I'm an amateur gardener with dreams of bountiful harvests and snapshots of my girls happily picking cherry tomatoes and popping them into their mouths. And then there's there reality of our situation- soil that's too acidic from all the pine trees, and so full of rocks that I feel we're growing them instead of veggies. It's been a struggle for me- and I sometimes wonder if I should just give up and go to the farmer's market.

 

Until now. You see, this spring, our farmer friends brought us a giant truckload of composted manure, and dumped it right into our new garden beds. And now I have tomato plants that are over six feet high, laden with fruit, and I'm shocked. And I've learned a huge lesson. It's about the foundation- the soil. You need to start with good nourished soil if you want to produce. Sure, they need sun and water, too, but I think I've always underestimated the importance of this part. Soil isn't sexy, and in the spring I think I have tendencies to go right into the planting- but I get it now in a new way.

 

So when I think about this in relation to myself, I wonder, "What is the state of my soil, my body? How am I taking care of me? How can I support my body so that I can thrive and bring my bounty to the world?" It certainly isn't going to be on a depleted self, starving for nutrients, both literally and figuratively. I invite you to join me in the inquiry and consider what you need now to nourish yourself.

 

Moving from Theory to Action  2. What is your next action based on this reflection? (see the Winter and Spring issues of Wellspring for more on goal setting).

I love the title of this book because it echoes a feeling many of us have that our current workstyles just aren't sustainable. Schwartz, a respected researcher and consultant, goes into depth about how managing our personal energy is critical to being more fulfilled and effective in our lives. He walks through practical methods for shifting the burnout cyle into a renewal cycle. And he does it with a holistic perspective, recognizing the importance of not only our physical energy, but our mental, emotional and spiritual energy as well. It's a well-written, organized book that provides context and practical strategies to breaking difficult patterns.