Cultivating the Garden of Your Soul- Your Goals, Dreams, and Needs

Knowing What You Need

On many farms much time is spent determining what the best crop to grow that year is going to be. Researching on weather projections, expected rainfall, cloudy days, and sunny days are all important for crop success. By knowing the soil, the climate and the crop the farmer has a better chance of success for his crop. In your virtual garden of the soul it is time to look at your needs. This may be challenging for many because it means admitting we have those needs – which some feel is a weakness.
Needs are the things you cannot live without. You need water. You need shelter. You need food. Those are the needs of your physical body. We also need interaction with others. We are a social species. As the phrase goes “No man (or woman) is an island.” Whether we want to accept it or not we are not only a human, but we are also all a part of humanity… each in our own way. So, like it or not, we NEED interaction and fellowship in some way. Just as the gardener or farmer does much better with conducting their research, we must look into ourselves to find what NEEDS we have to take care of.

Dreams and Goals

The gardener dreams of having a bountiful harvest. However, the dream cannot be met without making sure that there is fertile soil for the plants to take root. If the farmer does not do his research and plants the wrong crop his dreams won’t come true. No matter how many times the garden patch is watered the home gardener is not going to enjoy the harvest of their dreams unless they put the right plants in the right places. The gardener dreams of the harvest and sets the goals that will create that reality.

In our garden of the soul it is important to know the difference between a goal and a dream. Think of the dream as the bountiful harvest. In our soul’s garden we may dream of happiness or having a deeper connection with our higher power or even a rich life filled with family and friends. However, if you don’t do the work to create those connections…to lay a fertile soil for your dream to take root…the dreams get lost. Both the hobbyist and the professional spend time figuring potential yields (their dream). However, it is a long time between the planting of the seed to the dream of a bountiful harvest.

So the gardener or farmer does their research and finds the perfect plants for their garden and field conditions. They decide not only what to plant (goal 1), but when to plant (goal 2), how much to plant (goal 3), when to transplant (goal 4), when to till the soil (goal 5), when to fertilize (goal 6), an appropriate watering schedule (goal 7), and, finally, a schedule of the expected harvest (goal 7 and DREAM REALIZATION).

If you want to enjoy the bountiful harvest for your soul you have to be a good farmer and make a plan. Whatever the harvest (Dream) you want to create – you can do so if, like the gardener, you take the time to make the right choices to facilitate your harvest. Set the goals that take you in the direction of your dreams!

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