The Soil and The Seed: Where Are You Planting Your Energy for Growth?

What are you pouring into? Your time, your energy, your love—are you planting them in soil that nurtures your spirit, or are you stuck in barren ground, hoping for a harvest that will never come?

In this episode of And That’s the Tea Podcast, we explore one of life’s most profound truths: It’s not about the seed—it’s about the soil. You’ve been working, grinding, and showing up, but if the environment isn’t ready to receive you, your efforts will bear no fruit.

This is your invitation to reflect on where you’ve been planting, to release what no longer serves you, and to align with environments that nurture your growth. Today, we’re breaking this open: stop questioning your worth, and start questioning your soil.

This week, take time to reflect on the garden of your life. Where are you pouring your energy? Are you planting in places that nurture your growth or drain your spirit? Choose one thing—big or small—that isn’t growing and let it go. Release it with intention, and watch what happens when you plant yourself where you can thrive.

Loved this episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you’re listening—it only takes a moment, but it makes a big difference! You can also leave a review directly on our website at www.teawithlynn.com. Share a screenshot of the episode on Instagram and tag us at @teawithlynngraham, and we’ll personally thank you for helping grow this community of transformation.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to and that's the TeaPodcast, where truth meets transformation
and black women take center stage.
This isn't just a podcast.
It's your space to reclaim,reflect, and rise.
Together, we'll dive deep intothe challenges and triumphs that
shape us with conversationsthat empower, heal, and remind you

(00:21):
of your brilliance.
So get comfortable.
It's time to spill the tea,honor your truth, and step unapologetically
into your power.

(00:46):
Let me ask you, where are youplanting your seeds, your time, your
energy, your love?
Where are you putting them?
Are you pouring your essenceinto the wrong places?
Are you watering barren land,waiting for a harvest that won't
ever come?
You see, too many of us arestuck in this cycle.

(01:06):
We're giving, we're pouring,we're sowing, but there's no fruit
to show for it.
And we wonder what's going wrong.
But hear me when I say this.
It's not about the seed.
It's about the soil.
You see, you're not stuck.
You're misaligned.
The problem isn't with you.
It's the ground you've beenplanting in.

(01:27):
You've been working, you'vebeen grinding, you've been sowing
your best, but the environmentyou're in is robbing you of your
harvest.
You're listening to and that'sthe Tea Podcast.
I'm Imani.
And today we're going to leaninto this moment, because the question
is not, am I enough?
No.
The question is, where am I planting?

(01:48):
And if you don't know whereyou're planting, you were never meant
to shrink for barren soil.
You weren't meant to pouryourself into places that won't nourish
you.
This journey is about findingthe alignment between your seed and
your soil.

(02:09):
So wherever you are right now,sit with this.
It's not about planting more seeds.
It's about choosing the right soil.
So I'm asking you right now,where have you been planting?
Let me tell you a story.

(02:29):
There once was a woman whocarried a pocket full of seeds.
She was full of dreams, fullof passion.
She had this fire inside her,a desire to pour into the world.
Everywhere she went, shecarried her seeds.
Her energy, her vision, her love.

(02:49):
She believed that if she justplanted them, they would grow.
One day, she found a patch ofsoil that seemed good enough.
So she planted her seeds.
She watered them.
She prayed over them.
She waited day after day,believing that this was the place
where her dreams would bloom.
But nothing came.
And she thought, maybe I justneed to try harder.

(03:11):
Maybe I need to Water.
More.
Maybe I need to be more patient.
So she kept going.
Season after season, she keptpouring, kept waiting.
But still nothing.
One day, feeling defeated, shedecided to dig deeper.
She took her hands to theearth, turned over the soil, and

(03:34):
what she found shocked her.
Roots tangled, choking thorns,sharp and unyielding.
Rocks lodged deep in theground, blocking any life from sprouting.
It wasn't her seeds.
It was the soil.
And how often do we do this?

(03:57):
We pour ourselves into placesthat can't hold us, into relationships,
jobs, dreams that can't holdthe weight of our vision.
We keep sowing, keep watering,keep waiting.
But the ground we're plantingin is barren, unable to receive the
gifts we offer.
And when nothing grows, weturn inward and ask, what's wrong

(04:18):
with me?
Here's the truth.
Sometimes it's not the seed.
It's the soil.
Good seeds need good soil.
Dreams need fertile ground totake root.
And your love, your work, yourpurpose, needs a space that is ready
to receive it.
Look at the hard part.
Sometimes the soil feels familiar.

