Just Relaxed Blog

Tag: letting go

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    My Thumb is More of a Gardening Black Hole

    Let’s be honest, I’m not exactly known for my green thumb. In fact, my apartment balcony is a graveyard of well-intentioned succulents and tragically misunderstood herbs. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a houseplant – a resilient little ZZ plant, known for its ability to survive even the most neglectful owners – I accepted with a mix of hope and trepidation. Little did I know, this unassuming plant would soon teach me more about life than I ever expected.

    plant parenting duties with the same gusto. I researched the perfect watering schedule, debated the merits of different fertilizers, and even considered playing Mozart to encourage growth (don’t judge!). However, my plant remained stubbornly unimpressed. It wasn’t until I, in a fit of forgetfulness, neglected it for a good two weeks that it finally started to thrive.

    Turns out, like humans, plants need space to breathe and grow at their own pace. The constant fussing and overwatering had actually been suffocating it. Who knew? My little green roommate taught me the valuable lesson of letting go, trusting the process, and embracing the beauty of simplicity.

    Lesson 2: Resilience is a Superpower

    One fateful (and very clumsy) day, I managed to knock my poor plant off its pedestal, sending a cascade of dirt and broken leaves across the living room floor. Mortified, I frantically tried to salvage the situation, but the damage seemed irreparable. I resigned myself to the fact that I had finally achieved the impossible – killing the unkillable plant.

    But, to my astonishment, after a few weeks of gentle care and a lot of apologies, my resilient little ZZ plant started to bounce back. New shoots emerged, stronger and more vibrant than before. It was a powerful reminder that even after setbacks and near-death experiences (well, near-plant-death experiences), we have the incredible capacity to heal, regrow, and come back stronger than ever.

  • The Unexpected Life Lesson I Learned from a Broken Zipper

    The Unexpected Life Lesson I Learned from a Broken Zipper

    We’ve all been there. You’re getting ready for a big day, about to head out the door, when disaster strikes. No, not a sudden downpour or a run in your stockings (though those are tragic in their own right). I’m talking about the dreaded broken zipper.

    The Day My Outfit Failed Me (Spectacularly)

    Picture this: It’s the morning of my best friend’s wedding. I’m already running behind schedule (because, let’s be honest, when am I not?), and I’m struggling to zip up the back of my dress. I wiggle, I tug, I even try the old “hold your breath and pull” trick. Nothing. The zipper is well and truly stuck, caught in a tangled mess of fabric and dreams.

    Zipper and Control)

    After several minutes of frantic zipper-wrestling (and a mini-meltdown witnessed only by my bewildered cat), I finally accept defeat. The zipper is broken. There’s no magical fairy godmother waiting in the wings to fix it. And you know what? It’s fine. Not ideal, but fine.

    With the pressure off, I actually start to laugh. This whole situation is so ridiculous, so perfectly timed to throw a wrench in my carefully crafted plans. But as I rummage through my closet for a suitable Plan B outfit, a strange sense of calm washes over me. It’s a realization that sometimes, things just don’t go according to plan. And that’s okay.

    Finding the Beauty in Imperfection

    I ended up wearing a different dress to the wedding, a simple but elegant number that, dare I say, I actually preferred to the original. And guess what? No one even noticed the last-minute wardrobe change. The world didn’t end because my zipper broke. In fact, the day turned out to be even more perfect than I could have imagined.

  • The Unexpected Life Lesson I Learned from a Lost Luggage Mishap

    The Unexpected Life Lesson I Learned from a Lost Luggage Mishap

    The Unexpected Life Lesson I Learned from a Lost Luggage Mishap

    The Great Underwear Crisis of 2023

    We’ve all been there, right? Standing at the baggage carousel, watching the same sad, orphaned suitcases go round and round, a sinking feeling growing in your gut. This, my friends, is the tale of how my missing luggage taught me a surprisingly profound life lesson.

    It all started with a much-needed vacation to the sunny beaches of [Destination]. Picture this: me, a carefully curated capsule wardrobe packed to perfection, and dreams of sipping cocktails with sand between my toes. Fast forward ten agonizing minutes at baggage claim, and my picture-perfect vacation started to resemble a scene from a low-budget disaster movie.

    Panic set in. Not just the “did I pack my toothbrush?” kind of panic, but a full-blown, DEFCON 1, “I’m going to have to wear the same pair of underwear for a week” kind of panic.

    Embracing the Art of “Making Do”

    Now, I’m not going to lie, the first 24 hours were rough. My carefully planned outfits were replaced with questionable tourist-trap t-shirts and shorts that could generously be described as “breezy.”

    But then, something strange happened. I started to relax. Without my usual wardrobe crutch, I was forced to get creative. I embraced the local style, rocking flowy dresses and colorful accessories I never would have dared to try back home. I even learned to tie a sarong in about a dozen different ways (a skill I’m strangely proud of).

    Turns out, being stripped of my creature comforts forced me to adapt, to be resourceful, and to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Who knew that a mismatched outfit and a healthy dose of self-deprecation could be so liberating?

    The Beauty of Letting Go

    By the time my suitcase finally arrived, three days late and smelling suspiciously of duty-free cologne, I was surprised to find that I didn’t really care anymore. In fact, I kind of missed my makeshift wardrobe and the “go with the flow” attitude it inspired.

