getting ahead of your weeds

a garden-inspired metaphor for life

As I gradually practice and acquire more knowledge about gardening, I’ve learned a lot about the tedious work that goes into it – sometimes yielding undesirable results – as well as the joyful and rewarding gifts that come – as most gifts do – from perseverance, diligence, and continuous efforts against all odds.

I’m also learning that even though some weeds are aesthetically pleasing and even medicinal, others can unfortunately absorb nutrients and water from nearby edible plants that are trying to grow in the same soil, which can potentially compromise the plant’s evolution.

When something “grows like a weed,” as the saying goes, the thing grows and multiplies rapidly, often taking up unwanted space.

In this sense, gardener Charles Dowding advises his followers to “Get ahead of your weeds before your weeds get ahead of you.”

This concept recently hit me straight in the forehead, and I thought to myself, “What a metaphor for life, amirite?”

Take it or leave it and make it your own, but in this metaphor, I personally consider the “weeds” as the parts of ourselves we dismiss, ignore, resist, judge, or berate – whether physically or mentally (maybe pieces of our “shadow”).

Said “weeds” could be, for example:
physical pain or dis-ease that we’ve learned to function with and don’t address;
extreme fatigue that we treat with [insert form of sleep or energy interventions] instead of reflecting on and treating the root causes that make us feel so pooped;
heartache or emotional pain from a past or current situation expressed via rage or sadness (i.e. haven’t unpacked the baggage);
a lack of boundaries that constantly turn us into a doormat;
boundaries so intense we habitually shut other people and experiences out;
negative self-talk or lack of self-worth that we’ve learned to operate with (and might feel more comfortable with than their positive and abundant counterparts);
fear that continues to paralyze us from taking action;
residual anger or resentment about something or someone in particular that we don’t have the energy to deal with (which plagues our wellbeing as a result)…

“Getting ahead of” whatever “weeds” are invading your physical and mental space is like a form of preventative care; it means to – if I may use another garden term – “nip it in the bud.”

Click here for the full post on Substack to read more about the ways in which we can get ahead of our weeds, and why it’s important for physical and mental wellbeing.