How taking care of plants started a mental wellness journey that led me to growth and self-acceptance.
I was raised on an island surrounded by women who lovingly tended home gardens. One of my fondest memories as a kid was hiding in the leaves of my neighbor's orchid greenhouse. I always said that I would grow a green thumb and join the ranks of these ladies, but so many unlucky plants had to die before I could get there.
In my early twenties, I started getting more serious about the type of person I wanted to be and creating healthy habits. Back then, I spent countless quiet hours alone in nature preserves. Being around plants was the only that quieted the negative, intrusive thoughts. I didn't know it at the time but I was using nature and gardening as therapy.
For many of us, quarantine means spending more time at home, and cultivating new hobbies like gardening. It also means time away from loved ones, work, and all the usual distractions we use to fill our time. This kind of isolation can be the perfect soil for seeds of depression to root. It's no surprise that early reports on the effects of the pandemic talk about the uptick in mental health issues. It's not easy living through a pandemic! But many like myself have turned to houseplants and "urban jungles" to help cope with the uncertainty.
Once I figured out how nature could help me cope, I began my plant mama journey and bought a golden pothos.
I'm so grateful for that season of evolution because there are so many Life Lessons that Plant Therapy can teach you:
Mindfulness- Connecting with nature and quieting distractions to focus on something else that is dependent on you.
Patience- Good things take time and so will developing your green thumb!
Gratitude- Appreciating even those things outside of your control.
Acceptance- Coming to terms with life, death, and everything in between.
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