    That’s when it hit me: sometimes, the things we think we need are really just things we cling to for comfort. This whole luggage fiasco wasn’t just about a lost suitcase; it was a crash course in letting go of control, embracing the unknown, and realizing that sometimes, the most unexpected detours can lead to the most beautiful destinations.

    What About You?

    So, tell me, what’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a travel mishap?

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from Playing Tetris

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from Playing Tetris




    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from Playing Tetris


    We’ve all been there. It’s 2 a.m., you’re huddled under the covers with your Game Boy (or, okay, your smartphone), desperately trying to clear just one more line. Yes, I’m talking about Tetris. That deceptively simple, utterly addictive game that has sucked hours of our lives into its pixelated vortex.

    But what if I told you that Tetris isn’t just a game? What if I told you it’s actually a profound metaphor for life itself? Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But hear me out! Over the years, I’ve realized that my Tetris obsession has actually taught me some valuable (and hilarious) life lessons.

    Tetris and the Art of Letting Go

    I’m not going to lie, I’m a bit of a Tetris hoarder. I like to hold onto those perfectly straight pieces, convinced that I’ll need them for some crucial, game-saving maneuver later on. Spoiler alert: I never do.

    This, my friends, is a classic example of Tetris teaching me a valuable life lesson: sometimes, you just have to let go. Holding onto things you don’t need, whether it’s that perfectly straight Tetris piece or that grudge you’ve been nursing for years, only creates unnecessary clutter and stress.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant

    My Brown Thumb Gets Greener

    Let’s be honest, I’m about as far from a “plant person” as you can get. My idea of plant care used to be giving it a hopeful glance every few days and hoping for the best (spoiler alert: it rarely worked). So, when my well-intentioned friend gifted me a peace lily for my birthday, I accepted it with a mix of gratitude and terror.

    “Don’t worry,” my friend chirped, “Peace lilies are practically indestructible!” Famous last words.

    Lesson 1: Learning to Let Go (and Water Less)

    My peace lily, which I creatively named Lily, thrived for about five minutes before taking a nosedive. Leaves drooped, turned an alarming shade of yellow, and I’m pretty sure I heard it sigh dramatically once or twice. I tried everything – watering it more, watering it less, singing to it (don’t judge). Nothing worked.

    Finally, I admitted defeat and consulted the internet. Turns out, I was being a helicopter plant parent, hovering and fussing way too much. Lily, much like a stubborn toddler, just needed some space to do its thing. So, I took a deep breath, backed off on the constant watering, and… she perked right up.

    It was a valuable lesson in letting go, trusting the process, and maybe not projecting my own anxieties onto a poor, defenseless houseplant.

    Lesson 2: The Unexpected Resilience of a Peace Lily

    Just when Lily and I found our groove, disaster struck. I left for a weekend trip and, in a move that can only be described as peak “me,” completely forgot to ask anyone to water her. I returned to a scene of utter devastation. Lily was beyond droopy, practically a pile of wilted leaves in a pot. I was ready to hold a plant funeral.

    But then, a glimmer of hope. A single, defiant green shoot emerged from the seemingly lifeless stems. Against all odds, Lily was making a comeback. I nurtured her back to health (this time with the help of a handy watering reminder app), and she rewarded me with more lush growth than ever before.

  • The Unexpected Joys of Being a Terrible Dancer

    The Unexpected Joys of Being a Terrible Dancer




    The Unexpected Joys of Being a Terrible Dancer


    Let’s be honest, some of us were born to tango, while others… well, we were born to trip over air molecules. Guess which category I fall into? Yep, I’m the one who looks like they’re fighting off a swarm of invisible bees whenever music comes on.

    My Epic Dance Floor Fail

    My most memorable dance floor disaster? Oh, it’s a classic. Picture this: high school prom, shimmering lights, DJ blasting Backstreet Boys (don’t judge!). I’d practiced my “moves” for weeks, convinced I’d wow everyone. What actually transpired resembled a drunken giraffe attempting the Macarena. Let’s just say I cleared the dance floor faster than a fire alarm.

    For years, that memory haunted me. I swore off dancing, convinced I was cursed with two left feet and zero rhythm. But then something magical happened…

    Embracing the Awkwardness: A Turning Point

    One night, a friend dragged me to a salsa club. I was terrified, but then I saw them: a couple absolutely butchering the salsa. And you know what? They were having a blast! Their laughter was infectious, and it hit me: who cares if I look ridiculous? The point is to have fun!

    unexpected perks:

    3 Unexpected Perks of Being a Bad Dancer

    1. Instant entertainment: Seriously, I’m basically a one-woman comedy show on the dance floor. People point, they laugh (with me, not at me… I hope!), and it’s all in good fun.
    2. No pressure: No one expects me to lead, execute complicated steps, or even stay on beat. It’s incredibly liberating!
    3. Great exercise: All that flailing and gyrating burns some serious calories, and who needs a gym membership when you can dance like nobody’s watching (even though they totally are)?

    Finding Freedom in the Flailing: A Lesson in Self-Acceptance

    Being a terrible dancer has taught me more than just how to clear a room with my moves. It’s taught me to laugh at myself, embrace my imperfections, and find joy in the unexpected. It’s a reminder that life’s too short to take ourselves too seriously, and sometimes, the best thing you can do is let loose and dance like a total goofball.