Just Relaxed Blog

Tag: patience

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant



    My Brown Thumb Meets a Green Roommate

    Let’s be honest, I’m not known for my nurturing abilities. My thumbs are less green and more… well, let’s just say cacti shudder when I walk by. So, when a friend gifted me a supposedly “unkillable” ZZ plant, I accepted with trepidation. I knew what fate awaited this poor, unsuspecting soul.

    Lesson #1: Resilience is Key

    As predicted, my reign of terror began almost immediately. I overwatered, underwatered, and even spilled coffee on it (twice!). Yet, to my astonishment, it persisted. It drooped, it browned, it looked ready to file a restraining order, but it never gave up. This “unkillable” plant was living up to its name, and teaching me a valuable lesson about resilience. Just like my resilient plant, I realized, we humans can bounce back from adversity. We just need to tap into our inner ZZ plant.

    Lesson #2: Growth Happens on Its Own Terms

    Here’s the thing about ZZ plants: they’re notoriously slow growers. I’m talking glacial pace. For months, I saw zero progress. Nada. Zilch. It was beyond frustrating. I wanted results, proof that my less-than-stellar care was yielding something. Then, one day, a new shoot emerged. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

    That’s when it hit me: growth, both in plants and in life, happens on its own time. We can’t force it, we can’t rush it, we just need to be patient and trust the process. Sometimes, the most important growth happens beneath the surface, invisible but no less significant.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant



    My Brown Thumb Redemption Arc (Or So I Thought)

    Let’s be honest, I’m about as good at keeping plants alive as I am at understanding cryptocurrency. My past attempts at plant parenthood resulted in more casualties than a low-budget action flick. So, you can imagine the surprised looks (and maybe a little side-eye) when I announced I was adopting a houseplant. “It’s going to be different this time,” I declared, armed with a shiny new watering can and a healthy dose of optimism (delusion?).

    Plant‘s Best Friends

    My first plant-parenting hurdle? Understanding that plants, unlike my social media feed, don’t thrive on instant gratification. This little green roommate, which I affectionately named Ferdinand, didn’t magically sprout new leaves overnight just because I spritzed him with water and whispered words of encouragement (don’t judge). It turns out, patience is key. And sunlight. Lots of sunlight, which my apartment, sadly, lacked.

    After weeks of watching Ferdinand stubbornly refuse to grow an inch, I finally caved and consulted the internet (aka, the plant parent’s best friend). Turns out, I’d been keeping him in a dimly lit corner, mistaking his dramatic wilting for thirst. Who knew plants were such drama queens?

    So, I moved Ferdinand to a sun-drenched windowsill, apologized profusely for my ignorance, and vowed to be a better plant parent. Slowly but surely, he perked up, even gifting me with a tiny new leaf. I swear, I almost cried. The moral of the story? Sometimes, all it takes is a little patience, a lot of sunshine, and the willingness to admit you don’t know everything (still working on that last one).

    Lesson 2: Overthinking and Overwatering: A Recipe for Disaster

    Now, you’d think after the Great Sunlight Debacle of 2023 (yes, it was that dramatic), I would have learned my lesson about overthinking things. But alas, I am a creature of habit. So, when Ferdinand’s leaves started to droop slightly, I panicked.

    “He needs water!” my inner plant-killer screamed. “Drown him in love (and H2O)!”

    Ignoring the voice of reason (and the helpful moisture meter I’d bought), I proceeded to shower Ferdinand with enough water to irrigate a small desert. Unsurprisingly, this did not end well. A few days later, my once-thriving plant friend was looking decidedly worse for wear, his leaves yellowing at the edges. Cue the frantic Googling and the sinking realization that I’d committed the cardinal sin of plant parenthood: overwatering.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    From Brown Thumb to Budding Plant Parent

    We’ve all been there. Scrolling through Instagram, you’re bombarded by photos of your friends’ thriving indoor jungles. Lush greenery spills out of every corner, practically photosynthesizing happiness into their perfectly filtered lives. You, on the other hand, consider it a major win if you remember to water your succulent once a month (spoiler alert: I didn’t).

