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Flower Power

erm Saketh Garuda
Posted: 27/01/2018
2018 is now well underway, with January nearly finished already!

For those of you who might’ve missed it, Blue Monday (15th January) was in the news last week as it was being labeled the most depressing day of 2018. A few years ago some clever people looked at all the factors we’re likely to bring us down from the highs and celebrations that bring us most over Christmas and the New Year. 

For some of you kicking of your New Year Resolutions with the positives of new diets, getting back to the gym or trying something new. For others it can be tough. Coming down from the festive highs, with going back to work, trying to balance the bank accounts, and then there’s the weather thrown into the mix too.

All these things hitting at once can cause a natural feel of lowness, with the idea of Spring still a few months away, and having to put up with dark and wet days until then.

This got me thinking, rather than suffering in sadness until then. You can do small things to lift your day, and lift someone else’s day at the same time!

After doing some reading, I found out that plants and flowers can have such a positive impact on people, in many ways.

Studies conducted by Rutgers University over a 10 month period showed

  • Flowers have immediate impact on happiness. All study participants, in every age group, expressed excitement when receiving flowers. Reactions included surprise, genuine happiness and gratitude.
  • Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods.  Study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious, and agitated after receiving flowers. They also demonstrated greater sense of life satisfaction.
  • Flowers create intimate connections. Giving and receiving flowers creates positive contact between family and friends.
Their studies showed that the positive feelings lasted two to three days. Read more about the study at https://ucmweb.rutgers.edu/magazine/archive1013/departments/spring-2010/insights/flower-power
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Pris Pritham

Mindfulness

Where flowers have a short term benefit on our wellbeing, Plants can have a long term positive effects of moods. Not only do they help to de-stress spaces and environments, they also have a positive effect on us too. Plants have to be tended to and nurtured, with watering and feeding. Doing so requires us to take timeout to look after them. This is perfect for mindfulness, allowing us to distract our attention, long enough to make sure give our minds a moment to reset, and take a well deserved rest for a few minutes – which gives us all sorts of health boosts.

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Mario Garcia

Senses

Flowers bring happiness through many of our senses too. 

  • Visually, through different colours, as well as the shapes and sizes that characterize so many flowers. Daffodils being a sign that Spring has arrived and summer around the corner, or how Sunflowers are just a happy flower in themselves.
  • Smell, perfume from flowers when walking the in the door.
  • Touch, handling the flowers / arranging flowers that you’ve bought, or better still a gift from a welcome visitor.

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Alice Achterhof

Emotionally & Physically

With Christmas having just gone, most of us would have given gifts too, and received gifts from, those that we care about. The same can be said about flowers too. 

Getting flowers from a loved one, is going to make you feel good in some many ways. Obviously getting an unexpected gift being the main reason, but then there’s the knowing that someone has gone out of their way to buy them, and pick them out, even them knowing if they’re your favorites can remind you of how much you mean to them. And from the other side, being the person giving the gift. The same applies, with taking enjoyment from knowing that you’re picking out something that you know someone will get a lot of pleasure from can make you feel good.

On a physical level of giving gifts, being in the same room with a person, and interacting, brings out all the good emotions. Through conversations, laughing, crying and just being there for someone has some many positive effects.

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Alice Achterhof

Memories

Old memories of good times can be brought back with flowers. Whether it’s favourite flowers or the smells, reminding of the past. A bouquet created for your wedding will create new memories that can be remembered in the future, when it’s recreated to celebrate a big anniversary.

Add some colour to the day

Cheer yourself, and someone else up. Order some fresh flowers today

Call 01590 718129 / 07790 051107
to talk through what you need.