These are tomatoes (duh).
The tomato on the left is a large beefsteak grown by an expert farmer friend of my parents. The tomato on the right....is mine. It too is a beefsteak but about the size of a small plum and they are all like that. Real summer tomatoes are the BEST, unless you are my tomatoes that have too many seeds, are a little mealy on the inside and look like a sunburned plum tree.
What the Hell Happened
Easy. Too many seeds, too small of a pot
This tale begins with my dream of being an urban farmer, one of those people that plants a colourful repast of veg in pots and loves them up to harvest. In the spring I began the journey just a bright-eyed girl with nothing but agro-dreams. Then came reality. I spilled seeds, didn't believe the seed (how could something that small grow into a plant kind of mentality) and got lazy when picking the pots not envisioning life beyond what I could see.
Oh stop judging me you gardeners, I KNOW NOW. Let's continue.
At first, seedlings were rocking it. Everybody in the pot was excited, bug free and had big ideas of the kind of fruit it would be when it grew up. I snipped, watered and encouraged everybody everyday, providing all the support I could. Then the fruit arrived.
I knew there were too many plants in the pots AND I knew the pots were too small. So I'm not sure what the surprise was when I began picking the tomatoes (reflecting on their odd size) and made a sandwich that was like eating a sponge between two pieces of bread.
Poor tomato, I can't insult it. It tried, but the environment for growth sucked and it was destined for this.
The Lesson I Learned
I have been reflecting a lot about fear and self-limitation recently. This is a place we ALL have inside of us, that place we go to so easily that lets us off the hook, ties us to obsessions of scarcity and keeps us small.
The tomatoes had too much potential going all at once within a pot that constricted its growth.
We too are like this.
In looking at my tomatoes I saw that in order to move past fear and to take accountable steps forward we need to set up conditions to allow limitless. This is way easier said than done, it is not something you check off the list.
It is a way of living.
With fall coming in and all the joyful (and sometimes stressful) activity that comes with it, perhaps it is time for you to think about this. Limiting ideas arrive in a number of ways such as:
How have I limited by ability to find free time for things that matter and keep me healthy?
Why is now not the right time to do something important to me?
Why can't I be myself at work, at home, with family? (If they only knew.....)
Set yourself free starting one day at a time. Release yourself from your rules and explore what could happen if you put those ideas into a bigger pot! Try some mindfulness practices to contemplate where these spaces are in you. Journaling is another way to get things out of your head to have a place to rest. You will find insight going back to your entries and noticing where you held yourself back. Or, talk to a clinical hypnotherapist! We live for this stuff.
Whatever you choose to do is a step forward and know that something really great WILL happen you just have to give it a chance.
So keep those deep thoughts coming, go get some big pots and for heavens sake...respect the seed.
Peace out!
~ Chantell
Want more? I invite you to learn more about what hypnotherapy and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) can do to transform your health and life, permanently delete limiting beliefs that are holding you back and propel your momentum FORWARD through regular coaching and support. Please visit the Mindpower Resource Download Store for hypnosis downloads as well as my Events listing for more information.
Chantell Tunney, RHC, C.Ht., MNLP, DSHomMedWith over 20 years of clinical experience in health and mental wellness, I specialize in facilitating the removal of the limiting beliefs and negative emotions that get in the way of living life to its fullest expression.As a board certified clinical Hypnotherapist, Master NLP Practitioner and registered Health Coach I integrate a variety of tools and techniques that support lasting change. To complement my practice, I draw from my experience as both a healthcare executive and clinician. In addition to private practice I work with corporate clients and community partners as a facilitator, educator, speaker and writer specializing in using communication and self-awareness as the buiding blocks for inevitable success.Â