I dug excitedly into the soil, carefully dropping two tomato starts into the holes. I gently covered the roots, watered, and clapped my hands in glee. I knew I’d soon have gorgeous, plump, juicy red tomatoes, just like my dear friend Jane’s.

I did everything I was supposed to…I thought.

Although I watered faithfully, it wasn’t long before I realized the tomato plants were looking rather small and unhappy. While Jane’s tomato plant was soon loaded with luscious fruit, mine barely had any teeny, tiny tomato wannabees.

What the heck was wrong? With great disappointment, I consulted a master gardener expert who explained the importance of proper nourishment for any living plant. It turns out my garden’s soil was deficient in several necessary nutrients.

What I learned: just like a child needs love, structure, and sustenance or a pet needs care, cuddling, and a proper diet – tomatoes need water, warmth, and nutrients. Who knew? Well, maybe master gardeners!

Every living thing needs proper nourishment. Without it, no plant, animal, or human can grow to their full potential.

With today’s fast-paced lifestyle it can be a challenge to commit wholeheartedly to creating time each day to nurture yourself. Simply Healed’s article “Listening to Our Bodies: They Know More Than We Do” discusses the importance of self-care. As well, Simply Healed offers some wonderful tips to get you started on  a path of self-nurturing that will start and end your day with positive light.

What other steps might you take to nurture self-care?