No Rain, No Flowers 🌻

Seems appropriate for this rainy Michigan morning to share the quote “No rain, no flowers.” Call me crazy but I actually adore the rain. The smell, the sound… I don’t however enjoy being wet so I prefer to enjoy it from inside. I remember as a little girl sitting on our avocado green sleeper sofa staring out the window at the rain. The harder the better.

I know it’s an inconvenience to many. This morning I had to drive my daughter Violet to the bus stop because it was raining so hard and the sidewalks were flooded. I also noticed that our gutter was overflowing and washing out our flowerbed. In the grand scheme of things it’s just water. I can fix the flowerbed. Violet will dry. I mean, her name IS a flower so some rain might have done her some good right? Ha!

There are seasons of life that it may rain a lot, and even seem like the storm is relentless. Honestly, I’m in one of those storms right now. I’ve fought with depression and an anxiety disorder for much of my life. I get panic attacks out of the blue and thankfully I can manage it pretty well. I can’t pinpoint what the exact cause is but I know that stress is a big part of it. This time of year is crazy busy with end of the school year, camping season beginning, company coming and going and our kitchen remodel has been a huge source of stress as well. When it rains it pours right?!

Sometimes the uncomfortable things in life are there to teach us lessons because to go through a change of habit, we need to feel uncomfortable.

— Mo Seetubtim

A life without discomfort, inconvenience or struggles would teach us nothing. Use that discomfort to motivate yourself; to become more determined, work harder, and succeed. Frederick Douglas said, “If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.” Would you want a life that went 100% as planned and perfect all the time? It’s my belief that you cannot achieve success without hard work, mistakes, plateaus or failure. Or all of the above.

 

I love this graphic that shows what a true weight loss journey looks like. My journey to lose half myself (165lbs) was not a straight line. I still have the ups and downs. The emotions are a crazy roller coaster and in my experience with helping others in their health journeys I’m not alone on this ride. I love that I have an amazing community of like-hearted people that share in the struggles on the path to optimal health. We support each other like it’s our job (well it IS my job LOL) in both rain and sunshine.

Flowers don’t grow without rain. It’s no surprise that we need rain to survive and thrive. Flowers see rain as a life-breathing opportunity. They can’t control how little or how much rain comes; they can’t change their roots. They don’t stress about the unknown. They just do their thing and bloom right where they are planted. Why aren’t us humans the same way?

When it rains, let it pour into you as an opportunity for growth. When your sky of life opens up absorb as much as possible and let it cleanse and heal you. Allow it to hydrate your soul, wash away all your fears of failure and help you to flourish.

Since my surgery I have struggled with my own personal health. I don’t weigh myself often but I can feel the heaviness in my body, my clothes are tighter and I just don’t feel good. I know what I need to do. I have all the tools I need to snap out of this funk. I have amazing support with my health coach, husband, friends, and family. Today is the day that I stop letting the rain relinquish life and take back my health!

When rainfall hits your life this week, how can you use it to your advantage? What is your personal action plan for growth, regardless of any unexpected interferences? I challenge you to look for the opportunity to make positive changes in your life to bloom.