“The Garden Within”

There’s a garden inside all of us.

It’s not one you can see in a mirror or plant in a backyard. This garden is quiet, hidden beneath the surface—growing slowly, patiently, beneath our experiences, thoughts, and choices. And just like any garden, it needs care.

I didn’t always understand this. For a long time, I lived like life was a race—measuring progress in achievements, not in alignment. I pushed through seasons without stopping to ask if I was even sowing the right seeds. But then came a season of stillness—a forced pause, when everything in my life seemed to freeze. No growth, no direction. Just silence.

That’s when I realized: growth doesn’t always look like progress.

Sometimes, growth is pulling weeds—letting go of limiting beliefs, old habits, and toxic expectations. Sometimes, it’s pruning—cutting back distractions to make room for purpose. And sometimes, it’s just watering—small, consistent acts of self-care, honesty, and intentionality.

In that season, I learned to listen to the garden within.

It taught me patience. Growth takes time. A seed doesn’t become a tree overnight. And neither do we. Every setback, every disappointment, every unanswered prayer—was preparing the soil. Softening it. Making it ready for something new.

It taught me gratitude. Flowers don’t bloom all year, but their roots are always growing. Even when nothing seems to be happening, change is still unfolding beneath the surface.

Most of all, it taught me this: you are already enough. You are not broken soil. You are fertile ground. Everything you need to bloom is already within you—you just have to cultivate it.

So tend your inner garden.

Water it with love. Expose it to the light of truth. Pull the weeds, plant new dreams, and trust the process. And when the season shifts—and it will—you’ll see the beauty that’s been growing inside you all along.