1. LIFESTYLE
HARVESTING LIFE’S TRUE JOY AND
SUCCESS AT THE END OF 2010
By Debra J. Slover
H ave you ever noticed how the human life cycle emulates the plant life
cycle?
In plant life, there are annuals that seed, grow vegetation, flower and die all
produce a different kind of result than taking the same action when frustrated or
angry. You may produce the same result, but the experience you have of your effort
is greatly diminished. That is why people can work so hard at achieving success —
financial or otherwise — and still feel unfulfilled and dissatisfied.
within one year. Biennials live approximately two years with a vegetative growth Money will only buy a certain level of happiness and can’t buy positive and
cycle, dormancy and another vegetative growth cycle before the flowering and death fulfilling human relationships (an ingredient necessary to enrich the human
cycle. Perennials have many vegetative growth, flowering and dormancy cycles experience). Money is only a temporary fix when dealing with systemic human
before they reach the death state. Most humans, if fortunate enough, are like a relationship problems. Consider this:
perennial plant.
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.
What else do you have in common with plants?
- Henry David Thoreau
In plants, the primary or terminal shoot from which everything blossoms is
called a leader. In humans, the leader inside is your heart, mind and spirit. When Therefore, if you don’t experience joy and happiness from what you achieve and
working in unison, the leader inside sprouts your joy, success and unique human gift. your relationships are in shambles, you may be trapped in the human doing model
If you stem the leader of a plant, you will stunt the growth of the flowering cycle of attaining success.
or it will wither and die before reaching its full potential. The same is true of your When combining the experience, action and result you want as a synergetic
human potential. (non-linear) human process you are able to have a genuine sense of accomplishment
True human success is a fruitful end to interactions, and flourishing relationships.
efforts, or events. In the process of plucking your E.A.R.S., your true success becomes about how
You, too, are born from seed, live and grow, are sometimes dormant, and will you lead your life, how you feel and what you can achieve and sustain on both a
die. Your ability to develop quality relationships and achieve your goals and dreams material and non-material basis. The two are not exclusive, yet there is little human
defines your ultimate success in the end. But unlike plants, each human has a unique joy in being materially rich and dying sad and lonely.
purpose and aim that when realized empowers a meaningful life and contribution to We can learn a lot from Mother Nature — if only we
humanity that only you can provide. pay attention.
How do you harvest your unique purpose and aim so While there are many common features and universal laws we share with plant
you will flourish and blossom? and other animal life, we are unique thinking, feeling and be-having human
It is an organic process of scrambling who you A.R.E.: actions, results and “beings.”
experiences; and by plucking your E.A.R.S.: experiences, actions and results with True human joy and success requires you to redefine what it means to lead a life
synergy. with a unique purpose and aim that enriches your human relationships. This is your
Early on we are taught a linear process of human achievement. Take action (do) passageway to harvesting your inner joy and success.
in order to produce a result (have) so we can have the human experience (be) that But remember, your ability to stem or nurture your personal growth and human
we desire. This particular framework of goal setting and achieving results could relationships is a direct result of how you choose to think, feel and behave as a
easily be called the human “doing” conditioning model. Yet, we are human “beings.” leader.
While cause and effect does apply in all plant and animal life, humans are much Choice is an innate human ability and makes us distinct from plant life. It is
more complex. We think, we feel and we “be-have” in repetitive ways that shape all irrefutable that we create our unique experience of life and human relationships —
aspects of our life. regardless of what we achieve in the material world.
Inventing a unique purpose and aim helps you take
full charge of your life experiences. What experiences will you choose to harvest at the end of 2010?
You begin with the experience you desire as a way of being. For example, if you
want joy and happiness, taking action as a happy and joyous human being will
Debra J. Slover, founder of the Leadership Garden® Legacy, has a goal to seed and nurture 11 million Leadership
Gardens by 11/11/11. Author of the U.N.I.Q.U.E. line of empowerment books for youth and adults, she is an educator,
speaker and advocate for creating positive home and school climates. Her expertise stems from seven years as a
classroom teacher, 20 years directing a statewide youth leadership in prevention program in schools, as well as
organizing 20 state and national youth-led conferences. A mother of five/grandmother of six, she resides with her
husband in Albany, Oregon. To learn more visit: www.LeadershipGardenLegacy.com.
42 AFFLUENT MAGAZINE