“He who plants a garden plants happiness.” – German Proverb
Conversely, as Benjamin Franklin said, “money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness.”
This is true – money is not the answer to ensuring a happy, fulfilling life. Scrooge McDuck is a wonderful children’s cartoon character who reminds us of this. Despite his amassed gold, it wasn’t the gold that brought him happiness.
Money is merely the soil we plant the tree in. This will ultimately bear fruit to be enjoyed, but it depends on what we plant. If we spend our holidays and downtime worrying about money… we will neither relax, nor find happiness.
It is essential to determine what true riches look like for you and what choices you have for what to grow in your soil. Take time to reflect on this and ask the right questions to find out what you can do now to look after and build what you have.
And what better way to do this and cultivate happiness than through gardening. If you’re fortunate enough to have your own garden, spending time in it is an excellent space for relaxation and reflection. The benefits for both physical and mental well being are abundant and have been extensively researched – there is plenty of evidence to be seen.
Plants make people happy. Scientifically known as Biophilia, we can all relate to the transcendent state of being experienced when we’re out in fresh air and nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The earth laughs in flowers,” and according to Hans Christian Anderson, “Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” There is even a Chinese proverb that says, “When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one and a lily with the other.”
With the holiday season upon us, now is the perfect time to factor this in. Consider giving plants or flowers as gifts, thus gifting happiness. And make time for gardening yourself. If it’s not your go-to pastime, see it as an investment towards your health and wellbeing instead of as a chore. If you don’t have a garden, indoor plants, window boxes and vertical gardens bring countless benefits too. They may even be more important; especially in the case of city living and the associated risk of mental health issues like depression and anxiety as well as loneliness, isolation and stress.
The current pandemic has increased the risk of these issues, not only in cities; highlighting the need for the restorative powers of (both indoor and outdoor) green spaces and their role in our road to recovery as a whole. It is imperative, now more than ever to be aware of this, to give ourselves time to reflect and connect to ourselves and one another for our overall well being.
WellsFaber, we advise. You thrive.