Prompt 45: Prune

A Fresh Start

I started Find Your Spark in 2022 because I felt deeply stuck. Writing weekly prompts to help others—and myself—get unstuck felt energizing and meaningful at the time.

For much of that year, the process brought me life and motivation. But after 44 weeks of writing and publishing prompts, I hit a wall. What started as a joyful practice became something I felt trapped by. Ironically, the very thing I hoped would free me from feeling stuck left me feeling more stuck than ever.

Looking back, I think I put too much pressure on myself, believing every post had to be profound and life-changing. I also underestimated the mental and emotional toll of trying to create fresh, meaningful content each week. Eventually, I realized it was best for my mental health to take a step back.

In hindsight, I needed to do what gardeners have known for centuries: I needed to prune. So, in March last year, I stopped posting.

To those of you who subscribed—around 350—and looked forward to my prompts, I’m sorry for the abrupt silence. And to those who reached out to check in, thank you for your kindness.

Stepping away from Find Your Spark wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. The silver lining of pruning this—and several other commitments from my life—was that it created more space. With that space, clarity slowly began to emerge.

With clarity, I started noticing opportunities right before me all along—opportunities I hadn’t recognized because I was too busy maintaining the routines I’d built.

Which brings me to this week’s (or maybe this year’s) prompt: Prune.

The Power of Pruning

Pruning isn’t just about cutting back; it’s about making space for growth. In agriculture, pruning means trimming away dead, diseased, or overgrown branches so a plant can flourish. Cutting something back to help it grow might seem counterintuitive, but the process directs energy and nutrients toward the plant's healthiest, most fruitful parts.

In the same way, pruning areas of our lives—whether projects, habits, or even relationships—can help us redirect our energy to what truly matters.

Here are a few benefits of pruning, both in gardening and in life:

1. Encourages Growth
   Removing what no longer serves us allows us to focus our energy on areas that have the potential to thrive. In gardening, this might mean bigger flowers or more abundant fruit. It might mean greater creativity, deeper relationships, or pursuing long-neglected passions in life.
2. Prevents Burnout
   Overgrowth in a garden can choke a plant, just as overcommitment can drain us. Pruning creates breathing room, giving us the mental and physical space to rest and recharge.
3. Reveals What’s Hidden
   When you prune a tree, sunlight reaches parts previously in shadow. Similarly, pruning our lives can uncover opportunities or perspectives we may have overlooked.
4. Strengthens the Core
   Pruning reinforces a plant’s structure, ensuring its core is strong enough to support future growth. Pruning can help us realign with our values and priorities, strengthening our sense of purpose.

How to Start Pruning Your Life

If the idea of pruning resonates with you, here are a few steps to get started:

1. Assess Your Life
   Take inventory of your commitments, habits, and routines. Which ones energize you? Which ones drain you?
2. Identify What’s Overgrown
   Are there areas where you feel overwhelmed or stuck? These might be the places that need pruning.
3. Make the Cut
   Decide what you can step back from or let go of, even temporarily. This might feel uncomfortable initially, but remember: pruning is an act of care, not destruction.
4. Celebrate the Space
   Notice how creating space allows for rest, clarity, and creativity to emerge.
5. Tend to What’s Left
   Just as a gardener nurtures the branches that remain after pruning, be intentional about investing in the areas of your life that matter most.

Ancient Wisdom on Pruning

Many ancient teachings speak of the value of pruning or letting go as being good for our growth. For example:

• Christian teachings, Jesus spoke of pruning as an essential step for bearing more fruit.
• Buddhist philosophy emphasizes the importance of releasing attachments that hinder growth.
• Stoic philosophy encourages removing unnecessary distractions to focus on what truly matters.
• Taoism, simplicity and eliminating excess are key to natural flourishing.
• Jewish teachings emphasize the practice of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), which involves letting go of what is harmful or unproductive to make space for positive change and growth.
• Hindu philosophy (Upanishads), teach the importance of renunciation—letting go of attachments to allow for deeper growth.
• Confucianism emphasizes self-cultivation by refining habits and removing distractions that prevent us from becoming our best selves.
• Native American wisdom often speaks to maintaining balance with nature, including letting go of what no longer serves us to sustain harmony.
• Islamic teachings emphasize the concept of Tazkiyah, which involves the purification of the self by removing harmful habits and distractions to nurture personal and spiritual growth.
• Ancient Egyptian teachings spoke of Ma'at, where achieving balance sometimes meant removing chaotic elements to restore order.

Much like the wisdom found in ancient teachings, where pruning represents a necessary step towards healthier growth, this act isn't about failure or giving up—it's about preparing for new possibilities.

Pruning isn’t about failure or giving up; it’s about making room for what’s next. Whether it’s a project, a habit, or a relationship, letting go of something can create the conditions for new growth.

So, ask yourself: What’s overgrown in my life? What’s holding me back? What could flourish if I created more space? Prune intentionally and see what new sparks emerge.

Rediscovering My Calling

You might wonder what opportunities pruning led me to. With more space and clarity, I realized it was time to revisit the vocation I’d been pursuing when I first began blogging back in 2002.

My first blog was about being involved in birthing a new church. By then, I’d been working in churches in different roles for a decade. In 2002, I was part of a small team experimenting with different ways of doing church. Our little community was called LivingRoom, and I started a blog of the same name.

While LivingRoom, the church, only lasted for 4-5 years, the blog grew and eventually led to over 30 others—a business that became my full-time focus.

Blogging brought me much joy over the following two decades, but I always wondered if I’d return to church work beyond occasional volunteer preaching. This idea has been growing in me for the past few years. When a position opened up at my local church, I decided to explore it. Back in April, I took on a two-day-a-week role for eight months.

Eight months later, I’m now working four days a week in a permanent capacity. The role involves regular preaching (my first love in communication) and creative work in photography, video, podcasts, and blogs.

It turns out that much of what I’d been doing for 20 years in my business was quickly transferrable to this new role. While pruning was painful and brought some fear and confusion, I’m grateful I did it.

Looking Ahead

I hope this post encourages you to reflect on your life and consider what might need pruning. If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. What’s something you’ve recently let go of, and what did you discover in the space it created?

Stay tuned for more prompts if you’re ready for a fresh start. Who knows what we’ll uncover together?