Flowers for Self-Care

August 26, 2021 | Flowers

The importance of self-care has been predominant, understandably, since the pandemic—and especially so more recently, with new attention on mental health sparking during this summer’s Olympics.

With COVID-related stresses, and our already-fast-paced lifestyles taking a daily toll on our lives, experts advise personal lifestyle changes to relieve the pressure.

Here is where flowers come in! Recent studies demonstrate flowers’ natural ability to help you feel more joyful, strengthen feelings of compassion, foster your creativity and even provide an energy boost—reducing stress to help create feelings of happiness.

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”
— Luther Burbank, American botanist and horticulturist ⁠

According to research, nature provides us with a very simple and accessible way to improve emotional health – flowers.

Flowers trigger happy emotions, heighten feelings of life satisfaction and affect social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what was normally believed.

“What’s most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way,” said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers.

And the little gestures or compassion you show yourself, such as treating yourself to fresh flowers, can have a powerful impact.

Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude.

Flowers have long-term, positive effects on mood. Study participants reported feeling less depressed and anxious after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of life satisfaction.

Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

Flowers are a unique gift with the proven potential to reduce stress — likely because flowers provide the opportunity for contact with nature.

Flowers improve mood. Participants who received flowers overwhelmingly reported an improvement in their overall mood.

“Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being.”

In another recent study, people who lived with flowers in their homes for just a few days reported a significant decrease in stress and improvements in their moods.

Adding flowers to reduce stress does not require tremendous effort to generate a meaningful effect, said researcher Erin Largo-Wight, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of North Florida.

“When life seems to be in a constant state of frenzy, flowers can provide us with a much-needed moment of calm.”
— Erin Largo-Wright

Here are Some Ideas for Self-Care

Surround yourself with flowers: Browse your local grocery store’s flower department, and take a look around. Just the sight and smell of the natural beauty of flowers can put you at ease.
Color your world: Bright colors promote optimism and a sense of uplift. Choose orange or yellow roses and flowers to put on your kitchen counter or your desk, and watch your mood soar.
Find peace: If it seems like nothing is going right today, try flowers in soothing, tranquil colors, such as blues and lavenders. Place a small arrangement on your nightstand or in your bathroom, and experience the stress relieving benefits right before you go to bed, and when you get up to start your day.

Gift yourself some joy: Surround yourself with simple things that make you feel happy and loved, like a vibrant bunch of flowers. Flowers have the power to open hearts—helping you to focus on the positives in your day.
Sprinkle your house with small doses of calm: You’ll be amazed how many small arrangements you can get out of a single bouquet. Place a few stems of flowers throughout your home for constant reminders to ‘stop and smell the roses.’ And the fragrant scent can really soothe you, too!
Have a friend or loved one who could use a boost? Have flowers delivered unexpectedly to their door, and watch their ordinary day become extraordinary. It will give you a boost, too.
Send yourself flowers: It’s always nice to gift flowers to others, but sometimes you need to treat yourself! Pick out a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers at your local store, or send some to your own home. Each time you look at your flowers (or get a whiff of that great scent), you’ll remember that you deserve a little TLC.
Help others: Relieve the pressures of the day by doing something nice for someone else. Visit your local flower department and buy two bouquets. Keep one for yourself, then take the other bouquet and “petal it forward" in a random act of kindness. Floral providers—here are more ways you can be involved.

Get some fresh air: Step outside for a fresh perspective. Take a walk in the local park or garden, enjoy lunch outside on the porch, or head to nearby walking trails. Even a few minutes outside with nature can help you feel refreshed.
Get creative: You don’t need to be an artist to get your creative juices growing. Spend an hour dabbling with some paint, grab magazines and make a collage or mood board, or arrange flower stems into a beautiful bouquet.

Treat yourself to a new bouquet for your bedside or the desk at your (home) office — you deserve it.

From our farms to your home, we believe in “a Story Behind Every Flower.” Flowers bring people together, and we know how important it is to find ways to brighten your or your loved one’s day. We are committed to growing farm-fresh, premium quality roses and flowers to help you live your best and most joyful life. Enhance your home and your life with stunning and sustainably-grown floral designs: