Cultivating Wellness: Amending Your Environment to Thrive
The humble tomato plant will succeed in almost any environment. Much like tomatoes, humans will endure. Over the course of our lives, we too experience beautiful sunny days, brutal and sometimes devastating storms, and even invasive pests – but we prevail. We dive our roots down into the soil, we stretch our leaves to find the sun, we adapt to our surroundings, and we prevail.
Tomato plants are the ideal starter vegetable for the home gardener, even those with a so called “black thumb,” because they are not too picky about their environment. They can be found potted on sunny back patios and within the lush rows of a backyard garden. They’ll even grow upside down. Tomatoes grow best in slightly acidic, well-draining soil, and prefer to spend at least 6 hours in bright, direct sunlight. These ideal conditions encourage strong, hearty, plants that will produce a plentiful harvest.
Personally, I prefer soft, freshly cut grass under my bare feet, the warmth of easy morning sunlight, and a slight breeze in the air. Your ideal environment may look different than mine and much like tomatoes, we do not necessarily need our ideal conditions to survive. But what happens when we do grow in our preferred environment? We don’t just survive, we thrive.
Amending your environment involves making changes to your surroundings to better support your goals, habits, and overall health and wellness. It can increase your productivity, ease the stress of daily life, help you overcome the ugly, unanticipated events the universe throws our way, and declutter many aspects of our lives.
Identify Your Needs
If your soil is too dense, your garden is overcrowded, or if your plants are competing with others for nutrients, your tomatoes will not grow to their full potential. In this sense, humans and tomatoes are very much alike. Assess your environment for things that stunt your personal wellness and growth.
Your physical surroundings can have an immense impact on your focus, productivity, and functionality. Is your work or hobby space cluttered or too noisy? Are the supplies and materials you need to accomplish your task or goal easily accessible?
Does your social network understand and support your goals? My mom always says, “it’s hard to soar like an eagle when you’re surrounded by buzzards.” Your friends, coworkers, and yes, even your family, can inhibit your success. Your lifestyle, your habits, and your behavior are largely influenced by the company you keep.
Consider the type and the amount of content you consume. We have an endless supply of information at our fingertips at any moment. Do you read books, listen to podcasts, or watch shows/videos related to your goals or hobbies? If the content you consume overwhelms you, negatively impacts your sleep, mood or relationships, or simply doesn’t support your goals and/or lifestyle, you should consider alternative content or limiting your intake.
Implementing Changes
Start by making one small change at a time. This allows you to figure out what works and what doesn’t, and it won’t be overwhelming. Instead of trying to declutter your entire home in one weekend, start with one small room or closet at a time. Small, gradual enhancements will give you the momentum to keep going and improve your habits and behavior over time.
Limit your access to temptations. If your goal is to eat healthier, plan and prepare your snacks and meals ahead of time. Then, on busy workdays you’ll be less tempted to stop for fast food on the way home. Take a break from social media. Set boundaries and create some distance between friends or family members whose habits, beliefs, or behaviors do not align with your goals.
Optimize Your Routine
Build time into your schedule to work towards your goals so you don’t put them on the back burner. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time each day – maybe it’s 10 minutes each day to declutter or tidy an area of your home or workspace, or 1 hour each week spent enjoying your hobby and improving your hobby space. Seek out opportunities in your schedule to make swaps that support your new goals. For example, listen to a podcast or audiobook related to your goal on your drive home from work rather than listening to the radio. By committing to this new routine, your new tasks become part of your lifestyle.
Check in with yourself daily or weekly and reflect on your progress. As you build momentum, your goals may change or grow so be flexible. Most importantly, give yourself some grace if you don’t make as much progress as you hoped to. Even the best gardeners forget to water their tomatoes from time to time, but the plant will continue to grow.
Seek Support
Organic compost is a foundational soil amendment that improves soil structure, drainage, and water retention, while also providing essential nutrients. Like soil, we can benefit from additional resources, even when we have a healthy environment to grow in from the start. It is advantageous to your success to seek support, guidance, and companionship in your new endeavors. Look for local clubs or support groups, social media groups with like-minded individuals, and professional resources such as specialty physicians or those with experience in your field of interest.
Learning new things, striving to overhaul our lifestyle, or dealing with setbacks all require a great deal of mental and emotional fortitude. Without amendments, over time, soil will become depleted of the nutrients essential for plant success. Rely on your support network when you’re feeling depleted or overwhelmed. Your support network can also help inspire you along your journey, provide accountability, and celebrate your wins with you.
You can buy mediocre tomatoes in the grocery store year-round, but there’s nothing as satisfying as a homegrown, freshly picked, ripe tomato. You are worth the time and energy it takes to amend your environment. While change is often difficult and uncomfortable, it is necessary for your growth and success. Best of luck to you on your journey!
