Right Now You’re an Acorn. How Do You Become an Oak Tree?
Of his journey, Bishop T.D. Jakes said, “The acorn contains the entire oak tree, but you can’t see the future oak tree from looking at the present acorn. I had to learn to value the acorn that was inside of me, even when other oak trees laughed at me. That which we are to become is already within us. We just don’t see it yet.”
Imagine yourself standing in front of a large oak tree. In your hand rests a tiny acorn. You study the small, unassuming acorn, taking your gaze back up to the large, beautiful tree. It’s quite amazing how such a teeny nut becomes a powerful part of nature.
The acorn never questions his ability to turn into an oak tree. He knows that it’s inside of him. He knows he contains all the glory of an oak tree and trusts the process of becoming one.
You’re an acorn. Destined to become an oak tree.
Right now you may feel small. Like your purpose and passions are pointless. It’s as if your impact is invisible. No one can see it or feel it. Heck, you can’t see it or feel it. But you know that it’s there. Existing inside of you.
You feel the power of the oak tree living in your tiny acorn self. Even if you can’t see the design of all of your branches, they’re there. Waiting to stretch their limbs and provide tons of shade.
The Container Theory
What does an acorn need to grow?
It needs to be planted in the right environment. With sun, water, and fertilizer. It needs to be able to defend itself against squirrels and other critters wanting it for a snack.
Are you treating your acorn in a way so that it can evolve into an oak tree?
Are you watering your acorn the right amount? Giving it enough sun? Do you have your squirrel and critter defenses up?
You need to create the right environment for your acorn to grow.
Therapist John Kim talks about the Container Theory in many of his teachings.
You have these different life spaces called containers:
- Work/Career
- Family & Friends
- Relationships
- Home (Physical Space)
- Body/Nutrition
We all have cracks in our container, and cracks stunt our growth. You need to identify what cracks you have in your various containers and how you’re going to re-build those containers so it no longer contains any cracks. At which point, you’re able to grow freely.
Your potential is limitless when your container is solid and promoting your own self-growth.
Rebuilding solid life containers is one way to develop from an acorn into an oak tree.
As you look at your various life containers, what serves you and empowers you? And what de-empowers you? How can you remove what is not helping you in your life and then create a non-negotiable around it? So you won’t let it into your life again to create yet another crack in your container?
A non-negotiable is anything that’s going to crack your container. What habits, people, mindsets, addictions, etc; are cracking your container? What needs to be removed from your life, and not let back in, so you can actively work towards building a safe life containers for yourself?
What’s Your Process To Grow Your Acorn
An acorn grows into a tree with water, sunshine, and fertilizer. They need to be introduced to one another so they can work together. They all have their part to play in the success of the acorn’s growth.
What process do you need to introduce into your life to continue becoming your oak tree? You don’t have to uproot your entire life, but what additions can you make to create a process to grow your acorn?
Look at the habits you currently have. How can they be tweaked to promote a better process? Would you benefit from adding a morning or evening routine? Could time-blocking your schedule help you create more work-life balance? Are you fulfilling your six basic life needs, and if not, how can you make that a part of your process?
What is a daily or weekly process you can indulge in that ensures you’re getting the right amount of water, sunshine and fertilizer?
Do You Trust You Can Turn Into An Oak Tree?
Do you trust that you have everything inside of you to become an oak tree? Do you believe that it’s all there, wanting to grow?
If you do not believe your acorn can blossom into an oak tree, it has no chance of that ever happening. Even with the right amount of care. If you cannot picture the great oak tree you can become, you will never stretch your branches out far enough. You will never soak up all the water and sunshine that’s available to you. You will never let your trunk keep sprouting deep underground.
Believing your acorn is meant to become an oak tree is necessary. Believing your acorn has everything it needs to become an oak tree inside of itself is crucial.
Trust that you do.
Patience Is Key
Going from an acorn to a tree takes time. It takes 4–6 weeks for an acorn to germinate. From there it will become a small baby sprout. And then it will continue growing a stronger trunk, baby branches and teeny leaves. Then from a small baby oak it will continue to strengthen. Taking up more space and spreading deeper roots.
Those gigantic oak trees standing in your yard have weathered many storms and soaked up many days of sunshine.
They were able to balance their process of water, sunshine and fertilizer. They have believed that they could keep growing, so they did.
Take-Aways
You are an acorn containing an entire oak tree inside of you.
Instead of viewing yourself as something small enough to fit into someone’s palm, envision all of your branches and leaves soaking up the sun.
Fix the cracks in your life containers so you can promote growth, not prevent it.
Build a process for your acorn to grow. Be patient as it does.
And lastly, trust that your acorn contains all that is an oak tree.
I can’t wait to see all of your branches bloom.
Maddie is a writer, voice-over artist and certified life coach. Self-declared boxed wine aficionado. She’d love to hear all your thoughts at [email protected]