Hi there! I know it's been a minute, (hello busiest week of our lives) but I'm so excited to get back on here and share some more flower-themed goodness! I really do think flowers can be used as a helpful metaphor in so many areas of our lives and can help teach us some seriously important lessons. First things first though, I have to acknowledge how crazy blessed we were this past month. Between teacher appreciation week + Mother's Day, we got to spread SO much joy to so many people through our flowers. We saw people displaying generosity like we've never seen before, which is truly a special honor to be a part of. Thank you to every one of you that shopped small & trusted us to supply your beautiful flowers. We're still in awe of how God has blessed our little company & that this is actually our job.
That being said, I wanted to talk today about something that could've held us back from even starting Plant Joy and Co in the first place, and that is comparison. (You know, the thief of joy?) When we first started thinking about starting up a flower business, I'll be honest & say that we were pretty intimidated. We were well aware that other floral businesses existed, other flower trucks were becoming pretty popular, and that we would be going up against some really cool already-established and big businesses. It's crazy to think that we could have just listened to those negative voices in our heads and missed out on this whole experience. Luckily, the three of us didn't! There is a perfect quote that is most likely printed on a coffee mug, a sign, or an inspirational picture you've owned or shared somewhere, that sums up the whole point of this post. It's an oldie, but also such a goodie, and I just feel like it is relatable to e v e r y o n e.
Told you it was a goodie.
How many times have we stood in our own way of accomplishing something that we *deep down* know that we are capable of? How many times have we had that creative spark or idea stored in our mind, only to not pursue it because of the fear that there is somebody out there not only already doing it, but doing it better than we could? Comparison stands in the way, blocking our brilliance day after day, and I'm here to tell you not only why I'm fed up with it, but why you should be too.
Have you ever noticed how many varieties of flowers there are? All around the world there are thousands of different types of flowers growing, each one completely unique. And while flowers within the same species do have similar characteristics, if you look closely you'll see that they too have differences. Their shape, their size, the exact hue of their petals. None of them are duplicated exactly, and none is ultimately any better than the rest. Some will grow multiple large blooms early on in the season, and some may need some extra time. Maybe you are a rose person, but even the most beautiful rose won't be the favorite of someone looking for daisies. Regardless, they each have their time in their own personal season. They don't waste a moment worrying that maybe their cousin over there is growing nicer than they are, they don't decide to just give up and skip their bloom since they're running late... they just focus on their own roots, livin their best life until it is their turn to bloom.
I think this is something that we as the species with the bigger brains, need to learn. We waste so much time comparing our lives, our ideas, our bank accounts, and our capabilities to those around us. It's as if we think that because somebody else has what we want, or is accomplishing what we want to be accomplishing...we need to stop, because we will fail in comparison. This is not only taking a toll on our mental health, but also it's holding us back from really pursuing our dreams. And I have to tell you, it honestly makes no sense. If we have this bold idea, and there is somebody doing their own version of it successfully, shouldn't that be an inspiration to us? Shouldn't it make us work harder?
In our case, we were intimidated by the fact that there were other humans on this planet selling flowers out of their vehicles in public. They aren't even in the same exact area. They don't use the same vehicle. They don't display their flowers like we do, or charge the same price. Literally all that we have in common is that we are in the same field (heh, plant pun), and yet to this day I still worry that they're doing it better than I am. It's madness, and if you let it, it'll creep in like a weed and choke out a potentially REALLY good idea.
A big reason we are able to see past that self doubt is because at the end of the day, we know our worth and who created us. We know that because of Jesus we are capable of doing our own thing, putting in the work, and doing it well. It took us a while, but this is how we learned to believe in ourselves more than we believed the lies our thoughts and the world were feeding us. If you are a believer, you should know that God set you apart from the very beginning, in every way. He gave you strengths and gifts and absolutely brilliant capabilities, and if you move forward in humility keeping God at the front of your mind, He's ready to make your biggest dreams happen. We knew that the success of the people around us had absolutely no impact on Him making our dream happen too. We didn't just give up. We kept our heads down, and have been learning more and more about this business and the floral industry. We try to not spend time coveting the abilities of our competitors, instead we let them inspire us. If they can make it happen, why can't we? Them living their dream out, flourishing in their own ways, should have no negative effect on us. God's with us every step of this, and because of that we keep our faith.
It is a waste of time to compare yourself to those around you. Little by little over time it will steal so much of the joy in your journey, and it will hold you back from your purpose. God gave you exactly what YOU need to pursue those crazy good ideas in YOUR brain, and He's ready to walk hand in hand with you while you cross the finish line. All you have to do is let Him. So go ahead and push through the dirt surrounding you, remembering that you were uniquely set apart. Grow at your own pace, keep your eyes from wandering, and before you know it, you'll just B L O O M.
