Recognising the Parts That Need to Grow
If you were a tree, what would a botanist think of you? Would you need a tree surgeon to fix neglected branches? Would your roots be well nourished? Would your branches be reaching for the light or withering from neglect? What do you need to change to promote growth?
This analogy occurred to me while I was meditating in my local woodlands. I am not the first and won’t be the last to see the similarity between people and trees. Both are living beings after all.
People as Trees—Roots, Trunks, and Branches
Pondering the similarities between people and trees helps to provide clarity. It leads to a wider, more in-depth perspective on health and well-being. Notably, in doing so, you can recognise where you need to grow or heal.
Start by considering the roots, trunk and branches of a tree and asking how these relate to being human.
The Roots
The roots play a vital part in keeping a tree healthy. They absorb essential nutrients from the earth—everything the tree needs to grow. Roots anchor the tree to the ground. They provide stability and ensure the tree won’t be uprooted by strong winds.
We also need solid roots. By that, I don’t just mean a sense of belonging or knowing where we came from. Friends and family are important, as is a place we can call home. Let’s focus on the roots that don’t depend on anyone or anything outside of ourselves.
Some people don’t feel strongly attached to their current situation. They may not have found their tribe. They might even hate their jobs. Perhaps they are living in rough accommodation. But these things don’t mean they don’t or can’t have roots. Remember, we don’t have to stay in one place—mentally or physically—to live a great life. We are not like trees in that way.
TAKEAWAY—You must discover, nurture, and strengthen your internal roots to keep yourself grounded regardless of outside circumstances.
Purpose and Values
Roots take many forms, but the most important ones are your internal roots. Do you have a sense of purpose? Have you figured out your why yet, at least for today? Do you know what you stand for? What are your values?
We all need a reason to get up in the morning, even if it’s just to feed the cat. If we don’t care about anything—even whether our favourite football team will be victorious—we are at risk of apathy. And that kills the soul.
TAKEAWAY—Are you still figuring out why you are here? Start small. What is your goal for this week or even just for today?
Direction
Understanding purpose and values is crucial for growth and movement. Without that understanding, we find ourselves floating with nothing to anchor us—roots. When we have purpose and values, we can choose where we are going consciously, with intention.
I stand for truth, justice, and well-being. They define my red lines. Whatever I do, I must be honest. I surround myself with truthful people. My projects don’t have to bang the drum for a cause. But I won’t work for an individual or organisation that I believe is involved in unjust activities. Neither will I engage in any behaviour that harms others.
Living and Working with Purpose
It’s even better if I can proactively get involved in projects that promote truth, justice and well-being. That’s why I am launching Right-On Copy (For Cool Clients). Aside from my book-related work, primarily ghostwriting and editing, I write content for people and organisations that have a conscience.
Writing for a company that makes handbags is one thing. Providing copy for a similar company that is dedicated to sustainability and giving back to the community is better. If you’re a ‘cool’ client whom others would describe as (shh…) ‘woke’, and you’d like a ‘right-on’ copywriter, get in touch.
The Trunk—Character
Sometimes doing the right thing is difficult. With bills to be paid and rising costs, taking a less-than-ethical job can feel justified. Doing that extra task might make us late for our next meeting, but we excuse ourselves. They will understand, we tell ourselves.
Our purpose and values are only as strong as our ability to stay true to them. Self-discipline, resilience, and honesty (with ourselves as much as anyone else) are key character traits.
Character wins friends, influences others, and demands respect. More than anything, it helps you to be more comfortable with yourself. You will sleep well knowing you are being true to yourself, your values, and your higher purpose. Self-respect trumps most things, but you can’t have it without sacrifice.
TAKEAWAY—What would you like to improve about yourself? It could be anything: honesty, self-discipline, punctuality, productivity, or focus. Choose the one that needs the most work and do something about it.
Branches
I have touched upon my professional life and the work I lean into. If I am not breaking my principles but actually supporting my values, I can sleep well. That’s one measure of good health, but it is only one branch in the tree.
What about financial health? What if I am not earning enough to make ends meet or do the things I want to do? That needs fixing. It often means taking on work that doesn’t feel like saving the world.
But you know something? Even if you are serving coffee to strangers, you’re doing good. You can inject your values and do that job purposefully. Smile at your customers. Wish them well, even if it’s with a silent prayer.
