Life Lessons from a Monstera Plant

You won’t thrive in an environment that you aren’t supposed to be in.

I bought this Monstera Deliciosa Plant, commonly known as the Swiss Cheese Plant, a couple of years ago to brighten up my workplace. At the time, I had to be in an office in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. five days per week. The job only lasted about five months, but it was a challenging season for me. It was the most toxic workplace I’ve ever experienced, mainly due to my connection to a narcissist.

I despised going to work. I hated the feeling of walking on eggshells every moment of every day, something I thought I’d never do again after leaving a toxic personal relationship.

I ended up leaving without a job lined up. And while I quickly landed on my feet, I'm still healing, learning, and recovering emotionally and financially.

I now work 100% remotely and can create a calm, safe environment in my home where I can thrive, personally and professionally.

Every day, I spritz my Monstera plant and say good morning. I tell him how excited I am to see each new growth and leaf unfold and how proud I am of how far he’s come.

As I speak these words of affirmation to my plant, I also speak them to myself. I remind myself that we truly grow and thrive when we’re in the right environment.

As humans, we long to feel safe, seen, and empowered.

If that’s not where you currently are, I encourage you to find an exit strategy. Whether it’s a relationship, a job, a living space, or something else, you deserve to feel safe, seen, and empowered. Only then can we grow into all we were created to be.