgrimage protected and cared for in nurturing soil, deprived in parched, neglected ground, or struggling to grow under hardened concrete. Every path is different, and some are definitely more difficult than others, but we are all born to bloom, and we each have the capacity within us to do so.

Morgan Harper Nichols, one of my favorite artist/writers shares in her book, All Along You Were Blooming, "And the thing about blooming is, nothing about the process is easy. It requires every part of you to stretch upward, with your roots firmly planted in the ground; and in the sun, and in the rain, and wind, you stand anyway, even against the pull of the soil. And through it all, one day you will see all along you were transforming. This took everything out of you, but the struggle was beautiful and necessary for your growth."

We are blooming, my friend. Ideally, we do it together.

As we begin a new month and year, how can we help each other grow through life? It's far too easy to just go through life. Wally Amos reminds us, "It is vital to be growing through your life, not just going through your life." Let's be as present and intentional as possible, focused on those things that matter most to us, that bring us true joy, peace, and fulfillment. When we decide to grow through life instead of just go through life, we don't just make goals, we make effective, reachable goals that stretch us enough to help us work toward and create the life we truly want to live and be the person we truly want to be. We bloom.

We have what it takes, my friend. We can grow through life...one day at a time, starting TODAY.

Here's to a wonderful NEW YEAR! Keep blooming!