Room in the Garden: Mindfully honoring uniqueness and commonality (Season 5, Episode 14)

A tulip doesn’t strive to impress anyone. It doesn’t struggle to be different than a rose. It doesn’t have to. It is different. And there is room in the garden for every flower.

–Marianne Williamson

There is room in the garden for every flower.

This week, we talked about recognizing the common humanity we share with others while also celebrating our uniqueness and honoring (and making room for) the uniqueness of others.

On the podcast, I mentioned three challenges for the days ahead. Let's recap now.

1.) Our first challenge! To listen. Scratch that…to MINDFULLY listen. Meaning to actually listen, not just wait for our turn to respond. Listen to the concerns and words of others and listen for the humanity. Notice I am not saying to agree or even to let unkind words go unchallenged, but to listen with the intent to find some understanding… with the intent to see the flower, not the weed. 

2.) Our second challenge! To recognize that we, ourselves, are flowers and that we belong in the garden too. To recognize the beauty we bring to the world through our unique gifts and voices. That we don’t need to try to be a rose when we are a tulip…tulips are beautiful in their own right and have a place in the garden. 

3.) Our third challenge! To find joy in mindfully seeing the garden. Take a moment each day to look around you– at the people you meet throughout the day… see them both as another flower in the garden (AKA the humanity we all share) as well as as a unique beautiful flower (AKA the unique being they are.)

Big challenges but all within our grasp through small actions and grand gestures.

To celebrate the flowers (did I mention I LOVE flowers!?), let's take a few mindful minutes to make some art! Download the worksheet below to learn how to draw my favorite doodle flower. Try not to put a judgement on what comes of the mindful art exercise, just create and enjoy! Share your artwork in the comments section —I'd love to see it!

Episode 14 worksheet.pdf

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