Spring officially arrived here about six weeks ago, and our cold and rainy April seemed to have a hard time this year making up her mind whether or not she was ready to part with Winter.
But at last, we seem to have turned the corner.
The grass is finally out of its dull brown winter stage and into full-on spring green; the blue-sky days finally outnumber the grey ones; and neighbours who haven't emerged since the last Autumn leaf fell are now back out on the streets, soaking up the sunshine.
Which all marks the beginning of one more thing: YARD WORK SEASON.
Last weekend I was out in the yard for the first time, happily bringing the patio furniture out from storage and (I admit, not quite as happily) assessing this year's yard cleanup projects. I enjoy 'light' garden work like watering plants and deadheading spent blooms, but the older I get - I gotta be honest - the less excited I am about the 'heavy lifting' kind of gardening work that I used to dive into with full gusto: think hauling soil and edging flowerbeds. (At least, on the bright side, all that work helps to keep me in shape?!??)
At this stage, the weeds in the lawn haven't yet begun to emerge...but they will, and when the do, so will begin the seasonal ritual of pulling them out with my trusty Weed Hound (best invention EVER, if you want to check it out here). Yet thinking about this year's yard maintenance reminded me that pulling the weeds out alone is not enough to ward off their return; as I wrote about a couple of years ago, there's a three-step process for taking care of your lawn - Weeding, Feeding, and Heeding (otherwise known as 'monitoring and tending') - in order to ensure a lush, healthy blanket of green.
It's the same with your life.
When striving to create a life you love, the first place most people start is by examining all the 'weeds' they're dealing with: all the 'bad' or unwelcome stuff in their lives that they want to get rid of (think bad habits, bad jobs, bad relationships...). This is all well and good, because clearing the 'yard' of the weeds is a first step in making space* for the good stuff to grow.

But taking out the weeds alone isn't enough all on its own: you've also got to add in some good stuff (the 'water', 'seeds' and 'fertilizers' of life) in order to fill in all those gaps you've left after going to town with your Hound.
And while it makes no sense to add water, seeds or fertilizer to your lawn in the middle of winter, in LIFE it's never a bad time to add in some more good stuff.
Are you bringing in a sufficient dose of 'good stuff' into your life?
Have you got people, tasks, events and other little delights to look forward to each and every day? We all need these kinds of things to get (and keep) us going - to keep us joyful - and the things that bring a smile to your face can be as unique as your fingerprint. The key is to notice - to Heed - when there's a lack of good stuff, so that you can put your intention and focus toward drawing more of it into your life.
At the same time - and perhaps even more importantly - take the time to notice and contemplate all the good stuff that's already there in your life, in whatever circumstances you now find yourself.
In her research, professor Brené Brown has found that joy and gratitude consistently go hand in hand: that of the most joyful people, one of the things they unanimously had in common was that they made a regular and frequent practice of gratitude in their lives. It wasn't that being joyful made them more grateful, but the other way around: practicing gratitude for what they already had created greater feelings and experiences of joy in their lives.
Being thankful for what we do have, in our current circumstances, creates a loving energy of appreciation around us, from which flows (and to which draws) even more goodness our way. One of the things I do on a daily basis every evening is to write down five things I am grateful for that day. These things can be anywhere from having a best friend I can gab and contemplate life with, to something as simple as the beauty of the day's cloudless blue sky, or the scent of freshly-washed laundry.
Practicing gratitude and appreciation is a wonderful way to feed the soul.
It's also a wonderful exercise in delight to think of a thing or two that you might add to your current daily plate: what portions of extra goodness or side dishes of wonder might you add into your life that would amp up your level of joy? Perhaps a new hobby, extra time with your friends or family, or giving your time to a charity whose efforts are close to your heart?
It's time to get out and start fertilizing the lawn...and it's always a good time to feed the soul.
What extra helpings of good stuff are on your soul's menu this Spring?
Speaking of making space for the good stuff, if you're undertaking some spring cleaning of your own, my favourite expert on the subject is Sue Rasmussen. She offers an amazing array of FREE resources on her website that'll help you clear out the clutter in your life in order to make room for what really matters. You can check out her work and get her amazing tips here.