Are you feeling like you are not living your life to its fullest? Do you feel like you are hiding your authentic self from others?
Do you struggle with loving the unique qualities of your personality? Do you realize embracing those quirks is one of the powerful action steps you need to take toward living life in full bloom?
Learn the steps that will change your life from one full of mediocrity to one full of purpose by reading and applying the specific actions listed in this article.
My Story Of Resisting The Call to Bloom
I was struggling with an issue of the heart one morning while alone out on my front porch wrestling with myself. I was trying to be quiet enough to hear God answer the murmurings of my heart, “What is wise?” “What is right?” “What do I do?”
Then I saw the rosebud with its green leaves closed tight. “Victoria, is the rosebud pretty?” “No…no, it is not, but it will be when it opens up.”
This was the answer to my question, to the stirring of my heart.
You see, in this situation, I was living close-fisted. I was scared of what others might think if I opened my hands and let a thought, a dream, a life direction, bloom.
In my fear, I had almost made a decision that would have killed the beauty found in the opening buds of another pathway.
I would have never gotten to see the beauty of those petals take bloom. Never smelt the alluring fragrance. Never touched its soft, tender petals.
Just as a rosebud is meant to bloom and share its beauty, so are we meant to live life with hands wide open, lavishing our gifts on others.
Your gift is bloom worthy. Your gift is beautiful. Your gift is marked with the fragrance of the King. Your gift is unique. Never let what others might think of it make you close up the petals of your gift.
We were meant to live our lives in full bloom. We were meant to live life with arms wide open. We were meant to spill out the beauty within our hearts.
What Does Live Life In Full Bloom Mean?
To live your life in full bloom means that you are embracing all that God called you to be. Every unique part of you.
It means living a life full of passion, creativity, joy, faith, grace, growth, gratitude, and imagination.
The Powerful Action Steps You Need To Take To Live Your Life In Full Bloom
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Weed These Things Out Of Your Life
Unforgiveness
Unforgiveness kills. It feels wrong to forgive someone who didn’t express in a truly repentant manner that they were sorry. It feels like you are allowing them to get away with it, but forgiveness is more of a gift to the offended than it ever will be to the offender.
By forgiving the one that offended you, you are moving on. You are making sure that no further damage to your life is done.
This applies to forgiving yourself too. Many times in our life we replay mistakes we made over and over. Beating ourselves up for decisions, and outcomes we can no longer change.
Forgiveness is not a one-time thing. Every time you find yourselves saying “but they–” or “but I–” say out loud “I forgive…” and envision yourself pulling the feelings of bitterness from your heart.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (ESV)
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Self-Doubt
One of the greatest tools the enemy uses to keep us from fully becoming who God intended us to be is self-doubt.
Struggling with self-doubt? Read Wild and Free: A Hope-Filled Anthem for the Woman Who Feels She Is Both Too Much and Never Enough.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (KJV)
Fear
Living life in full bloom requires us to push out of our comfort zone and that requires us to resist the urge to give in to fear.
A helpful read if fear is holding you back from living your best life: Do It Scared: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Adversity, and Create A Life You Love.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (ESV)
Self-Hatred
God doesn’t drop stitches. Your personality traits are unique so that you can do what you were created to do: embrace them, nurture them, and fall in love with them.
A great read for this subject: Why Your Weirdness Is Wonderful: Embrace Your Quirks And Live Your Strengths.
Ephesians 2:10 God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do. (GNT)
Comparison
Chances are you are not 100 percent the person your Facebook profile says you are. So why do let other people’s social media profiles lead you into a comparison funk? Stop comparing yourself to others and start congratulating yourself and others for wins big or small. Spend the time you used to spend on comparison living your own life to its fullest.
Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (ESV)
Trying To Develop The Wrong Talents
Yes, try new things, but don’t try to master them all. Take time to develop in areas you are naturally talented in and take just enough time to find out how to be efficient in those things you have to do, but don’t come naturally to you.
For fresh new insights on exactly what your talents are, ask your friends both in-person and online to describe you in just three words. I did this and found it extremely valuable.
Matthew 25:15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. (ESV)
Clutter
Clutter can be physical such as things in your home, but it can also be toxic relationships, time commitments that don’t fit our calling, and expenses that don’t reflect our goals.
Struggle with saying no? Learn how to remove the obligation clutter from your life by reading The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions In The Midst Of Endless Demands.
Ecclesiastes 3:6 A time to see, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; (ESV)
Plant These Things In Your Life
Inspiration
Throughout this post, you will find quotes from the Bible to inspire you in your quest to live your life to the fullest. Other sources of inspiration can be found in friends, podcasts, books, photography, and even song lyrics.
