Root-Bound?

Are your thoughts a tangled, spiraling mess? Are your original ideas frozen in time and long gone? Do new horizons look like parched, dry deserts? Have you been stuck in the same pattern for so long that you can’t remember the last time you felt excited… about anything? In short, are you root-bound?

Just as larger plants can be stunted, asking for a bigger pot when roots poke out of the soil, you’ll know when it’s time to repot yourself. But after repotting, these new roots take time to grow. The chit chat goes like this: “All right. But first . . . I’m exhausted. I’m so tired. I think I’ll take a nap. Or organize my sock drawer. Maybe scroll through my phone, watching other people live their interesting lives. Anything else is too much for me.”

Or you might also say something like, “I’m too busy taking care of my grandkids. There’s no space for me.” Maybe it’s, “I’m not important. I don’t matter in the bigger picture. Whatever that is. Everything else takes priority over me. I’m #157 on the list. It’s always been that way.” Warning: living root-bound can be dangerous to your joy and happiness, not to mention your health.

Time to repot yourself?

Here are some tips:

• Plant new heritage seeds. When you were younger, what did you chomp at the bit to do? Jot down your list. Then note the date of the last time you did that behind each one. Surprised? Pick one and get started.
• Gently nurture new tendrils. What’s the smallest possible step you can take? You always wanted to play the guitar. Try pickleball. Go fishing. Learn to water ski. Take a longer hike. How about temporarily transplant yourself by traveling to a new space? Figure out the first step toward that goal. And do it.
• The roots know where to go. How are you spending your time? There are 1440 minutes in a day. It’s time to check where your roots are growing. Draw a circle on a piece of paper. Divide it into 6 or 8 equal sections. And start with the basics: family and friends, sleep, work, exercise and fitness, spirituality and religion, self-improvement – things you value. Fill in the spaces with how you spend those minutes. Want to change that? How and where?
• Fertilize your motivation. Pay attention to your self-talk. Encourage your creativity with inspiring words and affirmations. Fertilizer can smell stinky, but it also provides nourishment. Clear out blockages, and nourish yourself with positivity and original thoughts. It will pay off in the end.
• Water those new roots. Are you hitting negative rocks and hard patches? To help those tiny rootlets push through the dirt, they need moisture. Dampen your soil by looking around you to see if there’s another way to get to where you want to be. If it’s easier, make new plans.

Revel in your new growth. You’re root-bound no more. Live unstuck!