Walking through the garden, I noticed that the roses near the pathway have grown, blossomed, and are now due for pruning. Dead, dried blooms and dark stems jutting out from the thorny shrub have already outnumbered the bright pink flowers.
When all of us were stuck at home during the pandemic, I remember how hard I worked to grow and tend to my plants. For these roses in particular, I’d take out shears and cut the stem of the dead flowers just above the point where five leaves grow out.
According to gardeners, pruning roses this way (called deadheading) allows it to produce more blooms. That’s because you’re cutting at a point where the stem is strong enough to support the growth of a new flower bud.
Think about it—you can get more blooms by pruning your dead stems. You can produce more by redirecting energy into new growth.
We’re not just talking about roses anymore.
I like to think of this as a metaphor about reallocating your energy from past projects and bad relationships to a new direction that serves you better.
Letting go can be difficult sometimes, especially if at one point that thing meant so much to me or played a big role in my life. However, this refusal to change focus is often the reason why I can’t move forward or level up.
Coming across the rose bush couldn’t have been more timely. I’m at a point in my life where I’m pruning metaphorical dead stems that don’t align with where I want to go next. Among them are unhealthy habits, chasing trends and validation, and excessive social media use.
Instead, I’m redirecting my energy into things that light me up: healthy eating, decluttering, learning how to sew, and other creative activities.
“The secret is not to chase butterflies… It’s to take care of the garden so that they come to you.”
– Mario Quintana
This year, I am taking care of my garden. Pruning roses, planting seeds, and applying fertilizer to the areas that I find most promising and fulfilling.
The butterflies I seek to attract are people, opportunities, and experiences that enrich both my personal and professional life.
It’s not a one-time thing but requires building a daily and weekly habit of reflecting and realigning with long-term goals. Just like maintaining a real garden, I need to put in work and take action everyday to create a healthy, beautiful, and thriving environment (with lots of pretty flowers).