Sunflowers and Ferns

Heyo!

Welcome back to 5 Minute Masterclass, email coaching for peeps short on time and big on aspirations. 

What’s that? Spicy Margaritas on the agenda for this arvo? I hope so!

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Short on time? Skip the warmup, and jump straight to the question at the end. 

The Warmup

Tell you what, I bloody love sunflowers.

First of all, they just feel cheerful, don’t they?

That lion’s mane of canary and marigold yellows fanning out around that rich amber centre – almost in homage to the sun it so desperately cranes it’s stem to follow.

They’re smart cookies, too - the arrangement of their seeds follows the Fibonacci Sequence (legit!)

As sunflowers mature, they adapt – soon they’re nailing the best angles to absorb that precious sunlight they crave.

(Side note: It’s so annoying how, post Lord of the Rings, it’s impossible to write ‘precious’ without hearing Smeagol rasping it in my brain. “Precious!”)

These yellow warriors even clean up contaminated soil!

Fun fact: an army of sunflowerswas vital in cleaning up radiation from the soil after the Chernobyl nuclear shit show.

But goddamn, despite all these amazing assets, they aren’t super resilient without that sun beaming on them.

They NEED it.

Ever seen a sunflower on an overcast day? Nothing sadder.

All stiff stem, droopy petals. Bummed out.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Confession time! For most of my life, I’ve been a sunflower.

Didn’t matter what I produced in my work, or my life, or creatively – if peeps didn’t dig it, praise it, love it….. then it must suck.

Correction: Then I must suck.

If a tree falls in the woods, and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound?

If I do something I reckon is dope, and no one rates it, was it actually awesome?

(Ah, the Zen of Lisa Simpson).

Worst bit is, it’s like the first hit of an incredible drug. Or so I hear.

The first few times receiving that praise – from your boss, your mates, your collaborators, your partner… incredible.

But then you’re chasing that high again and again, and can never quite get it.

That kid in the class bringing the ‘pick me!’ energy.

It’s the validation, right?

If I do good stuff, then I matter…. and I’m worthy of being loved.

And if people don’t think it’s good…

…or rather, just fail to hail praise and adoration upon me…

….then I don’t matter, and are unworthy of love.

This starts presenting in funky ways. Like that magicalability to clean up radioactive material?

That becomes you. The pain sponge, sucking up everyone else’s toxicity.

Desperate for them to turn that sun on you.

And they don’t, so you work even harder.

Not so long ago, I decided f*ck being a sunflower.

Instead, I started fanning after ferns.

Ferns are so dope.

They’re wise as shit, with ancestors dating back 360 million.

They’re self-sufficient, nourishing themselves from the inside; plus they create their own ecosystems around them, supporting other plants and animals to thrive.

Best of all? They thrive in the shade, and only need the occasional indirect sunlight to grow.

I’m all in on that fern life now.

Learning from the past. Investing in myself. Seeking self-fulfilment, and doing things because they feel important to me.

Nurturing those around me, without expecting praise or sunlight.

Learning I’m worthy of self-love, and that’s what’s really precious.

(Shoosh, Smeagol!!!)

If you’re feeling this, then maybe it’s time to ditch the sunflower vibes and embrace your inner fern.

You dig?

The 5 Minute Masterclass

If you're new, here's the drill – this is your 5 Minute Masterclass in YOU.

Set a timer on your phone or computer. This week, you have EXACTLY 5 minutes to answer one question. 

Smash it out, then hit send. I'll write back to you in the next few days 🙂

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Question: What’s one thing you can do this week to nurture yourself from within, without seeking anyone else’s approval?

Big love!

Nick