How Flowers Help to Improve My Mental Health

Hey y’all. I pray for each and every one of you reading this, that you were able to take a few moments for yourself to breathe and be present in the moment.

Life has been quite challenging for me lately with a plethora of life changes. Ava started kindergarten which means we aged out of the daycare she’s attended since she was 10 weeks old. It was extremely difficult for me to say goodbye to a group of teachers and staff that have became a second family to me over the last five years.

Adding more fuel to the fire, I changed schools as well, leaving high school to return to middle school. Logistically, the distance between Ava’s new elementary school and the high school were too far apart. It would have been impossible for me to drop her off and make it to work on time each morning, even with the use of morning care that the elementary school provides.

Has the transition been easy? No. Do I regret my decision? No. Ava and I both get to school on time each day and the commute to and from home is less than 10 minutes.

But I must admit I’m not happy with my current work environment and while I am making strides to change that (insert a shameless plug for my digital marketing agency 6Seventeen.co here), I’m making a conscious effort to prioritize my mental health until my job title changes.

Prior to a week ago, flowers were something I saw as a waste of money. Why buy something that would die in a few days? But it was a BOGO Free sale on roses at Publix that piqued my interest. I mentioned the possibility of getting roses to Ava but by the time we arrived at the store, I changed my mind about getting them. But of course my daughter thought otherwise. “Mommy! They’re so pretty though!” So we added two dozens of white and fuchsia roses our shopping cart.

And I’m so glad we did.

Later that evening, we took the time to prune and arrange the flowers in a vase we’d thrifted earlier this year. We laughed and talked about what school was like that week and what activities we wanted to do together that weekend. It was a nice and creative way to spend time with my favorite 5-year-old.

But back to the top three reasons I’ve found flowers to beneficial to my mental health:

Reason #1 flowers help to improve my mental health: Fresh flowers remind me that I deserve to have things that make me happy.

Amidst the daily hustle, flowers are a simple yet powerful reminder that happiness is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Often times I feel consumed to prioritize what I NEED to do over the things I WANT to do. But flowers help me to remind that balance is key between responsibilities and pleasure.

Reason #2 flowers help to improve my mental health: Arranging flowers and watching them bloom allows me to be present.

No one takes flowers out of the plastic wrap and just throw them into a flower vase. Instead there is a pruning of leaves and stems as well as arranging the flowers in a way specific to your liking that causes you to be pay attention to this process. I like to play Jazz music during this time as a way to welcome my flowers into their new home. As the days go by I enjoy the moments of my carnations changing hues or tulips blossoming. Witnessing those buds unfurl remind me that beautiful things take time – just like healing and personal growth. It's a precious reminder to slow down, breathe, and savor the beauty in the now.

Reason #3 flowers help with my mental health: Flowers are a gentle reminder that everything in life is temporary, both good and bad.

Just like when flowers reach their peak, I know that life’s joyous moments eventually fade. And like the petals that eventually fall, our troubles and worries too shall pass. Life is full of mountains and valleys. Flowers remind me that change is the only constant in life and that every season will eventually end. It's a comforting thought, and in their delicate presence, I find solace and strength to embrace life's ever-evolving journey.

I know at times life can be overwhelming but trust me when I say you’re not alone. Regardless of the constant highlight reels of everyone’s life on social media, we are all human and will have those moments where we aren’t feeling our best.

This is why daily self-care is essential for your mental health. I can’t promise you that flowers will drastically change your life but I do think it is the small forms of self-care that have the overall biggest impact on our well being.

If you decide to pick up carnations or orchids on your next supermarket visit, feel free to share your experience with me in the comments below. I love chatting with you guys!