3 Powerful Lessons from Mother Nature

When I was studying for a business degree at University I had to take a Statistics course. During that first semester I failed epically. This was especially embarrassing because my father was a highly respected educator. I should have been the star student, but I wasn't. Shame-faced, I decided to speak with my father and tell him just how bad things were.

My father was not phased by this confession. Instead, he gave me a Statistics for Beginners book. He advised me to miss a couple of lectures to study the material until I understood the basic concepts. That was a game-changer for me. For the first time, everything started to make sense. Previously, I would memorise entire test questions plus the answers in the hope of passing an exam, but now I knew how to use the same formulae to actually solve equations.

You may look at your own life and recognise that you are not in a good place. Everybody around you is "getting it" except you. You are failing. The walls have crumbled, so to speak. It could be in the area of your health, business, career, relationships or finances. Whatever it is needs rebuilding. You cannot hide from it or ignore it any longer. Complacency and indifference will not bring a solution. Rise up and face the giant, confront the problem. Things will not get better by you doing nothing. It takes an action to get a reaction.

In my case, my results improved only after I sought the help of my father. If you don’t have anyone to turn to, be kind to yourself and learn from mother nature. She is the best teacher.

When You Make A Mess, Turn It Into A Message

When you make a mess of things or life, don’t panic and most importantly, never give up on yourself. Speak kindly to yourself as you would speak to someone you love.

You’re not the first to get it wrong and you won’t be the last.

Life has a way of using the seemingly ugly situations to help you grow in positive ways. Nature turns waste into manure which feeds other plants. Even if you don’t benefit from your mistakes someone else will learn from them and become a better person for it.

Life Can Be Hard But Show Up Everyday and Grow Anyway

Which is easier? A seed pushing through concrete or a thicket of thorns and bramble whilst being trampled on by wildlife? Neither. They are both equally hard from the seed's perspective. But they push through regardless of the odds that are against them.

We all have seeds of greatness within us.

You push through by reminding yourself of your past wins. Most people keep a gratitude journal. It is something you can go back to time after time to remind yourself of your accomplishments.

Don’t Compete With Anyone

Each plant, flower, tree blooms in its season. It does not compete with a plant of another kind. Recognise that you are in a class of your own. You are not competing with anyone. As someone once wrote, "Bloom where you are planted."

Not everyone is fortunate to be in their dream job, living in their ideal home or in a relationship with a perfect partner. People work hard to make stuff work. It is not an accident, neither does it happen by chance.

People learn how to treat you by how you treat yourself.

The grass is greener where it is watered. Water your own "Garden of Eden" and watch it bloom. Above all, be kind yourself because people learn how to treat you by how you treat yourself.