We’re living during a time when wellness is increasingly encouraged, yet often feels impossible to maintain. With a life-long relationship to our body and mind, it’s essential that we intentionally tend to ourselves. Science has helped us understand that our thoughts affect our feelings and behaviors. The way we perceive ourselves and our lives influences our happiness, relationships, decision-making, and more. Thus, working towards unapologetic self-love can improve our wellbeing in effective + sustainable ways. Plus, our plants can offer us some tips. 

Lessons in Self-Care from Plants

Plants teach us countless lessons about caring for ourselves. The constant reminder that these living, growing organisms survive only by getting their essential needs met is a reflection of our own requirements. Oftentimes, these are the bare minimum of what humans need to sustain our wellness. Staying hydrated, rested, quality nutrition, and security are all basic needs that when unmet, can severely impact our mental + physical health. 

Plants can also boost our self-confidence. We feel good about ourselves when we get the hang of a new skill and long term, we reap the rewards of that caretaking. For those living with mental health challenges, witnessing a plant grow under our own care can be especially encouraging. They have the power to remind us of our own resilience after stress, neglect, and trauma. 

Mark Your Journey with Plants

You may be someone who rewards yourself with a plant to celebrate a birthday, new home, the start of a relationship, or other life transitions. Marking our growth and wins in this way can feel energizing. Plants, just like you, are a beautiful expression of life. When they become markers on our journey, we’re repeatedly reminded of our growth alongside them. For inspiration on how to mark your personal journey with plants, consider also intentionally selecting them based on their symbolism + level of care. 

Plant Love Languages 

We’ve curated the perfect plant pairings based on your personal love language. How does your love language influence your plant care? Check out our Plant Love Language quiz to find your next green companion.

• Receiving Gifts - Kerri Heart

The plant that shows love, literally. The Kerri Heart is the perfect plant to give yourself or a loved one. It’s super low maintenance and loves light. A great accent piece on a side table, dresser, mantle, or desk.

• Quality Time - Heart Fern

There are plants that can thrive with little time and effort, and then there’s the Heart Fern. This fern thrives on attention and having its needs tended to. If you’re looking for a unique plant that you can spend time growing with and learning from, the Heart Fern is the perfect addition.

• Words of Affirmation - Pothos

The Pothos always tells you what it needs to thrive. What more could you ask for? It’s a plant that will empower you through its rapid growth and vining capabilities. If you want a plant to tell you you’re doing great in real-time, look no further.

• Physical Touch - Maranta

The velvety texture of the Marantas species is truly one of a kind and hard to keep your hands off of. Its rapid growth in the growing season gives you an adventure that will fill you with joy. There’s nothing like repotting and getting your hands dirty because your plant is thriving.

• Acts of Service - Snake Plant

Whether you’re away traveling, have a jam-packed schedule, or can be a forgetful waterer, the Snake Plant thrives off of neglect. Yes, off of neglect. It does all of the work for you by being able to stay alive through droughts and having the capability of growing with little to no light.

7 Forms of Self-Love and Care

We’re each as unique as our experiences, environment, personality, preferences, and more. Thus, there’s no “right” way to show ourselves love and care, so long as we’re handling ourselves kindly, without judgment or harm. It’s a life-long journey, prone to changes, obstacles, and rebirths. Nonetheless, here are seven actions and frameworks that can support the journey:

• Commit to choosing yourself by honoring your needs and living authentically.
• Maintain sacred solo time with yourself, whether it be daily meditation, baths, exercise, or weekly plant care. 
• Set boundaries that help you take care of yourself + meet your goals.
• Move at your own pace and trust that you will know when to adjust.
• Hold yourself accountable to your agreements + release habits of self-sabotage.  
• Give yourself compassion + grace for human error and complexity. 
• Work towards eliminating negative self-talk and limiting beliefs.

While self-love and care might feel uncomfortable at times, they’re not signs of selfishness. When we take care of ourselves, we’re also better able to show up in our relationships. Likewise, loving ourselves in ways that feel good teaches us how we want to love and be loved by others.  

Self-love is about the ways we show up for ourselves to create a life where we are healthy, fulfilled, and cared for. While this is largely our own responsibility, a trusted community can offer us meaningful support. Always seek out professional help if needed and know that we’re rooting for you. 🌱