Grow Where You Are

I remember very clearly the day I started my journey. It was March of 2020. I had just moved to California, started a new job, and in less than 6 months we were fully remote. To keep a routine, I began taking daily walks around my apartment complex. On my walks I noticed things. A sunflower growing from a neighboring balcony, lemon trees in the yards of homeowners across the trail. After about one month of routinely walking the neighborhood, I made an impulsive choice to buy my first plant, a potted full size lemon tree. If you’re going to take a leap, make it count. A few weeks later, I bought a small basil. Three months later, I bought my second tree. By the following year I had two fruit trees, spinach, basil, and sunflowers growing on my 10X5 ft apartment balcony.

May 13, 2020 - Basil and Lemon Tree

I lived in that apartment for four years and each year my garden grew. I added blueberries, bell peppers, and more and more sunflowers. One year I had over 15 sunflowers growing from my little balcony all in little pots. My tiny garden made my little apartment feel massive and I rarely closed my windows.

June 25, 2023

Soon, I developed a routine around watering my plants. My plant routine then became a part of my daily routine. Eventually my daily routine started becoming a new way of life and before I knew it, my garden and I had become unrecognizable. The routine of tending to my garden helped me build discipline around my finances, my eating habits, and I dedicated myself more to doing activities that brought me joy. Sometimes we think growth requires a massive change, but everything grows. If you grow yourself in little ways, you can grow yourself right where you are.