Plants have been around for millions of years, and over the millennia they’ve been growing, changing, adapting.
They can teach us many important lessons about life; from slowing down, pushing through, and just blooming where were planted; something many of us are struggling with during this pandemic.
Bloom where you’re planted
Plants have an innate ability to make the most of whatever situation they’ve been placed in.
Isn’t it fun to see a small flower blooming from the crack in the pavement? They had just enough of what they needed to grow. Its hard to always see the best of our situations, but we need to be grateful for what we do have in our lives, and grow from tough situations.
Always look on the light side
Plants will always look for light. You may notice that plants in your home will start leaning towards the light, or get ‘leggy’ when then don’t get enough. Light is essential for their growth, as it is to us.
Just like plants need light, we need our daily dose of Vitamin D. Being outside positively affects our mood and mental health.
Take a break
Many plants go into a state of dormancy in winter months, or if they are under stress due to extreme heat of drought. They do this conserve moisture and energy. Once the climate is favourable to grow again, they’ll sprout new leaves and shoots. We all need to take a break and step back sometimes, spending time focusing on ourselves and healing,so we can show up again when were ready.
A lesson in giving
Suzanne Simard of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, discovered that plants, especially trees, communicate. (1)Nitrogen, Carbon and Phosphorus can also be exchanged between plants through mycelia, but the extend is not yet knows. It is also now believed that plants can support each other – Larger, more established trees can help younger trees grow and survive, through the transfer of essential minerals.
Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give – Ben Carson.
Removing negativity
Pruning and snipping off old leaves, not only keeps the plant looking pretty, it also can inspire new growth.
Look to do the same in your life – keeping those who inspire you, and moving on from those who hold you back.
Moving on
Sometimes, you just have to stop watering your dead plants…
Use the water to nurture what works, whats good and whats right. Don’t waste time focusing on dead relationships, dead ideas and dead promises.
No matter how much you water concrete, you cant grow a garden – T.D. Jakes.
Stop Comparisons
All plants grow at their own speed and bloom in their own time. Plants that shade other plants, give the lower plant a push to find new opportunities for light and space, but rarely a reason to stop growing.
What have you learnt from plants?
Please share in comments below.
The Houseplant Diaries 
I absolutely love this post and couldn’t agree more that our human resemblance to a plants life cycles is more matching in resemblance than we can possibly imagine. In fact, the more we recognise our similarities, the more answers are revealed on how to really live our life in the most natural rhythm and flow.
For me, slowing down feels like my autumn. I absolutely love the autumn seasons in colder countries like where I grew up in England which were so pronounced at this time of the year. From a full summer in swing, the beginnings of leaves starting to fall and turn to their beautiful colours of orange and reds before they fall – they were always a reminder to let go. Without even trying to hard, I always felt compelled to give up the pushing and full focus to just let go a little. Like plants we’re forever renewing, growing and changing, so autumn was my time to pause without too much thinking and just let be for a while.
By winter, I started to really enjoy moving into full hibernation mode. Hit silent mode on my phone, close the doors of our wintery house, and make warm soups, and get cosy with the family. It was only in the last few years of my late 30s that I really realised this could be such a satisfying prospect, compared to my 20s of partying in London on winters evenings after work regardless of the season, or cold! Now my body yearns for the down time of winter, and I’ve learnt to greater honour my needs over the guilt of what i should be doing, and going to see!
Then comes spring, and everything comes towards turning towards the light with a big energetic leap and excitement to birth something new. Again the the UK, the first buds start to bloom after a long winter, and the sheer delight of seeing colour in the world again is enough to excite the senses. Encountering now my first spring in Mauritius, I’m starting to tune into the season of the delicious tropical fruits and new colours that have started to bloom in my garden. It feels like an exciting time, to plant some seeds both in my garden and in my mind and the universe to which projects and work i wish to carry out over this year start to sit back a little more, and again just to let things be. It feels like in the season in the UK too of connecting, service and community. Not necessarily for doing lots, but just being together and sharing from a place of excess. Just like the trees you mentioned and their giving nature below the surface to share nutrients as widely as they need to go.
SO – I couldn’t agree more, we can learn so much and continue to do so 😉
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You are so right. It’s important to be in tune with nature and ourselves, as both are of the same. You write so well & Ive just started reading your book – which has already got me hooked! Look forward to connecting with you more this week! 💚🌱
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This article is very inspiring.
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Thank you, Sneha 🌱
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