If you can't grow where you are, move!
Move, You are not a tree!
As an admirer of flowers, I have learned an essential lesson from observing these beautiful plants over the years: if you are in an environment where you cannot thrive and grow, you must move.
Flowers are remarkably resilient, but they cannot bloom even in conditions utterly unsuitable for their needs.
Take the delicate daffodil, for example.
This sunny flower originated in the Mediterranean region and thrives in areas with cool, moist springs and warm, dry summers. Plant a daffodil bulb in the sweltering heat of the tropics or the tundra, and it simply will not survive, let alone produce those brilliant yellow trumpets we admire each spring.
The daffodil knows that if it cannot grow where it is planted, it must move its energy elsewhere until conditions are right.
The elegant rose exhibits a similar tendency.
Wild rose bushes don't grow in deserts or on the Arctic tundra.
Roses need a temperate climate, good drainage, nutrient-rich soil, and at least six hours of sunlight daily to unfurl those lush, fragrant blooms. Plant a rose in heavy clay or deep shade, and it will struggle with stunted growth and sickly yellowed leaves and flowers if it blooms.
Like the daffodil, the rose inherently understands that it must seek out environments suited to its needs.
Even hardy wildflowers like the black-eyed Susan follow this move-to-grow principle.
These cheerful flowers originated in the prairies and open woodland areas of North America. They flourish in full sun and well-drained soil, producing vibrant yellow petals surrounding dark centre cones.
Try cultivating them in dense shade or swamplike conditions, and they will inevitably fail to thrive.
As a human being, I have found this flower wisdom incredibly valuable in my own life. Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations, relationships, jobs, or environments that are not right for us and our growth.
We struggle, feel drained and unhappy, and no progress is made.
When this happens, we must learn from the flowers - if we cannot grow and thrive where we are planted, we must seek fertile new soil, even if that means taking a risk and moving to a new environment.
This principle has prompted me to make bold moves over the years—changing careers, ending unhealthy relationships, and moving across the continent in search of conditions more suited to my needs and values.
Like transplanting a rootbound plant to a larger container with fresh potting mix, I have embraced moving to new environments as an opportunity for rejuvenation and growth.
So, if you find yourself stuck, wilting, or your potential stunted by your surroundings, learn from the wise flowers.
Feel free to move and seek conditions where you can genuinely bloom and flourish.
The saying goes, "Bloom where you are planted." If you cannot bloom where you are, you should plant your roots elsewhere.