(04:40):
It feels safe.
You've invested so much in it,it's hard to walk away.
But, sis, I'm here to tellyou, let go.
Let go of the soil that's notnourishing you.
Let go of the places thatdrain you.
Let go so you can plant in theplace that will make you grow.

(05:01):
So ask yourself, where haveyou been planting?
Is it time to dig deeper?
Now, here's the lesson.
You can't force something togrow where the environment isn't
right.
You can have all the talent,all the passion, all the faith in
the world.
But if the soil you'replanting in is.

(05:23):
Can't sustain you, it'll onlylead to frustration.
Look at your life right now.
What are you trying to grow?
A relationship?
A career?
A dream you've been holding close?
And most importantly, whereare you planting those seeds?
Let me tell you this.
Good seeds need good soil.

(05:45):
Your dreams need a fertileenvironment, A place that will nurture
them, give them space to growand support them.
When the wind blows, yourenergy needs to be in places that
will pour back into you.
And your love needs to beplanted where it can be reciprocated.
But the challenge is this.
We get so fixated on the seed,on the effort we're putting in, that

(06:11):
we forget to check the soil.
We push harder, try more, andtell ourselves, if I just keep going,
if I keep watering, it'll grow.
Oh, but what if the issue isin your effort?
What if the issue is whereyou're Planting it.
I'll break it down for you.
A toxic job can't nurture your creativity.

(06:32):
A one sided relationship can'tsustain your love.
A life that's misaligned withyour values can't bring you peace.
So what do you do?
You stop blaming yourself.
Stop trying to force somethingto grow in ground that can't hold
it.
Instead, start asking the hard questions.

(06:55):
What kind of soil do I need tothrive towards my growth?
What am I willing to walk awayfrom to make room for my potential?
This is about alignment.
And it's time you plantedyourself where you can thrive.
You were never meant to shrink.
You were never meant to.
The water.
Ground that refuses to grow.

(07:17):
So I'll ask you again.
Where have you been planting?
Is it fertile ground?
This week, I want you to doone thing.
Take a moment to step back andlook at the garden of your life.
Think about everything you'vebeen pouring into your work, your
relationships, your dreams.
And ask yourself, what's thesoil and what's the seed?

(07:41):
Ask yourself, am I planting inbarren ground?
You deserve fertile soil.
An environment that nurturesyour roots and lets your branches
stretch high toward the sun.
But here's the thing.
Fertile soil doesn't show upby accident.
You have to seek it out.
You have to uproot yourselffrom barren land and replants where

(08:06):
you can grow.
This week, let go of one thingthat's not growing.
It doesn't have to be a grand gesture.
It could be as simple asstepping away from a draining conversation.
Or as significant asreevaluating a job or relationship.
Whatever it is, release itwith intention.

(08:27):
Letting go isn't failure.
It's freedom.
It's the space you need tomake room for something better.
But what are you letting go of today?
And where are you Ready toplant your next seed?
Let's sit with this for a moment.
You're standing at a crossroads.

(08:47):
The choice to grow or staystagnant is in your hands.
Here's the thing.
You're not failing.
You're being prepared.
You've been planting, sowing,hoping, waiting for that harvest
to rise up.
But what if I told you it'snot about the seed?

(09:07):
It's about the soil you'vebeen watering ground that can't hold
your dreams.
You've been showing up inplaces that refuse to give you the
nourishment you need.
And now you're tired.
But hear me when I say this.
It's not about your effort.
It's about your alignment.

(09:27):
You're not stuck.
You're misaligned and like.
Stop wasting your energy onbarren ground.
Stop trying to make somethingbloom where there's no room.
It's time to ask yourself,where am I planting?
It's time to stop being loyalto places that drain you.

(09:48):
It's time to plant yourself inenvironments that will elevate you.
You deserve soil thatcelebrates you.
So what's the soil you've beenplanting in?
Is it fertile?
Ready for the seeds you're sowing?
If not, today's the day youstop watering it.
Let go and watch what happenswhen you plant yourself in the right

(10:10):
place.
You can't grow in dry soil,but when you find fertile ground,
when you plant where youbelong, nothing can stop you.
Thank you for allowing me tospeak life into you today.
Share this with someone whoneeds to hear it.
Let's keep the tea flowing,the community growing, and the wisdom
glowing.
Until next time, keep sippingon that tea.
And remember this.
You are the soil and you arethe seed.

(10:33):
Now plant yourself where youcan grow.