Do you just need more dirt?

Hi neighbors. My mother often told me that plants are only as good as the dirt they are growing in. If they aren't thriving, they may just need more dirt.

I think her advice was sound; about plants or people.

Recently I repotted my Christmas cactus that was again root-bound in the large pot I repotted it into last year when it faced the same "space deficit" resulting in the same root-bound condition.

By putting the plant into two pots I assumed it would thrive with all that new dirt.

The right amount of sun and water and both plants seemed to be doing fine. Until the cat decided to do an aerial attack on the larger pot and sent it crashing to the floor.

I noticed the plant seemed a bit flimsy and limp the other day and commented on its sad decline.

It was only then that my son admitted the only reason he had vacuumed the living room rug when I was at work the other day was to clean up the dirt his cat's antics had produced.

I guess the poor plant needs more dirt! I'm not certain what the cat needs -- ballet lessons maybe to improve her feline graceful jumps?

Many of us sometimes find our "selves" in need of a little more nourishment.

In these economically depressing times, some people may find themselves needing jobs that pay better wages; or offer more benefits.

If you've worked a certain job for many years, it's a difficult decision to give it up for a different job that you're not too certain about.

All jobs, it seems, are "uncertain" and it's hard to tell if the job you've had for years, and have today, will be there tomorrow.

I'm not talking about seeking new ground just to "feed your soul." That may not be the best option, especially if you have a family with hungry mouths to feed.

If you don't like your job; but it pays well, seems stable, and is for a reliable company -- my advice is hang in there a little longer.

Although you may see it as "only a job" and not your hoped for career; if it puts food on the table and heat in the house for the winter -- you'd better stick with it.

Better days are coming, but right now we all need to cinch our belts tighter and hang on tight to what assets we now have.

Keeping at a job you don't like may seem depressing and even counter-productive; but there are options even in that situation.

Maybe your current job just needs more dirt!

Whatever your current job may be, there are surely aspects of it you haven't explored. Are there areas for advancement? Maybe the job place has positions open that you qualify for, or would qualify for with just a little bit of training.

I realize picking up a college degree right now might seem pretty impossible if your budget is stretched. Still, some companies offer in-house training that might be the edge you need to get a better position in the same company where you now work.

Just taking some extra in-house classes might convince the boss that you are eager to put in more hours or more effort to improve your job skills.

If you truly hate the job you now have, use your off-duty hours to get some different job skills. Do you know how to use a computer? If you don't, I'll bet your children can teach you some of the basics that they have learned in school.

Can't afford to buy a computer to learn on? Go to the library and practice your keyboarding skills there. If you've ever used a typewriter, using a computer isn't much different.

Basic word-processing skills are necessary in most jobs today. Just mastering those tools can open many new opportunities.

How are your reading, grammar and spelling skills? If they are not so good, or even pretty bad, don't despair. The local library has many books designed to entertain adults with poor reading skills.

Like all other skills, the more you use them, the better they get.

There are adult educational courses available that cover many job skill improvement areas. Check out the local employment office, technical schools and informational sources like the Chamber of Commerce.

These are hard times, but we don't have to wither away from lack of opportunities. We might need to knuckle down and give ourselves a little more dirt to make it through.