Have you ever done something really small and almost insignificant but it made you feel happy? Or did a little task or chore that made you feel better about yourself after? Gardening and planting is one of these things!
It seems pretty simple: Putting a seed in some dirt and watering it every now and then; however, the benefits to growing plants are actually very favorable towards a person's character and overall well being.
Several experimental studies have proven that growing plants can lower your blood pressure, lower levels of anxiety and increase attentiveness.
It also forces you to take care of something other than yourself, something a lot of people need to push themselves to try every once in a while. You can't just feed it stale Cheetos for breakfast and get on with your day: You need to give it life. It guides you to be less selfish. Getting in the habit of waking up in the morning and watering your plants and repotting and fertilizing them when they need it gets you into a routine which can help improve the rest of your day. Routines help maintain a healthy lifestyle and can overall improve the quality of your life. Learning to look after something other than yourself will make you a more caring and generous person.
It also makes you extremely aware of your actions and how they affect parts of your life. For example, if you decide to skip watering your plants for a few days because you'd rather be doing other things, it'll reflect on your plants quality of life and could even kill them depending on how much you neglect them; it allows you to become more responsible.
Having plants around your house is also great for your physical health. Gardening itself allows you to get outside and move your body. Having plants in your bedroom of house can also allows for more oxygen, which is the most crucial nutrient for the human body!
Planting and watching things grow raises your productivity, reaction times, perceptions of space and increases your job satisfaction. Taking care of plants is simple, but it is work, and unless you put in the time and effort you won't be able to experience the benefits of having them. Who wouldn't want to improve their over-all well being while also having pretty plants and flowers everywhere?
Watching life grow before your eyes is a pretty magical feeling. You get to see your hard work pay off when a tiny sprout pops up from the soil and the buds finally start flowering. Creating life, even when it's just a plant, makes you appreciate the gifts of your work and the beauty life brings with simple tasks. You become grateful for the delicacy you created and appreciate your surroundings that much more. It improves so many aspects of your life and gives you beautiful nature to keep around your room, house, or garden: so get to plantin'!