Howdy, Mama!

My daughter, Ali, loves plants! Her whole home is covered from floor to ceiling with copious amounts of greenery. If there is any free space, she is likely planning on putting a plant there. She does such a wonderful job of keeping all her plants alive, and me, on the other hand – not so much! 

Ali has been trying for months now to pass along her green thumb tips to me to no avail. One day my plant will be perfectly fine, and then the very next day, it appears to be wilting and lifeless. Anytime this happens, I frantically text my daughter a picture of my sad little dreary plant and desperately ask for any and all troubleshooting advice asking, “What could have caused this?! It was completely fine yesterday!”

 

Improper watering or sun

Plants need adequate care for their needs so they can thrive and continue growing. Plants require the basics: not too much or too little water, good soil, and sun! In the same way, we also have basic needs that must be met to maintain our wellbeing: food, water, adequate sleep, shelter,  human connection, and self-care. The things we input into our bodies allow us to feed our souls. Think about it – if you aren’t sleeping 8 hours a day, engaging in self-care, not setting boundaries, it would be challenging to feel that your soul is fulfilled. Like the plant, if we aren’t making sure that it is obtaining the bare necessities, the creation of growth and new leaves is impossible, and your lovely greenery is sure to brown away.

 

Pests

PESTS! They slowly eat away at the leaves and roots. It’s far too easy for a small, or big, ol’ group of bugs to come and make your plant their new home. The pests in our lives could be toxic people or work environments, or they could be people in your life that you may want to keep around but set firmer boundaries with. The way pests could eat away at your plants, the problems in your life could slowly eat away at your soul and wellbeing if you don’t work to keep them at bay.

 

Chemicals

The roots of plants are susceptible to chemicals and different substances that shouldn’t be in the soil. This could be improper fertilizer or even the substances that can be found in your local tap water. Think of any substance or behaviors that are in your life that can be causing you to slowly wilt away. This could be things such as drinking or drug use that don’t serve you but could also ensure you maintain proper hygiene or a regular exercise routine. What behaviors could create an unhealthy cycle of dependency or are not conducive to the wellbeing that is hindering you?

 

Unlike a plant, our needs and mental state are hidden on the inside. Our outsides can look vibrant and alive, but internally we may be struggling. It can be easy to brush off our struggles and not notice how much we are really hurting. 

Here’s the good news: almost all wilted plants can be saved if you take time to notice it and work to repair what may be broken. When you feel wilted, you can take the time to water yourself, change your soil, pick off the pests, make sure you have all the basic necessities, and soon you will find your fallen leaves perking up again.

How can you take care of your soul today?

 

P.S. This is your reminder to give your wilted plant a little TLC today 🙂