I’ve been at my mom’s house recently, and there is an invasive species plant that takes over some of her pretty native plants.

This invasive species is ALL over the fence, latching onto the sage bush and just covering everything up.

So I’ve been doing some trimming lately to trim it back and save the native (or non-native, non-invasive) plants.

As I started trimming, I noticed how at a first glance, it can be really difficult to tell which plant is which.

Which plant is the non-invasive and which one is the invasive.

But once I gave it a good hard look, I could tell.

Then, the longer I looked, the more I started to notice how these little vine things would grow from the invasive species and wrap SO tightly around the other.

Sometimes it was hard to tell where one plant began and ended. Like the TRUE definition of an INVASIVE plant.

So sometimes I would accidentally cut the non-invasive plant.

Combing that was really difficult and frustrating. It felt similar to applying lice shampoo to a rambunctious 5 year old child or trying to get a cat to take a bath.

This whole scenario of trimming this invasive species reminded me of trimming through my own intrusive thoughts and patterns that don’t always serve me.

Sometimes certain thoughts are so tightly wound next to some part of me that has always been there, that part of me eventually identifies with that intrusive thought.
So sometimes those original parts of me that identify with that thought- get’s cut too.

However, at the same time, I love, and honor those parts of myself, and lovingly let it go.

The process of trimming eventually became like a meditative practice for me, and I was able to enjoy the action of doing these things a little more. (With the actual plant and with my own inner psyche).

Although I haven’t trimmed EVERYTHING just yet- or have gotten to the root cause of all things that don’t necessarily serve my life and habits – I feel good, and I am grateful for the aspect of taking action. I feel like I am progressing bit by bit, step by step. AND THAT, my friends … that feels empowering. 

I don’t have to do everything right or perfect. I just need to show up and do one thing at a time, and enjoy the process without fear of the outcome. Non-attachment. Empowerment. Freedom.