Other Branches
As well as ‘occupational’ health (‘right livelihood’ as the Buddhists call it) and financial health, there are many other branches. These include relationships, recreation, physical well-being, mental health, sex life, and emotional connection… and that list is far from exhaustive.
Every Branch Counts
If one branch is sick, the whole tree is in jeopardy. Many trees deploy a self-protection mechanism when a branch becomes unhealthy. Ill branches are cut off from the rest of the tree and allowed to die. Sometimes a tree surgeon has to do that for the tree. If the diseased branch is not cut off, the tree will die!
The lesson here is that you must consider every aspect of your life. Ask yourself if you are satisfied with what you see. Are you living the life you want and deserve? If you are unaware of where change is necessary, nothing will change.
TAKEAWAY—Write a list of all the branches you can identify in your life. Draw them on a tree if that helps. Rate each of them for health. Which one needs the most support? You can’t tackle them all at once (and I don’t advise it). Deal with one at a time. Ask the hard questions and take action.
Mental, Physical and Spiritual Health
Every branch you identify will impact one or more of the three primary elements of well-being—mental, physical and spiritual health. If you work in a job you hate, it’s going to negatively affect your mental health. If it doesn’t pay enough, that will also impact mental health, but it could also lead to impaired physical health. Good food costs money. So does a gym membership.
The most important aspect of well-being is spiritual well-being. Don’t confuse spirituality with religion, a deity, or the possibility of spiritual entities that we can’t see. It’s fine to consider those things, but I am pointing to a different sense of spiritual health. I am talking about alignment.
Alignment—Spiritual Health
Spiritual well-being depends on alignment. That means living in harmony with your purpose and values in every aspect of your life. If you compromise on the things that count, even slightly, your spiritual self knows.
You can’t deceive yourself. Your inner being, true self, soul, consciousness—call it what you will—sees everything. If you don’t honour your roots and nurture a strong trunk, you will become spiritually dis-eased. That can lead to issues elsewhere.
Western medicine acknowledges the relationship between mind and body. Issues in the mind can become problems in the body, and vice versa. Spiritual crises can affect both the mind and the body.
Self-Reflection—Knowing Thyself
This article makes the process of holistic health sound easy, but some will struggle with it. We all have blind spots. After so many years of focusing our attention on the outside world, we lose sight of the most important one. We lose connection with our inner world.
Meditation can help enormously by bringing our consciousness back to ourselves and the present.
Modern living encourages us to compare and contrast, aspire to a better life, and seek improvement through acquisition. Live in a more expensive area, invest in expensive clothes, drive a flash car, and get that promotion.
There’s nothing wrong with those things, but they don’t feed the soul. They won’t bring self-knowledge. And it is easy to neglect other parts of the tree while you focus on those specific materialistic branches.
Finding Guidance
I’ve written this piece to share insight that I’ve gained through meditation and experience. Hopefully, there is enough here to help you reflect and identify the parts of your tree that need attention.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find it easiest to fix the most obviously lacking areas. At a glance, you will know if you are not spending enough time doing things to make you happy. We usually only need a prod to see these things.
It becomes tougher when we can’t put our finger on where the discomfort is coming from. Talking things through with anyone you trust—a friend, mentor or even a priest—can help.
Some choose to seek professional help through counselling, therapy, or coaching. I have been coaching others for two decades. I employ a range of approaches to help people discover themselves and become more empowered. If you would like to know more, please get in touch.
What’s At Stake? What Does Wholeness Look Like?
What is the one part of the tree that we have missed?
That’s right: the fruit.
A healthy tree produces wholesome, nutritious, tasty fruit. The fruit is the outcome.
When you take care of every part of your tree, you will bear superior fruit. Nourish your roots, strengthen your trunk, and attend to every branch. That is the key to a healthier, happier, and more spiritually fulfilling life.
The T.R.U.T.H Framework
My slogan is EXPRESS YOUR TRUTH WITH CLARITY. What does TRUTH look like in respect to holistic well-being?
T — Think clearly. Awareness is the root of all change.
R — Reconnect with your values. They are your most reliable roots.
U — Understand your nature. You grow best in the soil that suits you.
T — Tend your branches. Small daily care creates lasting strength.
H — Honour your journey. Growth takes seasons, not moments.
About Me
I am a professional ghostwriter, copywriter, and coach based in West Yorkshire, England. If you need help with a book project, content strategy, or a speaker at your event, let’s talk.