I never expected flowers to teach me how to breath.
I had been photographing flowers for a while before I started to understand that they were helping me. Over the first few months, I kept thinking: there’s more to this; I wasn’t just drawn to flowers because they’re beautiful but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it yet.
I visited a few “pick your own’s” and would spend the time smiling and I felt like I could breathe deeper. I would come away clutching a bucket of blooms and feeling joyful and more at ease.
Slowly, I discovered that being with flowers brought peace to my body. Over the past year, I’ve been working with a professional to understand my window of tolerance, my nervous system, and how to better regulate myself. This journey taught me that feeling calm isn’t something that happens on its own—it’s something you create intentionally.
In exploring self-regulation and grounding techniques, I found that one of the ways flowers were helping me is by inviting me to pause and observe. Whether it’s the vibrant hue of autumn trees, the texture of sand beneath my feet, or the scent of sweet peas on the kitchen bench, nature encourages us to focus on our senses. When I’m working with flowers, this is pretty much all I’m doing! Looking at them. Looking at the shades of colour, the way the light dances over their petals and breathing in their scent.
As I notice these sensory details, I’m drawn into the present moment. This focus shifts my attention from stress, reminding my body that it is safe and connected.
Flowers have become my constant reminder to slow down, breathe deeply, and come back to myself.