“As Adam lost the heritage of union with God in a garden, so now Our Blessed Lord ushered in its restoration in a garden. Eden and Gethsemane were the two gardens around which revolved the fate of humanity” (Venerable Fulton Sheen).

Bearing Fruit: Cultivating the Garden of Our Hearts

Gardens are an important setting in Scripture. Adam and Eve are created in the Garden of Eden, born out of God’s great love for us (Genesis 2). Jesus prays and suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane before he is arrested and crucified (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46)—again, out of love for us.

This Lent, the Catholic Women in Business team is meditating on our interior garden, where we can invite God to help us bear fruit. As St. Augustine wrote, “The turn of phrase by which the man is said to work the land, which is already land, into also being landscaped and fertile, is the same as the one by which God is said to work the man, who was already a man, into also being godfearing and wise.”

Part of my day job is managing the content that comes out of my company, and for some of our newsletters, I feature team members so that colleagues, partners, and customers can get to know them better. Among the other questions I send them, something I recently started asking is, “What are your resources for learning?”

I can tell that this question strikes some people as odd. I give examples to help them through this answer, suggesting that resources can be podcasts, books, periodicals, blogs, and anything that helps them remain abreast of trends and news in their field or that helps them grow personally and professionally. Every time I receive a new response to this question, it prompts me to reflect on what my answer would be. What are my resources for learning? How do I cultivate my talents and my expertise? Am I growing? If not, am I slowly sliding backward in my professional, personal, and spiritual life?

Learning Can Take Many Forms

As I think back on the ways that I nurture myself toward deeper learning, expertise, or prayer, I recognize the awesome resource that podcasts have become. Some of my personal favorites are “How I Built This,” “The Wellness Mama,” “Messy Family,” “Abiding Together,” “Live Beautifully,” and “Business Made Simple.” There’s a little of everything in this mix—personal development, wellness, professional development, faith, and family. Some of them guide me toward crafting better stories of how solutions impact customer success. Some of them inspire me to innovate in new ways for my business by hearing how others launched successful companies. Some of them make me laugh or cry as I hear others’ stories and journey through my faith life. Which one I listen to at a given time depends on the day and length of my drive and the mood I’m in.

The same goes for books, though I don’t have nearly as much time now as I once had to read books (or listen to them on Audible). From books on leadership, like “Clout,” to personal stories of launching nonprofits, like “Thirst,” books will always be my No. 1 resource for growth in any area.

An effective alternative to books has become blogs and email newsletters. Do you follow industry-leading blogs to keep up with news and important information? Do you have a blog that is a go-to for inspiration and peace? Is there a newsletter that lightens your day when you see it in your inbox?

For anyone in content, subscribing to Ann Handley’s newsletter is a must. (Trust me on this one. It’s invaluable.). Subscribe to a few newsletters or feeds (not too many!), and continue the path toward being the best person you can be as you grow into the various aspects of your role and vocation.

Do the Difficult Tasks

Is there a task in your personal or professional life that you tend to put off? Cleaning out the hall closet? Starting your three-year old’s baby book? Writing a lengthy case study or learning a new efficiency platform?

Consider these time-consuming tasks as opportunities for growth, and carve out time and space to immerse yourself in a project that isn’t quickly gratifying. The “return on investment” of your effort will become clear after expending some serious elbow grease. I’ve found that with these projects, my patience, willpower, and learning expand, and I’m proud of myself once I finish.

Be Still

Finally, be quiet on purpose. In your home or out in nature, seek stillness, and make it your friend. How can God speak to your heart if you’re constantly going, reading, listening, talking? I often find that a lakeside boat dock, a grassy hill surrounded by trees, or a garden to weed and plant in is just the thing to clear my head from the chaos, rest with the Holy Spirit, and process my thoughts.

If someone ever asks me what my resources for learning are, I hope it won’t be difficult for me to answer. If we’re to be like little children, with a thirst for knowledge and understanding, we’ll recognize the opportunity around every corner to cultivate our mind and our heart.

Laura Pugliano is co-founder of Ciccio's Olives, an exquisitely pure, single-origin extra virgin olive oil produced by her Italian in-laws in Calabria, Italy. She is also marketing and content strategist at the digital solutions provider Candoris, an alumna of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and most importantly, a wife and mother. Join Laura on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.