It’s spring, friends. Even if it looks like winter or mud season or something else entirely where you are (summer?). It’s spring here. And spring is always a beautiful opportunity for a reset, a new perspective, and a fresh start. 

Photo: A glimpse of Sarah Maloney’s artwork. In the foreground is a piece of furniture (divan) with what look like metal plants growing up from it. Behind it are quilted panels with flowers embroidered on top of them. 

I’ve been thinking about the way I plant seeds in my life. I imagine you could make your own list. Maybe you have a garden, and you plant literal seeds! Amazing. Goodness knows that as the price of gas and food continues to rise or fluctuate, and the world keeps changing, growing your own food is an incredible way to give yourself some additional security and offer you something to share with your friends and neighbors as well as your family. Plus it’s fun (for some people), and good for your mental health, and it’s physical activity too!

Much of the work I do as a vocal instructor and barbershop director involves planting seeds. We can’t make dramatic changes overnight most of the time. So I drop bits of education, I cultivate the soil, so to speak, laying down roots so that we can build a variety of skills that will ultimately culminate in beautiful performances and more polished and confident singers. 

Planting seeds can also be a way to think about marketing! Trust me, I’ve learned from personal experience that you can’t just announce a program one time and expect that people will sign up for it. It takes a variety of methods to get the word out effectively, and if I want a program to come together or for a bunch of new mental fitness or coaching clients to find me, it’s essential that I keep planting seeds by sharing new content and posts that reinforce the opportunities and help my potential clients see the benefit for themselves in participating. 

I’ve also noticed that often, I do some workshopping, so to speak, of an idea that I have out loud with several people before I do it. This could be seen as a type of seed planting too – although perhaps it’s planting the seeds in my own mind and body! If I talk about it a few times, and if it feels good in my body and my voice, and maybe if the reaction I get to it is supportive, maybe it’s time to go for it. (I am also aware that this type of workshopping is NOT something everyone does. I think it’s part of my personality as an Enneagram 1 (we’re verbal processors). How about you?) 

I think we’re always planting seeds in our own lives. When we start learning a new skill, trying out a new hobby, a new attitude or way of thinking, we don’t reap all the benefits all at once. It takes time. The reason I try to practice voice every day is that if we only do it once or twice a week, we can’t make much progress. It’s hard to rewrite habits with that kind of a schedule. But if we do exercises and push ourselves a little bit each day, it’s easier to integrate new habits and to see the benefits. 

If you’d like to plant some seeds for change and growth in your own life, joining an Enneagram group or completing a Saboteur Assessment can be a wonderful next step. 

Does this concept resonate for you right now?