I love the onion analogy that Laurie mentioned but I changed my vegetable a little bit.
I am an artichoke. Each layer that I pull off gets me closer to my heart and to me.
This is a way for me to gently remember when I continue to struggle with something I thought I was done with that it is just another layer.
I also want to say that I have had to learn that I don't need to be digging 24/7 to be doing the work I need to be doing. It is okay to turn the brain/body off for a bit and read fluff, watch TV, etc. That does not mean that you are not doing the work. It took me a long time to realize that.