A Daily Practice of Mindfulness

There are a few must haves in my world that I have come to rely on each and every day. One of them is fresh flowers. This likely was born from my mom who seemed to always have the most beautiful arrangements on the kitchen counter. Or maybe it was the fact that lilac bushes were a fact of spring and made the most beautiful instant arrangements...their fragrance is something I will never forget and often long for now, as they do not seem to grow in sunny Florida.

At any rate, fresh cut flowers are in my bathroom as I get ready in the morning, they are on the table where I meditate and read each morning ( early, before anyone else awakes ...right next to a beautifully smelling candle), they are on my desk ( next to another beautifully smelling candle) and alongside my “ priority list” rewritten at the start to each and every day. I have now even started to put some in my daughter’s bedroom on her dresser ...perhaps a reminder for her to know how beautiful I believe she is and how special she is to me. Whatever the reason I have become attached to this need for fresh flowers… they have a much larger impact on my life.

Research shows fresh flowers can positively impact your health. This is why it is customary to have flowers delivered to those recovering in a hospital. Of the two groups of people studied, those recovering with flowers in their room needed less pain medication and had lower blood pressures and heart rates. In the same study, fresh blossoms were found to also affect mental health...patients who were able to look at flowers every day reported feeling less anxious and overall more positive than their peers. Other research performed by scientists at Rutgers University had similar findings, discovering that flowers have powerful emotional effects, helping people feel less depressed, less emotional and happier in both the short and long term.

Flowers obviously have some health and mood boosting benefits, but further research actually shows that they can benefit people's productivity and ability to complete tasks. Why? According to a study from Harvard, simply looking at flowers can boost people's moods and energy in the morning, even if they aren't typically "morning people," which in turn affects their ability to get things done. For me, this is true. The flowers are a key part of my daily routine...creating a sacred space in the morning for where I reset each and every day and prepare for my work. They are there for my own selfcare, a gift to myself, so that I can be rejuvenated for my family. This has become a habit for me, habits are something we all have ...healthy and unhealthy...our habits form routines that in turn play out for us each day.

As a coach, one of the first things I explore with my clients are their daily routines. Daily routines are the foundation of any work to improve a client’s personal and professional life. It takes awareness and commitment on behalf of each client. The rewards are a healthier, calmer, higher achieving self when you enact a routine that supports your personal and professional growth. Or, you may be experiencing draining, inefficient routines...ones that perhaps involve hitting the snooze button on your alarm five times before your daughter comes in to wake you up. My question to you would be how can you shift that experience and work to establish an energizing, time-saving routine. The choice is up to you. Only you can make the change. So, maybe you can start by clipping some beautiful flowers and placing them in a space that will uplift you and remind you of your true potential...today and every day to make a positive impact on the world, just like a beautiful bouquet of flowers can make a positive impact on you! Are you ready to unlock your true potential?