This summer, I found myself spending a lot of time in the yard weeding, planting, and removing old bushes. Keeping up on a yard is really quite a task - and I just kept finding more and more that needed to be done with each project I completed.
One afternoon while my partner was at work, I decided to tackle a large project on my own and surprise her. It was removing two (large) dead bushes by our shed. It was clear to me as soon as I began that the two dead bushes were going to give me a good solid fight.
My battle began by me trying to remove the long branches first. After a few scratches and pokes, I was on to the second step - digging out the trunks. Friends, let me tell you, this was an absolute mess. Dirt was everywhere, I looked absolutely ridiculous, and the patio area was a complete mess. I realized that if she came home while I was in the middle of this project that it would definitely WOULD surprise her - but not in the fun way I had hoped!
Thankfully her meeting that day ran late and I had enough time to not only get the bushes removed and broken down, but also clean up the awful mess that I had made. When she got home that evening, she was so impressed by how great the yard looked. We both had a pretty good laugh when I explained just what a mess it truly was!
That night as I was letting the dogs out and reviewing my work with a glass of wine, I thought about that entire process that I went through earlier in the day. 1.) Dead bushes that needed to be removed 2.) Starting the process and going through the scratches and injuries of the dead branches 3.) Creating a mess that was so epic that if someone had come into the back yard while I was in the middle of it, they would have advised to just leave the dead bushes alone next time 4.) Disposal and clean up, which created a clean, new looking/feeling back yard living space.
I probably don’t need to guide you much further with where I’m going with this, but this is all worth repeating. So often we look at the “dead bushes” (life situations, relationships, jobs, etc.) in our own life and justify keeping them there by knowing how difficult they would be to remove. Unfortunately, we always know deep in our gut that it’s just a matter of time before we need to take on the task of removing them.
When we begin the removal process, don’t be scared away by the “damage” it can create. Remember - though it may hurt and leave marks, it won’t scar you and the (emotional) injuries will heal.
This part can be the most important of all to remember: when removing your individual “dead bushes”, this can create quite a mess - and opens you up to a significant amount of judgement. This is also the time when many of your closest relationships view your life as “too messy” and lose faith in your mission - and opt to walk away.
In the end, when you’ve cleared the emotional debris, you can take a step back and be proud of all that you’ve accomplished. You’ll have so much to be proud of - and you’ll be very clear of who your support system is.
Don’t ever be afraid to remove the dead emotional debris from your life - and don’t ever lose the faith in yourself to finish the project. You are worth it, you have a life worth living, and you will be a stronger person in the end.
Happy New Year - and here’s to our emotional gardening!
To the journey of happiness,
Michelle
