If Life is a Garden, What are You Watering?

How to reclaim authorship of your time.

I recently made a post about the paradox of choice.

Motherhood has offered me the chance to prioritize where my energy flows and who or what receives my treasured time.

That video resonated with many of you, and two common challenges kept coming up in the responses:

• Not knowing what to prioritize and focus on

• Falling into procrastination and not having enough time

So in today’s post, I thought I’d share what’s been working for me — especially now, when time feels more precious than ever, and it’s crucial to know what truly matters.

How Do You Know What You Want?

In today’s world, it can be hard to distinguish what you actually want from what you think you want. We are constantly being influenced — by our education, peers, social media, marketing — almost every second of the day.

And if you’re an empath like me, it’s easy to fall prey to this conditioning.

For the longest time, I found myself swaying with the wind. One moment I wanted to travel the world and join Discovery Channel (anyone remembers those?), and the next I was chasing a career in business and finance.

That kind of uncertainty often comes from a deeper disconnect with oneself.

Many of us haven’t spent enough time understanding who we are — our stories, influences, innate nature, and ultimately, our reason for being here, living this human experience.

Yes, these are big, possibly heavy questions — but until we take time to explore them, we may always feel a little lost.

Second-guessing our actions.

Berating our inner voice.

Distrusting our intuition.

Some tools that helped me reconnect included exploring my doshas and energy centers with specialist Ayurvedic doctors; diving deep into my Human Design (check out Jenna Zoe, Amy Lea & Tresa Rivera on Instagram) and journaling consistently to unpack my North Star (getting a coach to talk this through really helped!)

The Pivotal Life Map

One tool I’d love to introduce to you is the Pivotal Life Map.

Our life’s trajectory is altered daily — if not by the minute — through people, places, and both small and significant moments.

We often spend hours reading autobiographies or listening to others’ life stories… but rarely do we reflect on our own.

Creating your Pivotal Life Map can be both uncomfortable and enlightening — revealing key experiences that have shaped your values, purpose, and priorities.

PS you don’t need fancy sketching skills to do this.

Drawing a Life Map. Thoughtful Learning, 2015.

HOW TO:
 
1. Gather your materials. You’ll need a large sheet of paper (A2 is great), colorful pens or crayons, your favorite drink, calming music, and anything else to make this time enjoyable.

2. Pick a timeframe. You can map your entire life or focus on a specific period — e.g., from 2020 (COVID) to 2025 (present).

3. Ground yourself. Take a few deep breaths. Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing) is a beautiful pranayama practice to balance your energies.

4. Sketch freely. Spend 15–30 minutes drawing, writing, or doodling without judgment. Let your hand move freely — don’t censor or overthink.

5. Take a break. Step away and go for a 5-minute walk to re-center.

6. Reflect. When you return, look at what emerged. Ask yourself:

- What were the pivotal moments that altered your life path?

- Who were the key people (positive or negative) in those moments?

- What’s your happiest and saddest memory from this time?

- What life lessons emerged from these people and experiences?

7. Integrate. Record a voice note or talk to a trusted friend about what came up. Share how your past might be influencing your present.

8. Project forward. If you have the energy, extend your map into the future. What do you want to create — and with whom?

Leave a comment and let me know how this exercise went for you.

My hope is that you’ll uncover the pivotal junctures in your journey — and begin to embody the lessons from them as you author your next chapter.

How Do You Focus on What You Want?

The second big challenge that surfaced was focus and procrastination.

As adults, we carry responsibilities — some we love, others… not so much. Yet we still need to do them to keep life moving. So the real question is: How do we make time for what matters?

There’s a popular saying:

“Your mind is a garden. Whatever you water will grow.”

If your time and energy go into watering weeds, weeds will grow.

If you nurture flowering plants, beauty will bloom.

You can’t grow flowers and expect weeds. You can’t plant an apple tree and expect oranges.

The same holds true for our lives.

Our thoughts and actions reflect what we’re prioritizing. Ask yourself:

Am I consuming more than I’m creating?

Am I living in my head more than in my body?

Am I operating from fear more than freedom?

This work isn’t easy — in fact, it’s easier to avoid.

But if you want to focus and overcome procrastination, you must remind yourself: What kind of life garden do I want to tend to?

Favorite Tools That Help Me Focus

There’s no shortage of productivity and decision-making tools. Some of my favorites include:

• Pomodoro Technique – short bursts of focused work with breaks in between

• Eisenhower Matrix – helping you decide what’s urgent vs. important

• 10-10-10 Rule – consider how a decision will affect you in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years

• Head-Heart-Hand Gut Check – a holistic tool I swear by!

Eat the Frog

Since we’re talking about gardens, let’s talk about frogs!

This simple but powerful method is perfect for procrastinators — especially if there’s one big task you keep avoiding.

It’s called: Eat the Frog.

AI generated Frog in the Garden

The idea?

Do the hardest, most important task (your “frog”) first thing in the morning. Once that’s done, the rest of your day feels lighter.

If you are curious (like me), the phrase comes from a quote often attributed to Mark Twain:

“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, eat the biggest one first.”
It’s a metaphor for getting your hardest or most important task out of the way — so you don’t spend the whole day dreading it.

It’s a metaphor for handling your biggest challenge head-on — instead of letting it loom over you all day.

So there you have it — a sneak peek into how I manage my time and energy without burning out!

A Little Update: Building a 12-Week Reinvention Program

I’m also excited to share that maternity leave has been a beautiful, creative season for me — and I’ve been working on a 12-week program for courageous, purpose-led women ready to:

✨ Reclaim authorship of their time, energy, and choices
✨ Break free from people-pleasing
✨ Stop shrinking to fit outdated expectations

If you’d like to know more, drop a comment below and I’ll invite you to the introductory webinar — I’d love to have you join the pilot!