The Chic Creative

Growing up my grandmother would sometimes tell me to “Bloom where you are planted” whenever she sensed my discontentment or restlessness.

It took me many years to finally grasp the meaning of her words. 

Learning to bloom where we are planted means we take advantage of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.  We begin to seek opportunities and create experiences that bring joy regardless of our surrounding, situations or geographical location.

I grew up in small town Mississippi (Magee to be exact) always believing the life I wanted was anywhere other than where I lived. 

It’s easy to believe the best life is “out there” somewhere.   

I thought “if only I lived at the beach” or “big city” basically anywhere else other than where I lived that somehow I would be happier. 

If I have learned nothing else during this time of isolation I have learned this:  all I had been searching for “out there” has been right here with me all along. 

It turns out happiness and the life I wanted isn’t dependent on my geographical location but on my attitude and creativity.  

So just because my husband and I can’t go to dinner for date night, it doesn’t mean we can’t still have date night. I can cook a delicious meal, set the table, light a candle, turn on Cool Jazz Radio on Pandora and enjoy an elegant evening of quality time and conversation.

And while I may not be able to stroll through a clothing store I can clean and organize my closet and shelves to create my own boutique with a simple wardrobe I feel amazing in.  

And although the museums are “closed” they are open 24/7 online. I can set aside a few minutes, pour a glass of tea and walk through the Louvre or The Met or Guggenheim at my leisure.  

Learning to bloom where we are planted is finding the silver lining in whatever circumstances we are in. It’s playing the cards this season has handed us. 

It’s creating adventure instead of postponing it until circumstances change, we relocate, downsize, come out of isolation, retire, etc.

Life is what we make it. 

We can complain about what we can’t do or we can bloom where we are planted by focusing on what we can.   We get to choose. 

This week let’s focus on blooming where are planted.

Sandra Hubbard