A Gardener’s Self Check-In
- Shanna Truffini
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
How Self Check-Ins Help Us Grow With Awareness and Care
In a world full of distractions, fast information, and constant noise, it can be hard for gardeners of all ages to slow down and truly check in with ourselves. We move from one moment to the next, often staying busy without ever stopping to notice how we are actually growing. The gardener mindset invites us to pause, reflect, and reconnect. Just like tending a garden, personal growth requires attention, awareness, and care. A self check-in is not about judgment or fixing. It is about noticing where you are and how things are growing right now.
Taking time to check in with ourselves helps strengthen our roots. It allows us to reconnect with what we enjoy, what supports us, and what might need a little extra care. These moments of reflection help gardeners stay grounded, build confidence, and feel more connected from the inside out.
How Self Check-Ins Help Us Slow Down and Reconnect
When we pause to check in with ourselves, we create space to slow down and reconnect. Self check-ins help us notice patterns, recognize growth, and better understand what supports us through different seasons of life. They allow us to become more aware of how we are feeling, where we are growing, and what might need extra care. These moments of reflection strengthen our roots and remind us that growth does not happen by rushing, but by noticing and tending to what is already there.
These self check-in exercises are flexible and can be used in many different spaces, making them wonderful resources for gardeners of all ages:
In classrooms, to support reflection, self-awareness, and social and emotional learning without pressure
In families, to encourage connection, conversation, and shared growth
In counseling or support settings, as gentle tools for grounding and self-reflection
In personal routines, as a simple way to reconnect during busy or overwhelming days
No matter where they are used, these exercises help bring awareness back to ourselves and support steady, meaningful growth from the inside out.
🌱 Gardening Tool #1: Getting to Know Yourself
A self check-in exercise for awareness and connection
This first gardening tool focuses on reconnecting with who you are. Grab a notebook, journal, or piece of paper and create simple lists. There is no right or wrong way to do this. The goal is simply to notice.
You might write:
Foods you enjoy
Skills you feel confident in
Interests that spark curiosity
Activities that make you feel good
Things you do not enjoy, and that is okay
Seeing these lists on paper helps gardeners recognize their individuality and strengths. This self check-in exercise builds awareness and encourages curiosity, helping gardeners of all ages feel more connected to themselves.
Benefits of this self check-in exercise:
✓ Helps gardeners notice what already feels supportive and familiar
✓ Builds awareness of personal preferences and strengths
✓ Encourages curiosity without pressure or judgment
✓ Supports confidence by recognizing what is already growing
✓ Helps gardeners of all ages feel more connected to themselves
This simple self check-in brings attention back to the present moment and reminds gardeners that growth begins with noticing what is already there.
🌱 Gardening Tool #2: Small Changes Checklist
A confidence-building self check-in exercise
Big growth often begins with small actions. This gardening tool encourages gardeners to create a daily checklist of simple, doable tasks that support a sense of accomplishment and confidence.
Here are a few examples gardeners can choose from:
Make your bed
Put laundry away
Cook or bake something
Step outside for fresh air
Reach out to someone you have not connected with in a while
Write a letter or note
Offer someone a genuine compliment
Completing even one or two small actions can help gardeners feel more grounded and capable. Over time, these small efforts build confidence and support steady, consistent growth.
Benefits of this small changes self check-in exercise:
✓ Helps gardeners feel a sense of accomplishment
✓ Builds confidence through simple, doable actions
✓ Encourages consistency without overwhelm
✓ Supports feeling more grounded and capable
✓ Reinforces that small efforts add up over time
✓ Helps growth feel steady instead of rushed
This gardening tool reminds gardeners of all ages that confidence grows through small, intentional actions, one check mark at a time.
🌱 Gardening Tool #3: Noticing Common Weeds & Go-To Gardening Tools
A reflective self check-in exercise
Every garden experiences recurring weeds, and every gardener faces recurring challenges. This self check-in exercise invites reflection without judgment or pressure.
Take a moment to check in and reflect on the following. You can journal it, make a note on your phone, draw it, or express it in whatever way feels most natural to you.
Common weeds that tend to show up for you:
✓ Overwhelm
✓ Self-doubt
✓ Comparison
✓ Fear
✓ Frustration
Gardening tools that can help when those weeds appear:
✓ Deep breathing
✓ Movement
✓ Journaling
✓ Gratitude Exercises
✓ Creating something
✓ Stepping outside
✓ Asking for support
✓ Reading a book
By noticing both our common weeds and the gardening tools we turn to, gardeners are reminded that challenges are a natural part of growth and that support is always within reach.
Strengthening Your Roots Through Regular Self Check-Ins
Regular self check-ins help gardeners stay connected to themselves in a busy world. These simple exercises bring awareness back to the present moment and remind us that growth does not have to be rushed. When we take time to notice where we are and how we are growing, we build stronger roots that support confidence, resilience, and connection. Checking in with yourself is a simple but powerful way to care for your inner garden.
You are a gardener!
🌟 Collect Your Self-Check In Gardening Tool Badge
Gardeners of all ages are invited to collect the Self-Check In Gardening Tool Badge by completing any of the exercises shared in this post. Each activity is a gardening tool because it supports awareness, reflection, and personal growth.
When you finish an exercise, click the badge to add it to your collectors sheet as a reminder that checking in with yourself is an important part of tending your inner garden. Every self check-in strengthens your roots and supports steady growth, one moment at a time.
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