Verified by 
Environment
What Flowers Can Teach Us About Resolutions
How nature holds the key to our challenges.
Posted January 2, 2024 Reviewed by Abigail Fagan
For as long as I can remember, I have loved flowers. All kinds, too. I love the dahlia, the queen protea, the hydrangea, the bird of paradise. Roses have always been a personal favorite. Each week I would buy a dozen for my home, optimistic that they would last more than a day. Seems as though the minute I placed them in a vase with fresh water, they’d wither and then die, which both saddened and frustrated me.
It finally occurred to me that perhaps doing an online search on how to remedy this problem would be a good idea. No surprise, there was an abundance of advice and I felt quite dumb for not having already taken such an obvious, easy step.
The suggestions offered were simple to follow: cut the stems at an angle so that the flowers can remain hydrated, refresh the water in the vase every day, make sure to add flower food, keep them away from heat or direct sunlight and remove the leaves so that the flowers can absorb all of the nutrients.
Truthfully, I had heard these tips before from my father, who was born with a green thumb, but I hadn’t always followed them. Not because they were difficult to remember but because I had somehow always been too busy, too distracted, too rushed, too much of something each and every time.
With determination I bought a dozen roses once again, and I decided to follow the instructions to the letter regardless of how many other things I needed to cross off my to-do list that day. After five days, the roses were still blossoming and although I knew they would eventually die, it was comforting to know that at least they got a fair chance to show and give the very best of themselves.
This experience forced me to admit that for as much as I claimed to love flowers, I had never really taken great care of them. I had always given the very least, and yet had expected the very best.
And perhaps the same can be said for how many of us approach caring for ourselves: we do the bare minimum and yet expect nothing but the best, day in and day out. And when the new year rolls around, we tell ourselves that this is the year we’ll do better with nutrition, sleep, and hydration; this is the year we’ll put an end to toxic relationships and self-defeating behaviors and thoughts. This is the year we will fully commit to ourselves.
But then life happens. Distractions and stress derail commitment and consistency. We eliminate the tiniest of actions, whether it’s an extra hour of sleep or a glass of water, hoping for more time to tackle whatever is causing us stress. We do less and less, still expecting to give the very best of ourselves, and when the year comes to a close, we are back at square one.
If you’re stuck in this pattern, perhaps the lesson learned from the flowers can help reframe how to approach the new year and beyond. Rather than focusing on goals that involve career or personal accomplishments, perhaps applying the steps needed to keep flowers alive and blooming may yield completely different results.
Cut and Hydrate. Are you positioned in such a way that you’re able to remain fully "hydrated"? Think of hydration as the source of inner peace and overall contentment; how you hydrate will be unique to you. Maybe it’s a strong emotional connection with a partner, or a spiritual connection with a community of people. This kind of hydration should be consistent, not a once-in-a-while endeavor. Be intentional with how you hydrate on a regular basis.
Refresh. What part of your life needs to be “refreshed” every single day? Think of this step as a simple behavior or action that you take every day. This does not have to be an epic production. It can be a 10-minute walk, or five minutes of intentional silence. Maybe it’s one statement of affirmation. The most important thing here is to remain consistent.
Get Nutrients. If I put flowers in a vase full of water but do not add flower food, chances are they will not survive for very long. Human beings are no different. We can survive for a period of time without food so long as we have water, but eventually, we will wither and die without nutrients. Consider nutrients as the things that will help you thrive and blossom. These nutrients might be healthy food choices, better sleep hygiene, intellectual stimulation; things that support emotional and mental health. Again, consistency is key.
Stay Cool. Are there "hot" situations or environments that you need to pull yourself away from? Any number of things can be considered a hot situation; a toxic work environment, family conflict that does not involve you, political discussions that never seem to go anywhere but directly to conflict. While it may not be possible for you to completely pull yourself away from hot environments, you can focus on finding the “shade” to help keep you calm.
Prune. Leaves that sit below the water line in a vase can lead to bacterial growth, preventing water and nutrients from reaching the flowers. Removing them allows the flowers to focus all of their energy on blooming. Are there “leaves” in your life that may be stealing some of the essential nutrients and water you need to blossom and thrive? Maybe it's time to remove them. This may be a toxic relationship, a career that does not fulfill you in any way. Again, this will be unique to you.
Showing up as the very best version of ourselves is not an impossibility. Sometimes all we need to do is change a few things about how we care for ourselves, and make sure that we're consistent and committed.
Because if these five things can drastically improve the lifespan of a flower, imagine what they might do for the lifespan of a human.
