When the Garden Becomes a Burden: Why I Left My Community Plot (and What I Found Instead)
For nine years, I was part of a beautiful community garden.
It gave me so much—fresh food, quiet moments, a connection to nature, and a peaceful escape from the fast pace of my work life. It was one of the first places where I learned to slow down and just be.
But by summer 2023, something changed.
What had once been my sanctuary began to feel like a burden. The thought of waking up early on a Saturday, driving across town, and trying to beat the Florida heat before it became unbearable... it didn’t feel peaceful anymore. It felt like pressure.
If you’re in Central Florida, you know—by 9am, it’s already hot and sticky. Add in a busy week of work, responsibilities, and goals, and suddenly, that peaceful garden became one more thing I had to make time for.
And then came the guilt.
The Weight of Something That Used to Feel Light
Each week I didn’t go, I felt like I was falling short.
But what I was really feeling was this:
💭 “This used to bring me joy… so why doesn’t it anymore?”
💭 “Am I just being lazy?”
💭 “What kind of gardener just lets their plot go like that?”
It’s funny how fast joy can turn into guilt when we’re holding ourselves to expectations that no longer align with our current season of life.
Eventually, I realized something important:
I hadn’t fallen out of love with gardening—I had fallen out of love with the logistics.
Letting Go Without Letting Go
Even after stepping away from the garden in the summer of 2024, I couldn’t shake the pull to grow something.
I still wanted to plant. To water. To watch something bloom.
But I wanted to do it in a way that felt easy, accessible, and sustainable with the life I have now—not the one I had nine years ago.
That’s when I started looking into balcony gardening. I kept seeing posts and videos about the Greenstalk Vertical Planter and thought: Okay… this could actually work. It wouldn’t take over the whole balcony. And I wouldn’t have to feel like a mess was creeping into my peaceful space.
So I finally decided to order one this Spring and give it a try.
My Balcony Garden: Small Space, Big Joy
My balcony is covered and shaded—plus, we have two large trees right behind it. It gets very little direct sunlight.
I thought that might be a deal breaker. But instead of giving up, I leaned into the challenge. I bought some grow lights and experimented with positioning. I picked a few shade-friendly plants and started slowly.
And I have to tell you—I’m having so much fun.
This little vertical garden has brought back everything I loved about gardening: the connection, the calm, the pride of nurturing something from seed to sprout. And it’s doing it without the hassle of having to leave home, without the pressure, and without the guilt.
I can water my garden with my morning tea. I can check on it after work. I can decompress with my hands in the soil without packing up or commuting or fighting the sun.
I finally found a way to bring gardening—and self-care—back on my own terms.
Redefining Self-Care: Joy, Not Obligation
This shift taught me something I’ll carry forward for years:
Self-care isn’t supposed to feel like punishment.
It’s not about holding onto routines that no longer fit just because they once did.
It’s not about grinding through things that used to bring you joy out of obligation.
Self-care is supposed to support your well-being—not drain it.
It’s supposed to evolve with you, not shame you into staying the same.
That’s why I let go of the garden plot.
That’s why I embraced something that fits into my now.
What’s Growing Next (and Why I’m So Excited)
This whole journey—from burnout to balcony joy—inspired me to create something meaningful. I realized I wasn’t the only one who needed to redefine what self-care looks like when life gets busy, stressful, or heavy.
So I gathered a group of amazing women and together, we’re building something powerful:
✨ The Self-Care for Success Bundle
—a free collection of digital tools, mini-courses, and gentle guidance created to help you slow down, realign, and create a life that supports your whole self.
Inside, I’m sharing two brand-new resources I created just for this season of life:
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The Self-Care Garden Starter Mini-Course – a gentle guide to using gardening for emotional wellness, even in small spaces.
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The Aligned Planning Mini-Course – a simple, intentional way to plan your time around your energy—not just your calendar.
Because I believe self-care isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It should feel grounding, not overwhelming.
Supportive, not strict.
Your Self-Care Can Evolve—And That’s a Good Thing
If you’ve been holding onto something that no longer fits—maybe a routine, a goal, a version of yourself from five years ago—I want you to know:
You’re not failing.
You’re growing.
And your self-care gets to grow with you.
Letting go of my community garden felt hard at first. But in its place, I found ease, connection, and a new way to care for myself.
And maybe it’s time for you to do the same.
💚 Your joy is allowed to look different now.
💚 Your self-care doesn’t have to be earned.
💚 And yes—you’re allowed to start small.
Your next season might be waiting right outside your door.
Mine was.