"Magic Beans" by Dina Emser

What grows when you plant magic beans? I am thinking of the childhood tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, and as usual, I am taking some liberties with this familiar story as we explore it as a metaphor for growing lives we love.

Just in case you don’t remember the details, let me hit the high spots for you. A boy trades his milk money for beans that are supposed to have magic power. When he gets home, his mom is less than thrilled with his impulsive decision, and she throws the beans out the window. Jack sulks around miserably until the next morning, when he wakes up to find a huge green vine outside leading straight up into the clouds. Being the adventurous type, he climbs the vine to find a magical kingdom with good food, friendly people, and other wealth beyond his imagination!

Oh, there’s much more drama and danger as the story unfolds—giants, sharp objects, chasing and hiding and racing back down the vine to safety; but for now, let’s stick with the upside (literally) of this adventure.

Let’s suppose that you are Jack. Now, I doubt Jack did a whole lot of thinking prior to buying the beans about the life he would like to live. He was a pretty humble guy from a salt-of-the-earth kind of family. He didn’t have much experience with the kind of wealth and choices that he found above the clouds. Remember, Jack’s story takes place before television, computers, and Internet.

But what about you?

What kind of life are you living? Does your life call forth the best in you? Do you have the people and things that make you happy and fulfilled? What are you giving and what are you getting in return? What would make your life more fun, energetic, delightful, and worth living?

And maybe the biggest question is,

What are the magic beans you need in order to grow your ideal life?

The idea of planting magic beans that will bring you more of the things you want in life may seem like a pretty big stretch. It IS a big stretch, but so is claiming and growing the life you want to live! Few people, in my opinion, are up to the challenge. Few people are even willing to stretch far enough to spend time with the question, “What kind of life do you want to live?” let alone actually plant the beans that will bring it!

I believe you deserve to have the life you want, and if you plant the right beans, nurture the beans, do the weeding, and harvest when the time is right, you will realize your goal.

Jack believed in magic. He may have been naïve, but he believed, and when those beans were planted, they led him to the adventure of his life. Without the vision and courage, and without the belief in yourself and your goals, you’ve don’t have JACK!

Take some time right now and sit down with yourself. Answer the questions, identify the seeds, and get planting!

~Dina Emser

Dina Emser is a Professional Development Coach who partners with people to identify their best lives and plant the magic beans required to reach those goals. Look for her inspirational writings in Numéro Magazine. Call for a complimentary consultation (309.467.4429) or visit her website, www.dinaemser.com.