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Finding Your Passion in Unexpected Places: How Plants Helped Me Heal

  • Writer: jourdanjensen94
    jourdanjensen94
  • Mar 5
  • 3 min read
Various houseplants on wooden shelves with text overlay: "Finding Your Passion: How Plants Helped Me Heal and Feel Close to My Mom".
Various houseplants on wooden shelves with text overlay: "Finding Your Passion: How Plants Helped Me Heal and Feel Close to My Mom".

Sometimes people talk about finding their passion like it’s supposed to be a big, dramatic moment. Like one day everything suddenly makes sense and you just know what you’re meant to do.

But that’s not always how it happens.

Sometimes passion shows up quietly. Sometimes it starts with something small. For me, it started with plants sitting on my windowsill.

What began as simple curiosity slowly turned into something much deeper than I ever expected.

Finding Your Passion Isn’t Always Obvious


When people say “follow your passion,” it can feel overwhelming. It sounds like you’re supposed to already know what that is.

The truth is, most passions grow over time.

They often start as:

  • a hobby

  • a small interest

  • something you try just for fun

  • a random curiosity you decide to explore

For me, it started with wanting to learn how to keep a plant alive.

Then I started wondering why some plants needed more humidity. Why certain soil mixes worked better. Why some plants could grow entirely from a single leaf cutting.

Before I realized it, I was learning everything I could about them.

When Plants Became My Thing 🌿

Smiling woman in pink blazer holds vibrant potted plants with pink and green leaves. Lush greenery in the background creates a cheerful ambiance.
Smiling woman in pink blazer holds vibrant potted plants with pink and green leaves. Lush greenery in the background creates a cheerful ambiance.

What started with a few plants slowly turned into something I genuinely love.

I found myself:

  • researching different plant species

  • experimenting with soil mixes

  • propagating new plants

  • decorating and customizing plant pots

  • rearranging parts of my home to give my plants the best light

Each plant felt like its own little project. Watching them grow, recover, or produce new leaves became incredibly rewarding.

Plants also taught me things I didn’t expect.

They taught me patience.They taught me consistency.They taught me that growth takes time.

And honestly, taking care of them became something I looked forward to every day.

Losing My Mom Changed My Relationship With Plants


My connection to plants became even more meaningful after I lost my mom.

My mom loved plants. They were always around, and she had a natural way of caring for them. After she passed, I found myself drawn to them in a different way.

Taking care of plants started to feel like more than just a hobby.

It became a quiet way of feeling close to her.

When I water them, repot them, or see a new leaf start to grow, I sometimes think about how much she loved doing the same things. It reminds me of her patience and the joy she found in nurturing something living.

In a way, every plant I care for feels like a small connection to her.

Plants grow slowly, and healing often works the same way. Little by little.

Plants Became Part of My Healing

Hands trim a large monstera leaf with scissors. Background shows various potted plants. Text reads "Plants Healing One's Inner Self."
Hands trim a large monstera leaf with scissors. Background shows various potted plants. Text reads "Plants Healing One's Inner Self."

There’s something calming about caring for living things.

Plants require attention, patience, and consistency. And in a strange way, while I was taking care of them, they were also helping take care of me.

They gave me something peaceful to focus on. Something that grows slowly and reminds me that progress doesn’t have to be rushed.

Watching a plant grow from a cutting or bounce back after stress is surprisingly powerful. It’s a reminder that growth and recovery are always possible.

Passion Often Grows While You're Busy Living


One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is this:

You don’t always suddenly find your passion.

Sometimes you grow into it.

It develops when you:

  • explore things that interest you

  • stay curious

  • give hobbies time to grow

  • allow yourself to enjoy the process

What started as a few plants in my home slowly turned into something I genuinely love learning about every day.

If You’re Still Searching for Your Passion


If you feel like you haven’t found your passion yet, that’s okay.

Try things. Explore new interests. Let yourself experiment.

Passion doesn’t always show up loudly.

Sometimes it grows quietly in the background, the same way plants do. Slowly, steadily, and one leaf at a time.

Closing Thoughts

Person writing in a journal titled "Closing Thoughts" near potted plants. Text: "Your passion can start with small, nurturing steps."
Person writing in a journal titled "Closing Thoughts" near potted plants. Text: "Your passion can start with small, nurturing steps."

Right now my passion looks like plant shelves, propagation trays, grow lights, and pots scattered around my house.

It looks like learning about new plants, watching new leaves unfold, and caring for something that continues to grow.

And in many ways, it also feels like carrying a small piece of my mom with me.

Sometimes the things we grow are also the things that help us keep memories alive. 🌿

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