Never Be Afraid to Bloom

If you think about it, you can probably relate to a tulip bulb.

It’s planted in the fall.

Buried.

For many months all the bulb knows is darkness, cold, and the heaviness of dirt.

You may feel buried beneath grief, sorrow, pain, hopelessness.

For tulip bulbs, this season is necessary. Without it, they will not grow shoots and bloom.

Winter is the time when the bulb roots deep, and change occurs. It is not only surviving, it is preparing to grow.

When the earth warms, a shoot breaks through the bulb and pushes up through the darkness and dirt.

It knows it is time.

It’s the season to grow and bloom.

It’s the season of color and beauty.

So, whatever season you are in…be like a tulip.

When life has you buried beneath grief, sorrow, pain, loss, and more, root deep into things that nourish you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Quiet your spirit and know you are beautiful and loved.

If you are in a season to push through, gather your energy and reach up through the darkness even when you can’t see the light. It’s time to press on, and you know in your heart it’s what you are supposed to do.

Stretch yourself out of your comfort zone.

Reach towards a goal you still cannot see.

Grow.

Then comes the season that seems like it should be so easy, yet it can be most challenging.

It’s the season of being. Being you in full, glorious bloom.

That’s terrifying.

The doubts and questions arise.

Who are you to bloom so large?

You’re strange.

You must be pretty arrogant to think you can do that.

Who do you think you are?

You are not all that special.

You should wait until you are more perfect.

People are going to look at you and judge you.

STOP!

Stop the chatter.

Stop the lies and the lifetime of stories.

Yes, the blooming season is often stunted or cut short by the noise, and it’s most often the noise in one’s own head and heart.

So, what about you?

You know how to endure trauma.

You know how to survive.

You know how to push through the hard times.

But, who are you when you are called to shine in all your power, gifts, and exquisite beauty?

What does that look like when you are not focusing on survival or pushing through?

Take the time to think about that.

Ask your heart what it looks like to be all you were created to be. Give your heart time to dream. Your brain may start to chatter and caution you to dream smaller. It doesn’t want you to get hurt, so it will encourage you to think safe thoughts, dream safe dreams, and to stay invisible.

Shhh. Quiet the fear.

Dream.

Think of tulips.

If you were a tulip, what kind would you be? What color? What shape? Where are you blooming? What kind of tulips are blooming around you?

You endured the cold, dark earth.

You pushed through, reaching towards the light.

Now it’s your time.

You are beautiful and free.

Dance in the breeze.

Bloom!