In this solo episode of the "Living in Your Power" podcast, Dr. Marleen Greenleaf uses the gardening metaphor of turning the soil to explore personal transformation during Holy Week and spring break. She explains that, like compacted earth, our lives can become hardened by responsibilities, trauma, and busyness, preventing growth. Greenleaf invites listeners to pause, reflect on their core values, and assess whether their habits, relationships, and decisions align with those values. She emphasizes that alignment, not pressure, fuels purpose, and that faith involves surrendering hardened places to God so He can reveal what needs shifting. The episode concludes with a concrete challenge: write down three authentic core values, evaluate current alignment, and make intentional adjustments, encouraging listeners to trust the divine preparation and live boldly in their power.
Chapters
Well, hello, my valued listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Living in Your Power. I'm your host, Dr. Marleen Greenleaf, and hey, I know I'm dropping this week's episode a little later than usual, and there's a reason for that. It's spring break for many of us this week, and I've intentionally slowed down this week to rest, breathe, and honor the season I'm in. And with this being Holy Week, I've taken time to reflect deeply on my own growth, faith, and how I'm aligning with purpose. So if you've also needed a moment to pause, this message is coming right on time. So let's talk about what it means to turn the soil and prepare our lives for the transformation we've been praying for. Yes, we're in week 2 already of our April series, Awaken Your Purpose, Planting Seeds for Intentional Living. Now last week we started with clearing the weeds and letting go of what no longer serves us. This week we're moving into the next part of the growth process and it's called turning the soil, aligning with who you really are. Before we can plant new seeds in your life, you've got to to prepare the ground. And in our case, that ground is our values, our identity, and our alignment with purpose. So let's get into it. Why, you may ask, does turning the soil matter? Now, if you've ever gardened, you will know this, that before you plant, you have to turn the soil. It's the process of loosening the dirt, breaking up clumps, and bringing Fresh nutrients to the surface. Why, you may ask? Because even good soil can get compacted over time. Even rich ground can lose its ability to support growth if it's never stirred. And we're no different. Listen, life can harden us. Responsibilities pile up, trauma gets buried, and the pace of life keeps us from checking in with our true values. So today I want to invite you to turn your own soil, to stir your inner growth and get honest about where you are and who you are becoming. Now turning the soil in your life can look like revisiting your core values, which are the principles that matter most to you, or asking, am I living in alignment with who I say I am? And also It's also checking, are my decisions being driven by fear or by purpose? So let me get personal because I've been doing this myself. And recently I asked myself, what do I truly believe about the season I'm in? Am I showing up in alignment with my calling or just going through the motions? I mean, it's easy to get caught up in service and leadership and productivity and also lose sight of But here's the truth, my dear listeners. If you plant in misalignment, what grows will not sustain you. I'm going to say that again. If you plant in misalignment, what grows will not sustain you. Will not sustain you. So let's talk now about faith, alignment, and self-leadership. Let's bring faith into this. When we talk about tilling the soil, we're really talking about letting God prepare our hearts. It's surrendering the hardened places. It's breaking up what's becoming stuck. And it's saying, God, show me what I've been ignoring. Shine light into what needs to shift. This is also where self-leadership comes in. You can't wait on someone else to tell you who you are because you can't outsource alignment. Your journey requires you to take responsibility for where your roots go. So this week, I want you to Slow down and turn your own soul. So here's your challenge. I want you to write down your top 3 core values, not the ones you think sound good, but the ones that truly guide you. I want you to reflect. Are your current habits, relationships, and decisions aligned with Those values? And if not, what needs to shift? I mean, this is not about perfection. Instead, it's about realignment. Because when you root in your truth, you grow stronger and more intentional. So in closing today, I want to remind you that spring reminds us that life begins And that process of blooming isn't just about planting, it's about preparing. So turning the soil is a sacred pause. It's a chance to realign before we rush into action. So as we move through April and this Holy Week, I want you to know your purpose doesn't come from pressure, it comes from alignment. You don't have to rush. You don't have to force what God is preparing for you. And just make space, stay rooted, and trust that what's meant to grow in your life will. So until next time, my dear listeners, I want you to live boldly in your power. And if it gets tough, just breathe. You've still got the strength to rise. So let's keep growing on purpose and keep living in your power.