    So, when my well-intentioned friend gifted me a – gasp – real houseplant for my birthday, I accepted with a shaky smile and a silent prayer. I named him Percy (he just looked like a Percy, okay?), found a sunny spot by the window, and braced myself for the inevitable plant-parent fail.

    Percy was about to school me in more than just keeping a plant alive. He became my tiny green guru, teaching me the art of patience. You see, Percy wasn’t the kind of plant that shot up overnight, showing off his new growth like some botanical show-off. No, Percy was a slow and steady kind of guy. He took his sweet time, growing at his own pace, reminding me that sometimes the best things in life (like a flourishing houseplant or, you know, personal growth) take time.

    I’ll admit, there were moments when I considered giving Percy a little “boost.” Maybe some extra fertilizer? A growth lamp, perhaps? But something held me back. Maybe it was Percy’s quiet resilience, or maybe it was the fear of becoming that plant parent, the one who suffocates their greenery with too much love (and Miracle-Gro).

    Embracing Imperfection: A Lesson in Letting Go

    Then came the inevitable: brown spots. I panicked. Had I overwatered him? Underwatered him? Was it a rare plant disease only found in poorly lit studio apartments? Turns out, I was being dramatic (shocker, I know). Sometimes, leaves just die. It’s part of the natural cycle of life, even for a plant named Percy.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant




    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant


    My Thumb Was More Charcoal Than Green

    Let’s be honest, I’m not exactly known for my nurturing skills. My plant-parenting journey started (and almost ended) with a cactus named Spike. Let’s just say Spike wasn’t the most resilient of desert dwellers, and my attempts at “watering sparingly” were met with a slow, prickly demise. I swore off plants faster than you could say “overwatering.” That is, until a friend gifted me a resilient little ZZ plant named Zephyr.

    plant could survive a nuclear apocalypse, I swear. But it wasn’t just his ability to endure that struck me; it was his ability to thrive despite the odds. He taught me that resilience isn’t just about getting through tough times, it’s about finding ways to flourish even when things aren’t ideal.

    Lesson #2: Patience is a Virtue, Especially When Repotting

    Now, anyone who’s ever repotted a plant knows it can be a messy affair. Picture this: me, covered in dirt, wrestling Zephyr’s root ball into a pot that’s clearly two sizes too small. Let’s just say it involved some grunting, a few choice words, and a healthy dose of regret. It was in those moments of repotting chaos that Zephyr taught me the importance of patience. Just like you can’t rush a plant’s growth, you can’t force progress in other areas of life. Sometimes, you just have to trust the process, even when it’s messy and uncomfortable.

    plant progress” was pretty low-bar. Like, “it’s still alive” was a cause for celebration. But Zephyr, in all his leafy wisdom, showed me the joy of appreciating the little things. A new sprout unfurling? Cause for a happy dance. A slightly taller stem? I’m grabbing my measuring tape. He reminded me that life’s not all about the grand achievements; it’s about finding joy in the everyday wins, no matter how small they may seem.

    What Will Your Houseplant Teach You?

    Now, I’m not saying you should abandon all self-help books and start seeking life advice from your succulents (although, that’s not a bad idea). But, I challenge you to look at your houseplants with a fresh perspective. You might be surprised by the unexpected wisdom they have to offer.


  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant




    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    From Brown Thumb to Budding Plant Parent

    Let’s be honest, my thumbs have always been more “brown” than “green.” I’m the kind of person who could kill a cactus in a desert. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a peace lily for my birthday, I accepted it with a smile and an internal sigh. “Great,” I thought, “another innocent plant to traumatize.”

