Are you watering your fruit tree?

So it’s pretty much a given that the title of this blog post isn’t going to get small business owners streaming to my site via SEO. Might get a few gardening enthusiasts though! If you’re here because you love gardening, bear with me.

Watering your fruit tree is the way Rick Hansen describes things that feed you. And unfortunately I’m not talking about Nutella doughnuts. Though, actually, I could be…

Rick finds the whole concept of New Year’s resolutions a bit ho hum. He finds them bossy – which is the first time I’ve ever heard that word in the context of New Year’s resolutions but he means they’re a bit bossy from the top-down: go to the gym! stop eating sugar! (yeah nah).

Rick thinks we should approach New Year’s resolutions from the bottom-up so they feel a bit more warm-hearted. He asks: what’s that one thing which really sets your life right, lifts your whole state of being and makes a big difference for you? What could happen this year if you regularly watered this particular fruit tree?

He also mentions that the year doesn’t have to start on 1st January, it could be any part of the year. Less bossy huh.

Mine: Taking that cup of tea break around 2pm. Rick actually mentions a cuppa as an example but having one (or 3) definitely sets my life right. Also, having alone time and reading – which may seem strange given I work alone from home during school hours but I’m mainly working. I like that time at the end of the day to read books and wind down and guess what? I never do it. Ever. Yet it’s one of my favourite things to do. As well, I do love walking or running outdoors. A few years back I trained for a half marathon and I really loved it, but I barely run or walk any more and I’m feeling the effects. So, the difference between the top-down “must run” to the warm-hearted “must run” is that running or walking waters my fruit tree. I do it because it lifts my whole state of being. If you’re going to the gym (ewwwwwwwwwww) because you think you “should” then that resolution is likely to fail.

So why am I writing this in a business blog? Because many of my readers are small business owners themselves and they’re doing it because it’s what they love doing. But sometimes you are drowning in long hours and family stuff and you don’t get time to water your fruit tree and then burn out or a serious case of CBF happens and it’s hard to climb back up.

Here’s Rick’s article in full. He writes some excellent stuff, so go subscribe.

Now that’s your life coaching session for the day! When you get a moment or two, think about what waters your fruit tree. I’d love to hear what it is.