I’m not really sure how to start this, because it feels like something so small that turned into something really big.

Let’s go back to 2019.

I was freshly clean and sober, had a newborn baby, and had just moved into my home. I needed something... something to fill my time, something to focus on, something that felt good.

At the time, I was really into making my own home decor (which I still love sometimes, but that’s for another day). Somewhere along the way, I stumbled across a girl on YouTube. I still watch her to this day. But she’s the one who inspired me to get my first plant.

So I did.

I started with the OG golden pothos.

And I don’t know what it was, but watching that first new leaf come in… it excited me more than I expected. Then another leaf. And another. Every time, it felt like something.

Then the pandemic hit.

I was stuck at home like everyone else, and I started ordering plants online. One turned into a few, a few turned into a lot, and before I knew it… I had a full-blown collection.

I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning. Overwatering, underwatering, wrong lighting... you name it. But over time, I found my rhythm.

But there was also a season where I almost lost it completely.

There was a time I got really depressed, and I stopped caring for my plants the way I should have. I killed off around 10 of them. I even gave some away because I just didn’t have it in me anymore.

And on top of that, I had turned something good into something unhealthy.

I became addicted to buying plants.

It sounds harmless, but it wasn’t. I was constantly chasing that feeling... that rush when you get a new plant. But the truth is, that feeling would disappear almost as fast as it came.

It started to feel a lot like the addictions I had already fought so hard to overcome.

And I knew I had to check myself.

It took a lot of prayer to step back, reset, and come back to this in a healthy way again.

To stop chasing the rush… and start appreciating what I already had.

And that’s when everything changed.

I found my rhythm... not just in plant care, but in how I approached the whole thing.

I don’t believe in strict watering days.

And I’m not judging anyone who does... what works for one person might not work for another. But for me, it’s always been about learning the plant and doing what feels right.

Most houseplants actually thrive on a little neglect.

Give them bright light, let them dry out, then water them. That’s it.

It is almost always better to underwater than overwater. Rarely is it the other way around. I do have a few plants that like more water, but those are the exception, not the rule. And those are the ones I give a little “special treatment” to.

Other than that… I treat almost all of my plants the same.

Same soil too.

I don’t overcomplicate it. I buy a basic houseplant soil, then add perlite. No exact measurements, no formula... I just eyeball it. Whatever looks right in the moment. I go by feel more than anything.

Lighting is simple too.

You really can’t have too much light. I use grow lights, floor lamps with grow bulbs, even regular LED bulbs for some plants—and they do just fine. Most of my lights stay on 12+ hours a day.

For fertilizer, I use Liquid Dirt with every watering; even in the winter. It’s basically vitamins for plants. I’ve used other fertilizers too, but I don’t overthink it. The Liquid Dirt does the job.

And the biggest thing?

I don’t have a set schedule.

Some days I do nothing. I walk around, turn my lights on, glance at my plants. If I see one looking droopy, I water it. Some days I water 2 plants. Some days I water 15.

There’s no pressure.

And somehow… it all works.

That’s how my plants thrive.

But more than that, this is something that grounded me when I needed it most.

Sometimes I catch myself thinking about what will happen to my plants when I’m too old to take care of them.

Because this isn’t just a hobby.

These are living things. They’ve been a part of my life through different seasons... through growth, through struggle, through healing.

And I truly believe God placed this in my life when I needed it most.

I also believe it’s important for everyone to have something like this.

Something that’s theirs.

My sons love sports. My seven-year-old daughter says it’s her dream to learn how to crochet, and I encourage that so much.

Because hobbies matter more than people think.

They slow you down.

They give your mind somewhere to rest.

They help heal parts of you that you don’t always know how to fix.

And sometimes… they even bring you closer to God, without you even realizing it.

This started as something small.

Just one plant.

But it became something that grounded me, taught me patience, pulled me out of dark seasons, and reminded me that growth doesn’t happen overnight.

And I think that’s what makes it so special.