Actually, in my mind there are two. Read on to find out how to use them to maximize your potential. Then give yourself time to reflect on how things are going for you.
The first and most important one is about gardening, because it teaches us so much about patience, and effort. It's probably not the simple garden metaphor you might have seen before. To think of your life as a garden can really help take perspective on where and how to place your focus, and how to invest, in order to get the results you are looking for.
Gardens are different from untended spaces. Nature may blow some unexpected seeds into your space, carried by the wind, or there might be roots planted deep by those who came before you. You get to choose if you want to tend to them, or pull them out by the roots. You can choose to fight nature, or try to direct it to reproduce, or to to climb up a trellis, for example. There is power in that.
First, we need to think about the symbolism of plants. If you wanted to plant a garden that flourishes, you're going to need more than just one kind of plant, understanding that variety is key for health, and you're going to need to replant and assess the health of your plants over time. Without biodiversity everything fails, and your life is the same. If you imagine that each plant genre represents an area of your life, you'll start to see where this is going.
Self-fulfilling activities, being one genre of plant, with individual plants in the sub-classification for hobbies, fun activities, learning new skills, and novel situations that stimulate you. Another category would be physical health, with plants for nutrition, exercise, medical and psychological care, prevention, good sleep habits etc. Yet another would be the category of friendship and support systems, with plants including various types of friends, old, new, similar, spiritual, quirky, fun etc., including work acquaintances and network supports. Another category would be healthy attachments, with plants symbolizing positive family members, romantic interests/attachments or passionate outlets. A further category would be creative, volunteer, or professional pursuits with plants for volunteer or work activities and specific outlets where you feel like you are contributing to society and using your innate talents. It's your garden and you get to curate it.
So, once we reflect on the symbolic plants we want in our garden, asking ourself if we have enough plants in each category to produce a beautiful, lush (and weather and pest resistant) garden, we must take concrete action to sow seeds and install plants with intention and then the sustaining work begins. Ask yourself what do you need to put into your garden to give those plants life and their best opportunity to thrive?
Do you need to clear symbolic weeds so that they can grow? Do you need to eliminate any pests? Are there yellowed or dying leaves on any of your plants? Have they outgrown their pots, do they need more sunlight or to be relocated so that they have more of a priority, or do they flourish on their own in the shade? Are they getting too much focus and energy in your garden while other plants whither?
Gardens are living things, and as such you will see them change and evolve over your lifetime. It's an act of constant editing. You are an ever-transitioning and growing being, just like your garden. Tending to the garden of your life; each day, is an opportunity to water the seeds of your dreams, nurturing them with patience and care. You do not need to have a pre-designed perfect garden planted by a costly expert. It's better if you do it little by little and watch as it grows, allowing for editing and gardener's pride. Remembering sometimes we learn from killing plants too!
Some days the rain is abundant, and growth comes easily, while other days require us to pour from a small, empty can, trusting that even the smallest drop will help something flourish. Just as a garden needs both sunlight and storms to thrive, we too grow stronger through the moments of ease and challenge alike. Do not neglect your garden. That is where things usually fall apart.
It helps to remember that nature blooms like a wise artist, knowing exactly when to unveil its masterpiece. The timing isn't hurried or forced, but arrives with quiet certainty. Just as a flower waits for the sun's warmth to coax it open, we too find our moments to shine — not too soon, not too late, but when the season is right, and everything within us is ready to unfold. If you're planting a varied garden, there will always be something lovely to focus upon.
So, ask yourself, how is the health of your garden? What new plants do you need to add this year so that it is diverse and flourishing? What do you need to water, transplant, or weed? This is a surefire way to turn your attention to what needs work.
The second metaphor I find highly useful is to think of your life as a train. Trains go places, they change directions, transition to other tracks, but they stay in motion outside of rest periods. They need maintenance, and rest, and so does your life.
It can be reassuring to those overwhelmed by life to think about the possibility of a slow start, the ability to go back to the station, or to change directions. It takes a team to maintain them, and to conduct them, and that is important to recognize symbolically. Trains don't run empty on their own. You can invite others aboard, consult experts, make unexpected stops, and take new routes that better respond to your internal or external demands.
When people are depressed or anxious, I often ask, what do you need to do today to get your train running the best it can? Does the train need greasing, bolts need tightening, or the rails need maintenance to get it going? This might mean something so basic as just turning on the engine, or getting the train inspected for safety before it's voyage. Does the train need to slow down or speed up? Do you need a co-pilot to make it through a long and unfamiliar journey?
You don't need to know a final destination, because life doesn't have one we can ever fully understand anyway. You do however, once rested, need to get your train in motion and running smoothly. That is all you need to tend to, and you don't have to do it alone.
Be well, get help if you need it.