BE THE GARDENER OF YOUR LIFE: SUSTAINING GROWTH IN HEALTHY WAYS

These are some inspiring and insightful passages in “Shifting Bravely: A Path to Growth, Healing, and Transformation” by Holli Kenley

 

— I believe that when we are truly grounded in our growth and its strength, we are at peace with ourselves and with others. Battles or arguments we had within ourselves and with others in proving our truths or substantiating our growth are no longer important. They are no longer necessary. In our peace, we are choosing to silence past representations such as anger, resentment, and blame. Because of our growth, we are choosing to honor it in healthy ways. In doing so, we find ourselves once again taking on the posture of a gardener: being still, listening, staying open, and giving ourselves time for further internal strengthening.

When we remain open to new discoveries and insights regarding our experiences, our defensive posture takes a back seat to welcoming in an understanding of them. It is with deeper insight we find ourselves remaining silent within, settling into our peace and calm.

When A SHIFT Is Sustained, we are anchored in our truths. And when the waters around us are unpredictable or choppy, our knowing of our truths secures us. We do not react to our unsafe environments or adversaries. Where we “once battled and argued,” we are now “choosing to remain silent.” We now choose a peaceful response. And, when we maintain the posture of a gardener by sustaining our growth in healthy ways, we affirm “we are rooted in our truth and our truth is allowed to shift and transform” (Unknown). We have come to understand that when A SHIFT Is Sustained, there will be evidence of it. We will not be the persons we used to be, things once tolerated will no longer be tolerable, and when and how we speak about ourselves and our truths will mirror an internal representation of lasting strength.

In honoring our voices and affirming ourselves, we have learned the importance of speaking our truths and of presenting them in ways representative of sustainable growth. As we begin to understand the value of our voice, we begin to embrace a deeply insightful and intentional posture of a gardener. It is one that requires quiet perseverance, a steady stream of resilience, and endless patience. With continual growth and increased internalization of our truths, it is a posture that displays an inner core of self-compassion, discernment, and self-empowerment.

In our understanding and application of it, empowerment means valuing our voice by voicing our value . In other words, self-empowerment shows up as clear, confident, authentic representations of our truths and our growth. When we are valuing our voice, we do not seek to dominate or demand. And when we are voicing our value , we do so by representing our strong beliefs in who we are as we thoughtfully and respectfully conduct our lives.

ON AMAZON!