    Little did I know, this unassuming houseplant was about to teach me more than just how to keep something alive. It was about to deliver some serious life lessons – with a side of potting soil and a sprinkle of guilt for almost letting it wilt dramatically in week one.

    Life and Photosynthesis

    My first mistake? Expecting instant gratification. I’d water my lily and then practically hover over it, waiting for visible signs of growth. But plants, unlike Instagram followers, don’t just sprout up overnight.

    This peace lily, bless its heart, taught me the art of patience. It taught me to appreciate the small changes – a new leaf unfurling, a subtle shift towards the sunlight. It reminded me that good things, like strong roots and blooming flowers, take time. And sometimes, the most beautiful growth happens slowly, beneath the surface, where we can’t even see it.

    Lesson #2: We All Need Support (Plants and People)

    As my lily grew, I realized it needed more than just water and sunshine. It needed support, literally. The stems started to droop, and the leaves, once vibrant, began to lose their luster.

    Turns out, even the strongest among us need a little help sometimes. We need friends to lean on, mentors to guide us, and maybe the occasional dose of plant food. Just like I staked my lily to help it stand tall, I learned the importance of building a support system for myself – a network of people and resources that could help me thrive.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant



    My Brown Thumb Turns Green

    Let’s be honest, I’m not exactly known for my nurturing instincts. I once killed a cactus. A CACTUS. So when my well-meaning friend gifted me a leafy, vibrant peace lily for my birthday, I accepted it with a grimace disguised as a grateful smile. “Don’t worry,” I told her, “I have a black thumb. This poor thing won’t stand a chance.” Little did I know, this unassuming houseplant was about to teach me more about life than I ever expected.

    peace lily religiously, convinced that I’d wake up to a jungle in my living room overnight. But nothing happened. Days turned into weeks, and my plant remained stubbornly unchanged. Frustration mounted. Was I overwatering? Underwatering? Had I somehow managed to crush its spirit with my negative energy?

    Just when I was about to toss the whole pot (plant included) out the window, I noticed a tiny, green shoot unfurling from the soil. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there. That’s when it hit me: growth takes time. Real, lasting change doesn’t happen overnight. Just like my peace lily, we need patience and persistence to bloom.

    Lesson #2: Finding Your Sunshine, Literally and Figuratively

    As the weeks passed, my peace lily and I settled into a routine. I watered it, dusted its leaves (yes, apparently that’s a thing), and even started talking to it (don’t judge). But something still wasn’t quite right. Its leaves, once a vibrant green, had started to droop. It looked…sad.

    After some frantic Googling (thank you, plant forums!), I realized my error: I’d placed my poor peace lily in a dark corner. It was starved for sunlight! I quickly moved it to a sunnier spot, and within days, the transformation was remarkable. Its leaves perked up, regaining their vibrant hue. It was like watching a tiny, green miracle unfold.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant



    From Black Thumb to Budding Hope

    Let’s be honest, my thumbs have a history of being less than green. More like a sickly shade of “oops, I forgot to water you for three weeks” brown. So, naturally, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a houseplant – a supposedly “unkillable” ZZ plant – I accepted it with the enthusiasm of someone handed a ticking time bomb.

    Little did I know, this leafy roommate would teach me more than just how to keep something alive (a major win, by the way). It would become an unexpected guru, guiding me towards valuable life lessons I hadn’t even realized I needed.

    Lesson 1: Cultivating Patience With My Houseplant

    Now, I’m a notorious instant-gratification kind of gal. Want results? I want them yesterday! But this ZZ plant, oh, it taught me the art of slow and steady. I’m talking glacial pace, folks.

    At first, I’d stare at it daily, expecting some grand display of growth. “Come on, sprout a new leaf! Do something spectacular!” I’d urge it, as if it were a contestant on a reality show. But the plant remained stoic, unfazed by my impatience. It taught me that real growth, the kind that matters, takes time. It’s about consistency, small efforts over a long period, and accepting that sometimes, you just gotta chill and let things unfold.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant




    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant


    My Thumb Was More of a Cactus

    Let’s be honest, I’m not exactly known for my green thumb. In fact, I’m pretty sure my houseplants from college years ago are still having nightmares. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a peace lily for my birthday, I accepted it with a smile and a silent prayer. “Please don’t die, please don’t die,” I chanted internally, picturing yet another funeral for a leafy friend.

    Peace Lily

    To my surprise, the peace lily thrived. It even graced me with a beautiful white bloom! But then life happened. I forgot to water it for a week (or two…okay, maybe three). The leaves drooped, turning an alarming shade of yellow. “This is it,” I thought, “another plant bites the dust.” But then, remembering a random tip from the internet, I gave it a good soak and…it perked back up!

    It was like watching a botanical resurrection. My little peace lily taught me that even when we wilt under pressure, a little TLC can go a long way. We all have the strength to bounce back from setbacks, sometimes we just need a little help (and maybe a reminder to set a watering schedule).

    Lesson #2: Finding Patience in the Growth of a Peace Lily

    Now, I’m a bit of an instant gratification kind of gal. I like to see results, and I like to see them now. But my peace lily? It taught me the art of patience. It didn’t sprout new leaves overnight. It didn’t bloom on command (though I admit I tried talking to it…a lot). It grew at its own pace, in its own time.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant




    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant


    From Plant Killer to Plant Parent (Sort Of)

    Let’s be honest, my thumbs have always leaned more towards “brown” than “green.” I’m practically a walking danger zone for anything remotely resembling flora. Cacti? Dehydrated. Succulents? Succumbed. You get the picture. So, naturally, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a houseplant, I accepted with a mix of terror and morbid curiosity. How long would this one last, I wondered?

    To my utter shock, not only did the plant survive, it thrived. It even sprouted a new leaf, which in my book, is basically equivalent to winning a horticultural Olympic medal. As I diligently watered, rotated, and even serenaded (don’t judge) my leafy companion, I realized something unexpected was happening. My houseplant wasn’t just growing, it was teaching me.

    Lesson #1: Patience is a Virtue (and Also Essential for Plant Care)

    I’m a notoriously impatient person. I want everything now. Instant gratification is my middle name (okay, not really, but you get the point). My plant, however, operates on its own sweet time. It couldn’t care less about my deadlines or my need for immediate results. It taught me that sometimes, the best things take time. Growth, whether in a pot or in life, unfolds at its own pace.

  • The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant

    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant




    The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant


    My Green Guru (in a Terracotta Pot)

    Let’s be honest, I’m about as far from a “green thumb” as you can get. My idea of plant care used to involve a hopeful splash of water every other week and a silent apology when things inevitably went south. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a majestic (and slightly intimidating) fiddle leaf fig, I knew I was in for a wild ride.

    Little did I know, this leafy friend would become my unlikely life coach. Who knew so much wisdom could sprout from a terracotta pot?

    Plant Parents

    Fiddle leaf figs are notorious drama queens. One minute their leaves are perky and reaching for the sun, the next they’re drooping like a teenager who just got grounded. My initial reaction to every wilted leaf was panic. I’d frantically Google solutions, convinced I was on the verge of plant homicide.

    But over time, I learned that sometimes, you just have to wait it out. Just like in life, not every problem has an immediate solution. Sometimes, the best course of action is patience, consistency, and a little bit of faith (and maybe a gentle misting).

    Lesson #2: Embrace Your Inner Weirdness (Your Plants Do)

    My fiddle leaf fig, much like yours truly, is a creature of habit. It likes its sunlight filtered, its humidity high, and its pot turned precisely 45 degrees every other Tuesday. Okay, maybe not that last part, but you get the idea.

    The point is, my plant taught me that it’s okay to have quirks and preferences. In a world that often pressures us to conform, there’s something liberating about embracing what makes you unique, even if it means your plant gets its own humidifier.