For many of us, Spring is a time for growth. As the days grow longer, the weather warms and plants and animals are returning from their winter dormancy. With these changes, you may be feeling motivated to make transitions as well. This year consider taking guidance from nature. Every plant has their own requirements to grow, and so do we!

Plants are driven to exist by their intuitive sense, and from this we can learn a lot. Check out these life lessons you can start applying today:

Look to the Light
Despite everything going on around them, plants are drawn to the sun. Throughout the day, plants and flowers will turn to face the direction of the sun. We must also move towards sunlight in our lives. Reach for people and things that bring light, and don’t spend your time focused on the weeds and predators lying around.

Take What You Need
Plants only take the resources they need to flourish and prosper, and nothing that they don’t. Focus on what matters in your life and leave the rest behind.

Don’t Set Limits on How Much you Can Grow
A plant doesn’t set out and say, “I’m going to be 8 feet tall and the most beautiful flower in the garden.” Instead, they continue to grow and do not set limits on themselves. When we hold ourselves to strict limits, we’re shackled by our own restrictions. You miss 100% of the shots you do not take.

Adapt to the Seasons
Each year, plants go through unique challenges as the seasons change. To continue to thrive and grow they must make accommodations. To get through winter, plants remain dormant to preserve resources. Come spring, they’re ready to take advantage of the new opportunities the season brings. Through summer, they make and store extra food to take advantage of the extended sunlight. And with autumn, they shed their leaves, freeing up resources to make it through another winter. As we age, we continually adapt to be able to face all the challenges life has for us.

Small Growth is Still Growth
If you observe a plant growing, you will hardly notice the changes from one day to the next. However, if you check on the same plant a year later, the change is quite evident! The same goes for us. It can be easy to overlook your growth in life, and to see your progress over the course of a day, week, or even a few months. But if you compare yourself to where you were 10 years ago, you’ll see noticeable changes in how far you’ve come. No matter how many mistakes you make, or how slow your progress is, you are still way ahead of where you’d be if you never started!

Everyone and Everything have Different Needs
There are countless different types of plants out there, and they all have different needs! Some may need to be watered constantly, while others should be bone dry. Some love to bask in the sun, while others only bloom at night. Just as the needs of plants are subjective, so are the needs of people!

Cutting Back Can Make You Stronger
For certain plants, pruning is essential for them to reach optimal growth. Taking a step back and clearing away things that are no longer needed helps the plants continue to advance. Sometimes we need to take a step back in life, and to cut away the excess, to find a new and better direction.

Don’t Forget to Care for Yourself
Without proper soil, water and sunlight, a plant will suffer and may even stop growing. Same goes for people. Without the proper nourishment, we cannot thrive either! This does not just mean with eating and staying hydrated. We must take time to care for ourselves and do things that enrich our mind, body, and soul.

There is so much that we can learn simply by looking at plants and how they live. Next time you’re faced with a troubling situation, think what would a plant do?

If you or someone in your family are facing aging challenges, please give us a call at 803-215-1019 or email us at info@longtermliaisons.com. We’ll be happy to assist!