Trends

Wellness is the trend to watch in 2019. We live in a fascinating time. We are growing accustomed to ordering healthy, pre-prepped wellness meals. We constantly search for that new 10-minute wellness workout to add to our chaotic morning schedule. We try our best to spend our lunch break figuring out that new meditation app. All this in the name of taking better care of our minds, bodies and spirits.

“Self-care and well-being are trends worth watching and understanding. “

According to Pinterest, searches for the term “self-care” have gone up 140 percent over the past several months. Practicing self-care can mean anything from the occasional stress-relieving bath to climbing mountains, but based on Pinterest’s research, people seem to be focusing on trying to be their best self – inside and out.

There is no one-size-fits-all universal prescription for how this is done, but it often involves doing the things we know are best for us and that contribute to our overall wellness. For some that might mean regular exercize, cooking, yoga or knitting. For others it might mean getting outside, scheduling a little more time to be with loved ones or even regular flower purchases for the home.

The movement toward taking care of and being kind to ourselves is good not only for our minds and bodies but also for the business of flowers. Flowers are everpresent in the wellness world in the form of herbal teas, essential oils, botanical beauty elixirs and much more. Nature’s colorful flowers and their fragrances are instinctively healing and soothing. It’s in our human DNA to recognize and appreciate flowers.

As with the still-evolving “living-green” trend, wellness and flowers go hand in hand. In a series of studies from the Society of American Florists (SAF), in conjunction with Rutgers University, the giving and receiving of flowers have strong emotional benefits. Flowers immediately impact happiness. They socially connect people through generosity and gratitude, and they are proved to also relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Color and fragrance are key triggers for memory comfort and relaxation.

With 90 percent of our time spent indoors, the wellness movement is much needed in our world of screen time, traffic, megacities and environmental stresses. The healthier we can make our surroundings, the better we feel. Flowers and plants not only make us feel good but are also good for our environment.

Studies conducted by Harvard University’s “Healthy Buildings” program found that in “green” buildings with enhanced ventilation and optimal thermal conditions, participants scored 26 percent higher on cognitive function tests and missed fewer days due to illness. Exposure to daylight and brighter blue-enriched lighting, which best mimics natural light, was also associated with better sleep quality, which makes for a better work day. Factor in green plants for their oxygen-giving qualities and fresh flowers for their stimulating color and fragrance, and your mind and body make natural, happy chemistry.

True self-care is not an excuse to escape from our lives but rather a means to create a life we don’t feel the need to escape from in the first place. When we encourage consumers to add fresh flowers to their wellness routines, it reminds them that every day should be special. If flowers make you happy, then, by all means, you should buy flowers. It’s an investment that should be a regular part of our lives. Letting people know that they can indulge in wellness through the power of flowers and plants creates lasting habits that nourish our bodies and souls, as well as our environment.