We are staying at an Airbnb in Puerto Rico and spending most of our time on the terrace, gazing out at the hills and, in the distance, the ocean. Sitting on the corner wall of the terrace is a tiny garden of 3 succulents.
I’ve stayed in several Airbnbs and seen little fake succulents as decorations–in the bathroom, in the bedroom, in the living room. Naturally, i assumed these were fakes also. Until i felt them.
They’re alive! Full tropical sun for 9 hours a day. Mist or rain once in a while. The soil in the pots is bone dry, and the plants are happy.
Where is your happy place?
While addictions of all sorts–wine, shopping, chocolate, sex, social media–are intended to self-soothe, if you look closely, you see that we are satiated for just a minute or two before we pick up our phone and scroll through our favorite apps. Where is that short-lived happiness then?
It turns out that having fewer choices is what actually calms and soothes us. Just look at these little succulents who are content with what they have.
