Happy Wednesday! 

We are super excited for the first edition of our brand new weekly initiative – Recipe For A Happy Life! These weekly posts will be made up of all the little things in life that help us find meaning and joy – and they might just provide more happiness than you expect! The best part is, all these little things work in synergy with one another, so the more you do, the better the results! After all, happiness and well-being are all about the little things.

We hope you enjoy it!

– The Spark Institute

Adopt + Love A Plant

It may seem silly, but just about everything about having a plant is rewarding.  Plants are AWESOME – they are living organisms that bring their life presence to any space, along with the intangible benefit of being alongside another life force.  They purify the air in your space and produce oxygen. They grow, change, and have likes and dislikes, just like you.  And if you still aren’t convinced, plants are always beautiful, aesthetically appealing additions to your room, home or office!

Plants are sensitive creatures, and they require the perfect balance of sunlight and water in order to thrive.  They are good communicators, and often demonstrate their needs very clearly. For example, some plants may turn their leaves in the direction of the sunlight they desire, or have their leaves droop, wilt, or discolour if their water intake is too much or too little.  It can be incredibly meaningful to have something that you can care for (without a ton of pressure around messing it up!) and rewarding when your efforts pay off – perhaps by seeing your plant blossom, grow a new sprout, or maybe add to its plant family with a new shoot!  You may even accidentally bond with your plant, finding yourself talking to it, checking on it, apologizing for neglecting it, and telling your friends about it. You might, just maybe, discover that your newly adopted plant acts as a source of joy, satisfaction, and happiness. And if not, well, anything that can eat sunshine and poop out air is still pretty cool in our books.

Worst case scenario:  Your plant dies. (Fortunately for you, there are many other plants waiting to be adopted! And your former love makes great compost.)

Best case scenario:  You discover that you have a secret green thumb, fall madly in love with your plant, and find a new hobby!

Either way, it’s fun.

Happy Plant Loving!