5 lessons from trying to win a Muddy Stilettos award
that YOU can apply to your garden RIGHT NOW!
So although the final results aren’t out, I was still in 3rd with 10 minutes to go, so I think it’s highly unlikely that I won. Do I regret going so hard for it? No, but there are a few things I learnt along the way that you can apply to help you in your garden right now.
Don’t wait to get started
Because that’s what I did and then I left myself a huge mountain to climb. By the time I started shouting about being in the final and asking people to vote for me I was in 4th place with 12% of the vote and only 2 days to go. We got it up to 19% by the time voting closed so imagine where i would have got to if I hadn’t told myself ‘I start talking about it once the easter holidays are over, when i’ve got some headspace.’
I bet you’ve told yourself the very same about your garden. But think of all the joy you’re missing out on by waiting to get started. Plus one of the reminders I give to all my clients is little and often reduces overwhelm and means you don’t have to find loads of time all on one or two days to do it. Get started today, no matter how small.
Schedule time for it in your diary
I didn’t do this. Perhaps it was fear, self sabotage or just feeling overwhelmed, but I didn’t write the voting dates or when I planned to talk about it in my diary and then was surprised when I only had 2 days left and I hadn’t mentioned it once!
One of the ways I hack my fear of failure when it comes to the garden is by allocating time to go out there and writing it in my diary. That way it actually happens, because I’ve created space for it. I try and be as specific as possible, writing the actual activities i’ll be doing that week. Upgrade to paid and give it a go with this week’s mindful gardening activities.
Don’t be intimidated by what others are doing
I’ll be honest, when I logged on to the live results tracker and saw who I was up against my heart and my stomach dropped.
3 of my competitors had shops in big towns near to me (Reading, Newbury and Windsor if you’re interested) and therefore would have far greater brand awareness than little old me. And the 4th competitor has been in business for over 20 years and has been a supplier at Chelsea Flower Show!
I took a beat and did a little reframe. Just because I don’t fit in to the traditional florist ideal, I sell flowers at my garden gate and online, and host mindful gardening and floristry workshops online and in my garage doesn’t mean my work is any less worthy. I have introduced hundreds if not thousands of women to the joy of growing and creating with flowers and that was what I would lead with.
Do tap into your desires and let your unique self shine
I’ve always done things my own way in life, even if at times i’ve made it harder for myself. I decided i’d just keep doing that, after all, comparison is the thief of joy.
I sat and asked myself, why do I want to win this award. I’ve always been a high achiever and if i’m really honest the many awards i’ve won during my life have always left me feeling a bit empty.
It’s probably my conditioning to always be striving for more, more, more. Well i’m tired of that. I want to enjoy the now, now, now and I want to help more women to do the same. And it’s taking regular time for me and being in my garden that has helped me to do that.
So winning this award was about helping that to become a reality. Once i’d worked out what I wanted I spoke honestly about it online and although this year it didn’t become reality, you bet your bottom dollar i’ll be trying again next year.
Perhaps you feel the same about your garden, you see a garden trend on instagram and try it in your own garden. But it doesn’t work, or it leaves you feeling hollow.
In my highest touch programs I help you to sit with yourself and tap into what you really desire from your garden. So that you can stop just copying what others are doing and create a garden space that really sets your heart on fire.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Even though I do have a lot of email addresses myself, I knew I couldn’t get anywhere close to winning on my own.
It doesn’t come naturally to me to ask for help. As children of the 80’s and 90’s we were given the impression that asking for help was weak. That if we wanted to have it all we needed to be able to do it all, on our own.
I wholeheartedly reject that notion. Life becomes so much simpler when you ask for help and actually let people help you. Rather than staying stuck and frustrated. Knowing that you want something, more time for you in your garden for example, and yet not being able to get there on your own and constantly beating yourself up for it.
Enough, show yourself some kindness.
And if more time for you connecting with nature in your garden is on your wants list and you’re ready to stop trying to figure out how to get it alone, then upgrade to paid and you’ll receive weekly mindful gardening activities to do in your garden straight to your inbox!
And if you want me right there in your corner alongside you then I have two ways I can currently help you.
This is for you if you want me to guide and support you through the process of creating your dream garden from start to finish so that you can get gardening regularly and use it as a tool in your wellbeing toolkit for years to come.
Because this is my gold standard, high touch service I only have capacity for 3 more clients.
This is for you if you want to get your hands dirty as you add more colour and life to your green space and experience the joy of being in the garden. But you don’t know where to start, you feel like you don’t have the knowledge or skills and you second guess yourself at every opportunity.
I have availability to support 2 Garden Glow Up client’s in May.