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Dear Friend,

I want to report that after writing last month’s Growing Roots letter, I did indeed employ my tried-and-true method of moving past inertia: First step time limits. In doing so, I  made progress on planting my vegetable garden. 

Here is how I did it:

1. I allowed one hour to research what vegetables I could grow this late in the season. I ended up only spending about 45 minutes because I kept feeling overwhelmed. Then I spent the last 15 minutes in self-empathy.
2. A couple of days later, I mapped a rough plan for the garden. This got me feeling a bit more inspired, so I called a gardener friend and asked her if she would be up for looking at my garden space and my plan. She asked if she could come over the next day!
3. While we talked about my plan, she asked when I was going to go plant-shopping and if she could go with me! We met for lunch the very next day and then went plant shopping. She admitted at lunch that she had not planted her garden yet either and I had inspired her to get going too. What? I went from thinking that my request was a burden to understanding it was a gift. This is one of the many things I heard over and over from Marshall Rosenberg and even though I have seen it play out in my life countless times, I still forget it!
4. We had a lovely lunch and then went to the plant store. She taught me a lot about how to pick out healthy plants and what varieties to choose. I will be honest: When she said, “How are you feeling?” I became overwhelmed and started to feel myself “turn off”. I must have shown my stress. “Pretty overwhelmed,” I said, and asked her how she was feeling. To my amazement, she replied, “Energized!” I really found that inspiring. She looked at the list, saw that we only had two more plants to buy, then she literally jogged down the aisle and picked up those plants so we could move to the check-out line right away.
5. The next morning, I planted plants until it started to feel like a task rather than a joyful endeavor. I felt satisfied. It was enough.
6. The next morning, I finished planting the plants I had. That was 3 weeks ago.
7. Tomorrow, I will plant potatoes and I still have one more bed that is mostly available— and I have no idea what to do with it! I commit to spending time in the First step time limits process to figure it out.
8. Meanwhile, I get to water and nurture my plants, watch them grow, dip my fingers in dirt, talk to them, and marvel at the life and love they bring to me every day!

Do you remember that you are a gift today? Take a minute and listen to Marshall Rosenberg talk about (and sing about) how giving to others is a gift. See if you can take in that asking others to give to you is a gift to them! If that is too challenging, ponder a time or two when someone asked you for something and how you enjoyed supporting them.

I wish you joy this month… 

Mary Mackenzie
CEO and Co-Founder, NVC Academy
CNVC Certified Trainer