A true source of inspiration should leave you feeling like you have just finished listening to a professional motivational speaker. You should feel pumped up and ready to keep growing and learning in your areas of talent.
Read Born to Win: Find Your Success Code, or anything by Zig Ziglar to be inspired to become all you were created to be. Another book that will push you to be your best is Chasing Excellence: A Story About Building The World’s Fittest Athletes.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone into the world (NRSVA)
Wisdom
In order to bloom, you have to know what type of bud you are, how many petals you have, what color your petals are, and what your life will look like when it blooms. This requires wisdom.
James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (ESV)
Vision
Once you know just who you are and who you are not it is time to dig further into what a fully bloomed life is for you. How will embracing who you are positively affect others? Both your close family as well as those in your community and beyond.
Do you have a vision, but are facing adversity in making it a reality? Be inspired by Your Dream. God’s Plan: Are You Longing For Something More?
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (ESV)
Goals
You can’t get to the vision finish line without setting in place the steps or “goals” it takes to get there.
One way to reach your goals is to create habits. And to create habits that stick read The Power Of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business followed by Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.
Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. (ESV)
Gratitude
So many positive things happen when we take the time to express gratitude on a regular basis.
Not sure how to begin growing in gratitude? Read One Thousand Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (ESV)
Creativity
I believe that everyone is born creative, but how we express it is an individual thing. For me it is knitting and writing. For you it might be painting. For another baking. Or perhaps you are a photographer or a gardener.
Not sure how to fit time in your day to be creative? Read The Fringe Hours: Making Time For You.
Exodus 35:31-32 And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, (ESV)
Positivity
A negative attitude leads to failure before you even get started. Whereas living life with a positive attitude can open you up to a wide variety of new possibilities available only to those able to take a lemon and make it into lemonade.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV)
Flexibility
Life throws us constant curveballs. Flexibility is needed to hit them out of the ballpark and get a home run.
Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (NLT)
Self-Love
In order to love others well, we need to first be lovers of ourselves.
Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (ESV)
Relationships
Mankind was created for relationships. We cannot fully bloom without the help of others and our community needs us to help them bloom to the fullest.
If you are having problems connecting with people, start volunteering in your hometown. Most local communities have a long list of needs for volunteers. These positions often require working with others and offer enough downtime to get to know your fellow volunteers.
Struggle with starting conversations with strangers? Read How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks For Big Success In Relationships.
Not sure how to meet the neighbors? Read The Turquoise Table: Finding Community and Connection in Your Own Front Yard.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (ESV)
Water These Things In Your Life
Grace
You are only human and humans make mistakes–give yourself grace. Your friends and loved ones are humans in need of grace as well.
Romans 11:6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. (ESV)
Faith
Grow in faith. Faith in God and faith in others. Don’t let mistrust take root, instead water faith.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (ESV)
Generosity
Gifts of generosity bless not only the recipient, but the giver. And giving is not just a monetary thing. You can give of your time, your talents, and your words.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (ESV)
Patience
Patience with ourselves, with others, and with God’s timing. It takes a whole lot of dedication to be patient in this instant everything world, but the reward is bountiful.
Are you the type to give up when things seem to be taking too long? Read 5 Habits of a Women Who Doesn’t Quit.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (ESV)
Love
Love really does make the world go round. It doesn’t have to be grand gestures. Love can be expressed in the simplest of services towards others.
Need some major inspiration to love with arms wide open? Read Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World.
1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love. (ESV)
Your God-Given Talents
Yes, you have God-given talents. And you can’t fully bloom until you take the time to water those talents. Personal development time should make it on all our calendars.
Feel like you have no talents to share? Read A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live.
Romans 12:6-8 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (ESV)
You can receive a free list of the verses by signing up for my weekly-ish newsletter using the form at the bottom of this post.
Daily Practices To Help You Join The Ranks Of Full Bloomers
Make it a personal commitment to create daily rituals that will lead to growth.
- Take time to study the Bible
- Keep a gratitude journal
- Set aside time to be creative
- Listen, read, or watch resources that will help you grow
- Show appreciation for one person either verbally or through action
Reading Lists Of Books That Will Help You Grow
- 15 Books That Will Help You Grow In Gratitude
- Books That Will Help You Form Deep Friendships
- List Of Books That Will Help You Stay Focused And Finally Reach Your Goals
Beautiful words! I hope you are blooming today!
When you let the lord into your heart, life just seems to fall into place. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beautiful thoughts & photos! May we live with our fists wide opened. I am prying mine open right now 🙂 I was your neighbor at Gracelaced this morning.
Have a great week!
Joanne