From as far back as I can remember I’ve always been drawn to nature and how it effects my mood. Don’t you remember the joy of just playing in the grass and searching for bugs? For many it’s a childhood innocence that is brushed aside as you get older. But there recently have been studies that show the benefits of gardening, being outside more than just to light the barbecue and going to and from work. It’s something we often forget to do – take advantage of the natural beauty and the health benefits they can provide to us.
To say that my year started off with a bang would be an understatement. Like many people I expected this year to start off with fresh starts and had set goals for what I was going to do this year. The bang that happened wasn’t one that would propel me towards my goals, instead seemed to stop them in their tracks. The job that I relied on for my main income cut my hours and left me scrambling only a week into the new year. This action is one I’m still trying to fix and repair. The bang was something that I did not expect and it tore through and almost destroyed parts of my life.
I knew I had to get another job – my time was going to get a little busier and my focus had to change some. While I applied to jobs in my market, the market I’d like to be in I ended up finding a job in something completely unrelated. I found myself daily surrounded by similar by men and women all with different backgrounds. I found a place that was warmer than the weather outside and the temperature difference alone was enough to raise my spirits.
Today, even though I’m working two jobs, balancing design clients and the website – I find myself smiling when I go in. There are days it’s hotter than snot inside, and my body is still adjusting to the work load and the temperature fluctuation. But the pay off is amazing. While I haven’t lost a ton of weight (gained from days logged on the couch or at a desk) but I’m able to walk more miles daily without fatigue and can stand for a full work day.
But some of the best things I’ve learned is from working with the plants themselves. Plants aren’t as fragile as you would think – you can tear them back to a nub and they will come back stronger than before – a parallel we can all use in our lives. The bright colors are a bit showy, but they really are there to show the inner beauty of the plants – but they are exactly what we need to change and our moods – and keep us smiling.
There are days I feel like I’m playing the world’s most elaborate game of Where’s Waldo finding the plants there, but each day is a new challenge and new lessons. It’s a great change of pace and one I’m happy to have made.
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