Lessons to Find Joy in Gardening

the wild

Hi there, it’s Hillarie! The Wild is a pop of inspiration to get you back into nature. It’s a calming read to help you slow down, be present, and find wonder in the mundane. Now, let’s head outside for our next adventure in gardening, wildlife, and outdoor discovery!

It finally happened, friends: I missed my newsletter deadline. Fortunately, it is a self-imposed deadline and nobody can fire me from my newsletter. I am trying to focus on progress over perfection. Plus, the reason for the delay is well worth a broken streak. I have been working diligently to wrap-up a big work project with my team so that I can take my first solo vacation in years. Bye-bye, zoom calls and mommy duties!

At present, it is Tuesday morning and I am sitting at a nearby airport waiting for a flight to southern California. This is my first time leaving my family alone for over 2 years, and the separation anxiety is real. HOWEVER, it is not enough to stop this long-overdue trip. I am headed to see two of my dearest friends for a retreat we call, “Sacred Lady Space.” They are both Episcopalian priests, but you would never know it if they aren’t wearing their clergy outfits. It’s impossible to know what kind of wild nights are ahead for us.

Before I could leave to see them, I had a list of familial and household chores that I wanted to complete. I fed the ducks and laid out some clean bedding in their pen. I told them I would be leaving for a few days, and they seemed more concerned than either of my children. I swept and mopped all the floors in my home, which is a soothing and sacred chore that I wish I could do more. And I watered my seedlings, showing them with little words of encouragement—I see you coming in strong, my little cucumbers!

The final activity I needed to do before I left was to get some veggie starts into my new raised beds. It’s been warm enough to plant in them for several weeks, but I have been suffering for decision paralysis of what to plant and where. Not the first or the last time I will experience this as a new gardener, I am sure. But one of the important lessons I have learned with gardening is to just start.

This week, I wanted to share a few simple lessons I’ve learned in the garden that have made the journey more fun:

1. Don’t overthink, just start: A classic problem that I struggle with is trying to make the right plan that will give me the best results in the least amount of time. The truth is that there is no “right” plan in nature. There is simply trial and error, and that is part of the process. Instead of trying to make sure I have a plan for everything, I try to focus on testing an idea. It helps!

2. Make gardening part of your lifestyle: Making time to be in the garden was a pain at first. It felt like a chore because my life mostly took place indoors. As I started to find more joy in being outside, I found ways to move my center of gravity outside into nature. Once I was outside, it was much easier to get the garden chores done as part of my daily activities.

3. Cut the perfectionism: As a recovering perfectionist, nature has assured me that she has no time for my mind control tactics. Attempting to outsmart or manipulate nature is futile. Instead, I am trying to see the beauty and interest in the flaws and inconsistencies. They are all important parts of the living experience and they bring wonder into this world. No need to control, just be present.

It’s an ongoing effort to live by these lessons in a world that tells us to have a plan, stay safe by staying indoors, and aim for an undefinable level of perfection. Let’s keep pushing against those ideas by engaging in meaningful ways with nature—whether that is in the garden or otherwise.

Now it’s your turn: What helps motivate you to keep going back to nature? Drop a comment below and pick up some tips if you are struggling to make this happen for yourself. Have fun in your garden, friends. Take care, be kind, and talk soon,

Hillarie