Earlier this week, I found myself on my hands and knees in the dirt — pruning, weeding, and preparing my flower garden for a new season. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t quick. And it certainly wasn’t clean. But it was real, honest work — the kind that reminds you of something deeper.
As I dug into the soil, pulling up old roots and clearing out dead growth, I couldn’t help but think: This is exactly what personal growth feels like.
When you plant a flower, or a tree, you don’t just toss it into the ground and walk away. You prepare. You scout out the right spot. You dig deep enough for roots to stretch. You break up the hard soil, remove rocks and weeds, and sometimes you even enrich the ground with compost or fertilizer. It’s messy. It’s physical. It’s time-consuming.
Then comes the care: consistent watering, guarding it from pests, pruning back the parts that might stunt new growth. You’re out there day after day — nurturing, adjusting, watching. Hoping that with the right support, something beautiful will bloom.
And isn’t that what growth in our own lives demands, too?
We can’t just wish ourselves into being healed, confident, or whole. We have to get our hands dirty. We have to dig into what’s beneath the surface — the old habits, the pain, the limiting beliefs that no longer serve us. We have to prune what’s holding us back and create space for something new to grow.
Just like in gardening, growth doesn’t happen overnight. And it’s not always visible right away. But with care, consistency, and a little grace — transformation comes.
There’s no shortcut to deep roots. There’s no bypassing the dirt. Whether you’re preparing soil for spring flowers or preparing your soul for a new season in life, growth requires showing up. Again and again. Even when it’s hard.
So if you’re in a season of digging deep, know that it’s sacred work. Be patient with the process. And don’t forget — some of the most beautiful things take root in the messiest soil.
