Life Lessons —Learned from Flower Arranging

In arranging flowers earlier this week, I found surprising parallels to endeavors in life!

Have a vision

Bring your tools

• scissors, vase(s)

Be open to the reality of materials at hand

• be flexible

Cut as necessary

• length of stems to create bouquet

Choose

• use everything in one arrangement or making several

Manage frustration when challenges arise

• no leafiness/fullness, imperfect blooms, having to switch vases after initial dissatisfaction

Think about next time

• learn/remember that different flowers require different resources/vase, materials/greenery/baby’s breath

Be resourceful

• consider greenery from the backyard

Tap into ability to sit with disappointment

• not realizing initial vision and to shift to contentment in the present

Know when to walk away

• Re-encounter/look at the arrangement with fresh eyes the next day

Clean up the debris of the creative process

• Sweep away the cut stems and leaves

Ulitmately, I liked it—even in it’s difference from my expectation…