Your Life, Your Garden

Cultivating Life and Gardens: How Changing My Garden Taught Me About Fulfillment

There’s something deeply personal about a garden. Over the past five years, I’ve reshaped mine multiple times - removing plants I thought I loved, adding new ones that spoke to me and learning to let some areas breathe on their own. Each change wasn’t just about aesthetics; it mirrored the evolution of my own life, my choices and my approach to well-being.

When I first started gardening, I imagined a picture-perfect plot. I planted what I thought I “should” plant, followed the trends I admired in magazines and worked hard to maintain it, but soon, I realized something crucial: a garden, like a life, cannot thrive under someone else’s rules.

So, I began experimenting. I replaced flowers that didn’t resonate with me, reshaped pathways that felt cluttered and created spaces for reflection rather than just display. Some plants failed, some thrived, but each choice taught me about patience, listening to intuition and honouring my own preferences over external expectations.

Gardening became a metaphor for life coaching. Just as I reshaped my garden to align with what truly brought me joy, I guide my clients to examine their own lives, to remove habits or beliefs that no longer serve them and to cultivate practices that nourish their authentic selves.

The beauty of this process is its fluidity. Gardens - and lives - are never static. They invite experimentation, adaptability and care. Sometimes, the most beautiful spaces emerge not from rigid planning, but from mindful observation and a willingness to make changes along the way.

Looking at my garden now, I see more than flowers and greenery. I see the story of my own growth: a record of risks taken, lessons learned, a commitment to cultivating what truly matters and that, I remind my clients, is the essence of well-being: shaping our external and internal landscapes in ways that reflect our true selves.

Whether you’re planting a garden or planting the seeds of change in your life, remember: it’s never too late to rearrange, remove or grow something new. Every season offers the chance to create a space that feels authentically yours.

Gardening My Life: Lessons From 5 Years of Change

 Lesson 1: Start where you are

Five years ago, my garden looked nothing like I imagined. I planted what I thought I “should,” following trends and advice, but it didn’t feel like me. Life is the same - your first step is noticing where you are, not chasing someone else’s ideal.

 Lesson 2: Experiment & adapt

I changed my garden multiple times - moving plants, adding new ones and letting others go. Some failed, some thrived and every choice taught me something. In life, trying new paths and letting go of what doesn’t fit is how we grow.

 Lesson 3: Listen to your intuition

The plants that resonated with me the most were the ones I instinctively chose. Following your gut in life often leads to spaces - both internal and external - that feel authentic and nourishing.

 Lesson 4: Beauty comes from care, not perfection

My garden isn’t perfect. Some weeds sneak in and some flowers fade, but it’s alive, thriving and mine. Fulfillment is the same - it’s about cultivating, not controlling every detail.

 Lesson 5: Change is ongoing

Gardens - and lives - evolve. I still move things around, still learn and still adjust. Embrace the seasons of life and the freedom to redesign your landscape whenever it calls to you.

 Takeaway: Your life is your garden 

You can prune, plant, rearrange and experiment. The key is to do it consciously, with intention and in a way that reflects your authentic self.