Garden — Martina Stipan
Imagine your inner self as a garden.
What does it look like to you? Is it lush? Do some hedges need trimming? Or is it a barren fucking wasteland?
For the past month, I’ve literally been writing shit in my journal like, “I love you so much. I’m so proud of you. I don’t know exactly who you are just yet, and maybe I never will. But I’m here for you every step of the way, ride or die.”
Treating myself this way has made me way more resilient and disciplined. No matter how hard it’s felt, I’ve:
Watered my plants — Nailing the basics: eating right, sleeping well, and exercising daily.
Fertilized the soil — Journaling every day to connect more deeply to myself.
Pruned off old leaves — Cutting out habits that no longer serve me.
Whatever my garden has needed, I’ve graciously given it. It hasn’t been perfect — pests still come through in the form of self-defeating thoughts, but I’ve been able to swat them away much more easily. Because I’ve finally got my own back.
And now that I do, I’ve been able to show up in full force for my loved ones without losing my balance. I’ve sought not to change others, but to serve as a lever to help them achieve what they truly want.
When you become all that you need, you love without fear. From abundance, rather than from lack. You gain the capacity for selflessness — all because you dared to be selfish.
Plant seeds with intention. Nurture with care. Reap the fruits of your labor.
Only then can you truly give to the world.
Heart gardening.