It’s winter here in Australia. In Melbourne, where I am right now, it’s particularly cold. And now is the perfect time of year to do some major pruning in the garden and to plant any new trees that I want to see grow and thrive in the future.
Planting a tree in the winter can seem odd. I mean, just look at its fellow companion trees that were planted long ago. They don’t seem to be doing anything. There are no leaves nor any visible growth. The tree, newly planted, looks the same. There’s not a lot happening on the surface.
However, what is remarkable is the amount of work that’s being done below the surface where you can’t see it. The roots are getting established. They are burrowing deep, looking for nutrients, developing strength, and preparing for a period of rapid growth.
Without the chance to burrow its roots deep into the soil, come spring and summer, that tree will struggle to survive. The roots will sit close to the surface of the soil where there aren’t many nutrients nor water. The shallow root system will also mean that the tree is more likely to be blown down as soon as a strong wind comes along.
Our lives often reflect the same cycles in nature. Don’t we just love those times of rapid growth and expansion, when our lives are in blossom and fragrant? But what about those times where there doesn’t seem to be a lot happening? These are the times that are key to development and growth. These are the times where we are nurturing ourselves, developing strength and preparing for that period of rapid growth. Our roots have to be deep and strong in order to withstand challenges that will inevitably come our way.
Spending time and effort in understanding your desires, understanding and addressing your limiting beliefs, and setting new goals for yourself may not show immediate results. Your life may look exactly the same on the surface, but what is remarkable is the amount of work that’s being done below the surface. And wow. Once spring comes, you’ll see amazing growth and expansion. And when those big winds come that would have previously knocked you off your path, you’ll stand strong and persevere.
Don’t worry about creating visible results as quickly as possible. Take the time to develop your strength, burrow deep and establish your roots.
Just as the tree has the strong root system to enable it to grow into the tree it was meant to be, your strong root system will enable you to grow and be everything that you were born to be.
