The Garden of Your Life
By Sharon Fitzmaurice
Recently, I had the pleasure of being a guest on Your Time with James Sweetman, for a heartfelt conversation. While I absolutely love hosting my own podcast and holding space for others to share their stories, being the one asked the questions this time offered me a powerful moment of reflection, a pause to appreciate just how far I’ve come on my own healing and personal development journey.
I spoke about the little girl within me, the one who once had no voice. Today, she not only speaks, but shares the airwaves with others, celebrating their resilience and truth. In sharing my story with James, I felt a deep wave of gratitude for all the opportunities I’ve been given, the ones I’ve bravely stepped into, and the ones I’ve consciously created for myself.
It reminded me - and I hope reminds you, that no matter what your past holds, you can create a new chapter, each and every day.
During our conversation, James asked a profound question that many are asking these days: “What’s the difference between wellness and well-being?” And is the language becoming overused or diluted in today’s wellness industry?
It’s a valid question. These terms are often tossed around, but to me, their essence is sacred, and their meaning deeply personal.
Wellness, to me, is more than self-care rituals or ticking boxes for health. It's the active pursuit of vitality on every level - physical, emotional, mental, and beyond. Wellness becomes a lifestyle, one that requires conscious engagement and a willingness to ask ourselves:
Am I living in alignment with what nourishes me?
Do my habits support the life I want to create?
Am I listening to my body’s whispers before they become cries?
Wellness is a daily devotion. It's how we show up for ourselves with care, presence, and intention. It’s the gardener within us, tending lovingly to the soil of our life.
Well-being, on the other hand, is the feeling state that arises when we walk that path with heart. It’s not just about how we feel in our bodies or minds—though that's part of it. Well-being reaches deeper, into our connection with life itself.
It encompasses:
Emotional resilience
Spiritual connection
A sense of peace with who we are
Well-being is not something we chase, but something we cultivate, moment by moment. It’s the gentle bloom that unfolds when we’ve been lovingly tending to the soil.
So if wellness is the gardener, well-being is the garden in bloom.
Wellness is the effort—conscious, attentive, sacred.
Well-being is the result—the soft breezes, the joy, the wholeness.
And here’s the beautiful truth:
Without the gardener, the garden becomes overgrown or forgotten.
Without the garden, the gardener loses their purpose.
Wellness and well-being are not separate - they are sacred partners.
Each gives meaning and purpose to the other.
As I continue to walk my own path and share space with others on theirs, I am reminded that every one of us has a garden within—a place waiting to bloom. You are the gardener of your life. Your hands hold the power to clear, plant, nourish, and awaken what longs to thrive.
Tend it with love.
Walk with intention.
Let your well-being bloom.
Sharon 🌸