Take Care of What You Already Have

Last year I planted my first ever planter boxes of flowers under the tutelage of my awesome sister. We went to a local nursery and I picked out plants I liked in her recommended categories—some tall and spiky grasses, some low runners, and some medium height flowering plants. 

We smooshed them artistically in my planter boxes, I watered and fertilized per her instructions, and voila! Beautiful flowers for the summer.  That is, until the worst of the summer heat...ah...discouraged them from thriving. 

Anyway, they were beautiful and healthy for months and brought me much joy. 

Fast forward to this year, when the sister-of-mine was in Hawaii for 10 days during my window for planting. I went to the same nursery as last year, stumbled through picking out plants trying to remember her guidance from last year, and planted. All by myself. And the result compared to last year was a solid "meh."

Not to be discouraged, I watered my plants diligently. And when it got unseasonably warm, I watered them more frequently. And that’s been it. As the temperature climbed, I did nothing more than water daily and very occasionally pluck a withered flower head. 

My strategy was basically one of do-the-basics, and ignoring. Well, to be honest, I wasn’t really ignoring. I was stressing about the dead leaves I was seeing, and the lack of thriving of the plants in general. I knew they weren’t doing well but I wasn’t doing anything besides the basic watering and a lot of worrying.

And then a few days ago, I finally got the plant food out and spent some time with those lil’ plants of mine, thoroughly dead-heading, adjusting the soil around a few plants that were leaning, and thinning out a few crispy leaves.

The intervention may have come too late but for the sake of this post, whether the plants survive for the long haul or not is beside the point. What does matter is the similarities I couldn’t help but see between caring for plants and caring for money. 

The basic watering of plants is akin to paying your bills, and not overdrafting on the regular. 

The stress I felt about my plants’ welfare is a lot like the stress a person feels about the money she isn’t tracking or planning. This stress is compounded by feeling guilty about the lack of attention you know you “should” be giving it.

The fertilizing and deadheading I finally did? That is you taking a look at your money and letting the facts be facts, then starting to take care of it. 

In both cases, things change for the better when you decide to do something different. Guilt and stress diminish immensely when you stop ignoring a guilt- or stress-causing situation. Hope flourishes when you bring things into the light with action. And with that hope you can do a lot.

It was hope that I gained when I looked at my entire money situation and made peace with myself about it. And then with that hope I righted the whole financial ship and got seriously unstuck. And with the momentum that honestly began right at the moment of decision, I was able to sail into much happier waters.

(See what I did there? Introduced another metaphor, one that has nothing to do with plants. Forgive me?)

Every client who has decided they are done with their money stress and guilt and are willing to try something different—working with a coach and give a new organizational system a chance—experiences this same infusion of hope and happy results. 

"The way I approach my money and my future has changed completely!"

"I feel empowered since my divorce to be able to be independent with finances."

"We feel hope for the first time in decades."

There is one thing I’ve come to know as exquisitely true whether we’re talking about plants, possessions, money or I'm guessing even ships: it’s amazing what happens when you really and actually take care of things. Ignoring is not a strategy. And even if ignoring isn’t totally ruining your plants or your money, as a strategy it feels terrible.

So, what might you be ignoring about your money? And are you ready to feel something other than stressed and guilty about it? Awesome! Being ready to feel and do things differently is a critical first step. And if you need plant advice, feel free to hit me up...for my sister's phone number. :-)