Be Patient for change

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Chinese Bamboo plant has a very unique growing pattern and I think we can learn a lot from how it develops.

It starts from a tiny seed.  You plant the seed in the dirt, and you need to water the seed everyday and yet, very little seems to happen the first year.  Despite your efforts, only a tiny shoot pokes out of the ground.

In the second year you continue to water everyday and fertilize and protect the seed…..Nothing happens.

In the third year you continue to water everyday and fertilize and protect the seed…..Nothing happens.

In the fourth year you continue to water everyday and fertilize and protect the seed…..Nothing happens.

In the fifth year you continue to water and fertilize and protect the seed.….Finally, during the fifth year, the Chinese Bamboo plant begins to grow.

In fact, it grows 90 feet tall in just 6 weeks!

The question is, did it grow 90 feet in six weeks or in five years? The answer, of course, is that it grew 90 feet in five years.

It took five years to grow the root system that would one day support a 90-foot plant.

A wonderful story and metaphor about our journey in growth.  When we first decide to make changes in our life, we are often excited and enthusiastic in our approach towards change.

As time goes on, we don’t always see the growth and changes we expect, even though we are committed to practicing a new routine.  This can be disappointing for us at times and although it’s good to set big goals for ourselves,  the journey towards them is just as important.

To see the amazing growth changes like the Chinese bamboo, we need to plant a solid foundation long-term.

I promise that when you do, you will feel 90ft tall, because you will begin to see how limitless the universe is and you will be rewarded for paving a strong foundation towards your dreams.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson