Hello Gardeners! The Gardening Team is always saying: When we say this, that doesn't mean be happy all of the time. No one is happy all of the time! What we mean is, the way you frame your outlook on life is a choice. You can choose to ignore your flowers and water your weeds OR you can be grateful for every single seed planted and every flower that's bloomed. Think of it this way, when you look at a field of dandelions, you can choose to see a field of weeds or a field of seeds waiting to be flowers. Let's say, for example, you failed a test at school. There are a handful of negative things we could say about ourselves and about the situation: I'm so stupid. I hate school! Why bother trying, I'll never get it. I feel so dumb for not studying more. My teacher is so mean. That test was unfair! Part of choosing positivity is being able to accept your mistakes, let go of anger or shame surrounding the situation, and come up with productive ways to improve. Yes, you can always study more, instead of feeling ashamed about that, use it as fuel to prepare for the next test! Instead of giving up and saying you will never understand the subject, ask for help - show interest in improving. Instead of placing blame on unfair questions and mean teachers, accept responsibility and make a promise to yourself you will try a little harder next time! Living your life through the lens of negativity doesn't help you or the people around you do any better - in fact, it brings people trying their best to stay positive down! That's why we say, CHOOSE positivity! Positivity helps you #WaterYourFlowers and #PullYourWeeds!

Hello Gardeners! Every gardener with a growing & blooming garden needs a toolbox. Something that holds everything they need to control and pull their weeds, keep their flowers healthy, and prevent any invasive overgrowth. Take a minute to think about your personal toolbox - what helps YOU pull YOUR weeds? Maybe you find you can let go of a lot of stress & anxiety when you play team sports or are exercising. Maybe you feel your happiest when you are reading and exploring new worlds through books. Each and every one of us has a toolbox full of innate and learned strategies that help us balance the good and the bad. As gardeners, we are always looking for new and effective ways to keep our gardens healthy. Meditation is maybe one of the best tools you can have in your toolbox. People assume meditation means sitting still for hours and associate it with boredom. At the end of the day, meditation is just about focusing your mind for a period of time, and the goal is to get you out of your head and come back into the present moment. Try our 5-minute Meditation that focuses on the breath! If you lose count or you can't count past a certain number, don't worry! Just start back at 1. After the 5 minutes is up, you breath should be regulated, mind clear, and body relaxed. Make a list of your flowers - the things that make you feel the most you or the things you are looking forward to in the next week Make a list of HOW you pull your weeds - what are some of the things you do or think about when you aren't feeling your best? Really think about this one! Maybe you wear a special necklace, doodle in a sketchbook, or talk to an invisible friend when you are scared. We all cope differently! Now, make a list of the weeds you are struggling to pull. Include all of them! Some are harder to pull than others. Once you've finished, look at this list. Ask yourself: Do I need more tools in my toolbox? Which tools work the best for me? Are any of my tools not helping? Can I do a little more to control my weeds & water my flowers? This is just another great way to check-in with yourself! Adjust the way you #PullYourWeeds so that it works for you!

Hello Gardeners! Have you ever heard about invasive plants? In nature, invasive plants are plants that aren't native to the area and spread lots of seeds as a way to try to take over the native plants. If you are an experienced gardener, you know you are always checking your garden for these fast growing plants, just so you can pull them out! Well, what if we thought of #anxiety as an invasive plant. Anxiety is an overwhelming sense of distress that often leads to fear and behaves differently in each an every one of us. Some of us experience anxiety occasionally - like those of us who are afraid of thunderstorms - and others experience anxiety every single day! If we look at the invasive plant analogy, those weeds spread so quickly because so many seeds are spread in such a short amount of time. Anxiety functions similarly - one bad thought feeds another and another and another, and soon your garden is loaded with weeds! We LOVE this illustration from @journey_to_wellness Always remember, no matter how overgrown your garden is, you can always roll up your sleeves and clean it up. To our gardener friends who do struggle with anxiety, ask for help! Pulling out those weeds alone is exhausting, and remember what #GardenerAnna & #GardenerAidan always say, The best way to pull a weed is by talking about it! What helps alleviate anxiety? LOTS of things! So often anxious thoughts hog all of our brain space and take us out of the present moment. A great way to touch back down and come back into your body is by doing a grounding technique or mindfulness technique. Check out our #HelloGardeners episode on Grounding! Journaling is great way to help manage anxiety! In our Spring Cleaning post, we asked you to think of your journal as a really good friend. When anxious moments pop up, take a few minutes to write down what you're feeling - it not only helps you notice that feeling, but gives you a second to focus and breathe. We've got a great craft for a handmade journal, take a look below or head to our Setting Intentions post to see the full instructions! Talk to your parents or guardians! The people who care for you may be able to see that something is bothering you, but they can't read your thoughts. Talk to them about how you are feeling and how it's impacting you. They may have some suggestions for managing your anxiety or they may have you meet with a Gardening Assistant - most importantly they'll know that this is how you feel. Don't ever be afraid to email US with your weeds, seeds, and flowers! Each and every one of us is managing our gardens and our weeds, but we can all afford to lend a hand to help others pull their weeds and notice their flowers. #TheFutureIsBright

Hello Gardeners! We've all heard it: "Don't eat too much sugar or you're going to crash!" We know sugar isn't good for us, but did you know that eating too much sugar can impact your ability to regulate your emotions, decrease energy levels, aggravate anxiety, and decrease your ability to learn and remember (Everhealth). Now, of course, that doesn't mean we can't have a little cake on our birthdays or some candy during Halloween, but indulging in too much sugar actually gives strength and energy to our weeds rather than to our flowers. At some point in our lives, you will probably experience a "sugar rush" - your heart starts racing, you are overcome with insane amounts of energy, your mind moves a million times a minute, and then CRASH! Our bodies burn through that sugar and then we are left feeling tired, cranky, sad, and overall just "blah". During this down period, we're vulnerable to all sorts of weeds that can pop up out of nowhere! If you've had a little too much sugar and are experiencing these quick-fire emotions, take a moment to come back to Earth and just remember "STRAW": S it down T ake a drink of water R ecognize this will pass A llow yourself to breath W ait until you are calm Need a sweet & healthy snack that won't cause #SugarWeeds? Here is a quick & easy Open-Faced Apple Sandwich! What you'll need: Apple Sharp knife (Definitely have an adult help you cut your apple!) Toppings of your choice - peanut butter, sun butter, yogurt, granola, chia seeds, raisins, nuts, cheese, etc. Cut your apple into circular slices and be sure to take out the core! Now just load on your toppings! Our top 2 favorites were cheddar cheese OR peanut butter with raisins & chia seeds. Alright gardeners, thanks for stopping by today! If you have a weed, a seed, or a flower you'd like to share with us, PLEASE reach out! (: We love hearing from each and every one of you :) #PullYourWeeds

Hello Gardeners! We can all strive to be a little more empathetic, a little more helpful, and a little more ✨KIND✨. When people are kind to us, we feel strong and supported - we feel less alone. It's so important to spread that feeling of love and support as far as we can reach! #SpreadSeedsOfKindness Recently, the Gardening Team came across this news segment of two NJ towns that came together to inspire kindness in every member of their communities. Watch the segment below! These days, we tend to focus on what divides us, rather than what brings us together. We can ALL be kind, respectful, and accepting! How do you choose to spread kindness? Do you include your classmates in games and at recess? Are you respectful of your teachers and coaches? Do you speak nicely of others, even when they're not around? Are you willing to lend a hand when help is needed? Do you give back to your community? There are so many ways we can #PayItForward and #SpreadKindness. See if your school has Kindness Week - if it doesn't, work with a parent or teacher to make it happen in your school! If you REALLY want to take it to the next level, consider becoming a RAKtivist® (Random Acts of Kindness Activist) with the Random Acts of Kindness organization. This is a place for people to inspire and help others with their words and actions. We need more kindness ambassadors in the world! Click here to learn more. And remember to #PullYourWeeds and help others pull theirs! Inspire others to take interest and ownership over their emotional wellness!!

Hello Gardeners! Yesterday, we aired the 4th episode of season 2, where #GardenerAnna and #GardenerAidan talked about the history of art, mentioned some notable artists, and then created small paintings using natural materials with #GardenerDevin, the co-founder of Piece. - an online art gallery. Devin showed them various ways to use items from nature to create an image. These paintings can be found on findyourpiece.net or click the images below! When you purchase one of their paintings, 100% of the proceeds go to a charity of the gardeners' choice! We love #GardenerAnna's use of color & texture! And we love #GardenerAidan's unique lines! If you'd like to do this craft at your school or at home, click the image to see how it's done! It was so fun watching the gardeners get creative and express themselves, and we are so proud that they are taking this opportunity to donate to their favorite charities. #GardenerAnna will be donating to Heartworks and #GardenerAidan will be donating to St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center. Check out these awesome organizations and then head to Piece. to purchase these one-of-a-kind paintings! Did you miss episode 4? Watch below! Thanks for tuning in, gardeners! And as always, remember to #PullYourWeeds!

Hello Gardeners! Today, we are talking about responsibility and how it can help us gain more confidence, teach good work ethic, and allow us to see the value in helping. We all juggle lots of responsibilities - making it to our bus stop on time, finishing homework, walking our dogs, cleaning up our bedrooms, etc. And while some of our responsibilities might not be fun, those experiences help you become a well-rounded person. Let's dissect one responsibility many of us have: After dinner, help clear the dishes. This small job teaches us that because we all contributed to eating the meal, it's everyone's job to help clean up! Small tasks and jobs like this are valuable learning experiences and by practicing them at home and at school, those lessons stick with us through adulthood. Giving students responsibilities can help them develop and display their skills. If you see that one of your students has a knack for public speaking, maybe you let him or her take attendance, if you see a student who likes to doodle, have them Start small - at home divvy up tasks, someone is in charge of bringing in the mail, someone is in charge of setting the table, someone is in charge of wiping down the table, etc. Responsibilities like this help teach kids manners and maturity. At school, ask different students to fill different role to try to teach them skills - line leaders, escorting another classmate to the nurse, clearing supplies after an activity, etc. Want to add a fun spin? Create interactive & engaging ways to designate tasks to your students each week! Here are some design ideas: From left to right, 2nd grade teacher Theresa @truelifeimateacher, Life as Mama, Katy from Stickers and Staples. Thanks for reading along today #Gardeners! What are some of your favorite responsibilities? Send them to flowers@youareagardener.com, tag us @youareagardener, or comment below! As always, continue to #PullYourWeeds!

Hello Educators! As the people working at the forefront of education, often your students, your school, and your community take up most of your time and energy. Between lesson planning, grading, after school meetings, and in-service workshops, there is only so much time left for you! A lot is demanded of you and it can feel like if you don’t give 150% all the time, you are letting down your students. But how can you effectively educate if you aren’t keeping yourself healthy and well? Just like your students, you have weeds too and it’s important you water the flowers rather than the weeds. Here are a few tips to staying healthy! 1. Say NO once in a while! If you feel like you already have a full plate, say no to taking on new responsibilities! You need to have a life outside of your work - you need to have the option to take that weekend trip or that nighttime yoga class. 2. Take advantage of your mental health days If you are feeling a little burned out, take the day! That’s what they are there for. Use that day to do something fun or something just for you. You’ll return the next day feeling refreshed and much more prepared to teach! 3. SLEEP! You’ve seen how too little sleep affects your students, do yourself a favor and get at least 6 hours of sleep. 4. Exercise & practice mindfulness We all make excuses of why we can’t make time to do this, but exercise & mindfulness have such a huge impact on our mood and mental health. Take 5 minutes to meditate in the morning or before school, run for 10 minutes, walk to work - every little bit helps! 5. Journal There are always those co-workers that are troublesome, frustrating administrative red tape, and students that require extra attention. Vent in a journal, write about your concerns and job complications - do what you need to do to keep the negativity away! 6. Find a hobby that is totally separate from school Photography, hiking, pilates, baking, woodworking - whatever you need to do to get a little space from school! These are just a handful of the many self-care activities you can do to relieve stress, maintain positive mental health, and prevent job burn-out. Make time for YOU in your schedule - you deserve it!! Always remember to #PullYourWeeds!

Hello Gardeners! Each and every one of us has comfort zones - lines of comfort that we try to stay inside, because venturing outside is too scary. And while respecting your boundaries is important, living forever inside your comfort zone can actually continue to feed your existing anxieties and prevent you from growing. How do you continue to expand your comfort zone? Start small! Try something new or something that even makes you a little nervous. You'll probably find that once you've done it, it was easier than your thought or that you had the tools to do it all along. You may ask yourself, "I thought it was important to say 'no' or 'stop' when something makes you afraid?" Let's be clear, we are not asking you to put yourself in scary and unsafe situations. Conquering fears gives us confidence and reminds us that we can do a lot more than we think we can. Chip away at your fears - if you are afraid to ask a classmate to play, start with just saying hi! 🌱 🌱 🌱 Do you need help expanding your comfort zone? #GardenerAnna, #GardenerAidan, and the rest of the #GardeningTeam can help! You can always email us with your weeds and we would be happy to help brainstorm some solutions. Email us at flowers@youareagardener.com or tag @youareagardener - we can't wait to hear from you!

Hello Gardeners! We've talked a little about art therapy previously on the blog. "Art therapy is a therapeutic technique rooted in the idea that creative expression can foster healing and mental well-being" (Verywell Mind). Art has this incredible power of making us emotionally responsive and when we view art we like, it makes us feel something! Actually making art has the ability to decrease stress, help one communicate one's feelings, encourage reflection, and gain personal insight. You may wonder, what's the difference between a regular art activity and a therapeutic art activity? All art can be - and typically is - therapeutic for the maker. But as an educator, you can shape the lesson to focus on different things. For example, you can ask your students to draw a response to music - have them listen to a song and paint or draw what that song makes them think about or feel. You can ask them to reflect on what emotions colors convey or how different types of brushstrokes make unique statements. It's all in how you F R A M E it! Here is a fun art therapy activity that makes BEAUTIFUL results! 🎨 Painting With Nature 🎨 Using paintbrushes made with natural materials. Take your students outside to collect leaves, rocks, sticks, grass, flowers, etc. Encourage them to think about how they will use the objects they pick up. Once back in the classroom, lay out paints, collected materials, and sturdy paper. Now have them experiment with all of the different ways they can make marks on their papers. Instead of just stamping or brushing with the objects, have them try rolling, scraping, twisting. Do you have any art therapy activities? We would love to hear about the response from your students! Drop us a line or share their work at flowers@youareagardener.com or tag @youareagardener - and as always, #PullYourWeeds!

Hello Gardeners! Our lives are so full of activities, hobbies, responsibilities, and other time consuming things. Taking time to relax and unwind can not only decrease stress & anxiety, but it can improve your mood, clear your head, and allow you to enjoy more of the activities you do. Sometimes, we even find ourselves so overwhelmed and antsy, that it is essential to take a minute to calm down. Whether it's because of a big test, something that's causing us stress at home, a fight with a friend that has us worked up, or something else - there are so many techniques we can use or offer to fellow gardeners in distress to help them calm down. Meditate We can all benefit from taking a few minutes to focus on our breath and release some tension. Try one of our mindfulness techniques here, or find a short guided meditation online! Do a 5-minute freestyle If you notice a handful of your students getting antsy take 5 minutes to have a freestyle dance party. Combining the element of surprise with getting everyone up and moving will help your students get the ants out of their pants and focus once they sit back down. Create a calm corner Dedicate a corner of you home or classroom to relaxation. Maybe use a tent or cover of some sort to dim the lighting, provide lots of pillows and comforting objects, some water, some paper for doodling, or books to read. If you notice a child in your class acting up - offer them a few minutes in the calm corner to recharge. Create a shower fizzer Watch Leah, owner of Homemade Happiness by Leah, and the gardeners make therapeutic shower fizzers! Start at 3:12! Take a walk outside Sometimes we just need a few minutes of fresh air and a change of scenery to change our mood. Walking gets our blood pumping and increases our heart rate which helps relieve stress as well! Do some #GardenerYoga! Watch #GardenerAnna demonstrate some stress-relieving poses. There are so many things you can do to get your heart pumping, clear your head, and change your mood. Be sure to check out our previous blog post "Get Moving!" for a quick and easy workout that you can also do in your classroom! We have so much beneficial information in our blogs, we encourage you to take a look through our past posts. You can find crafts, recipes, and techniques that are perfect for home and school! Thanks for tuning in gardeners and remember, #PullYourWeeds!

Hello Parents & Guardians ! Often times, it's the people with whom we spend the most time, that help us form our healthy habits - for our kids, that's us! If we want them to develop self-regulation skills, the ability to manage stress & anxiety, and a positive outlook, sometimes the best way to help them do that is to show them we are working on that too. Today we are going to look at a few simple #MindfulnessTechniques that set the right example, help YOU pull some of your own weeds, and allow you to spend quality time with your kids! 1. Close listening Play a song that both you and your child have never heard before - any genre! Allow yourself to really settle into the music, let go of any judgement you may have of the song, try to isolate the vocals and various instruments, and just listen. 2. Mindfulness through observation Pick something to observe - inspect every inch of the object, its form, color, texture. By taking a minute to observe the minutia, we bring ourselves back to the present moment and take the time to notice & appreciate our surroundings. Share what you observed with your child and vice versa. 3. Tense & release Before bed, take a few minutes to work your way up your body starting with your toes. Squeeze the muscles in your feet & toes for 5 seconds, then release. Move up to your calf muscles and so on, all the way up to your face. It's a great way for both you and your child to relax before bedtime which promotes better sleep! 4. Focus on heart rate and breathing If you see your child getting frustrated with homework, a school project, or some other activity, have them jump up and move around for a minute or so - jumping jacks, dancing, running around the backyard, hula hooping. After that minute of movement, place your hand on your heart and observe how your heart rate has changed. This exercise redirects focus and increases energy & motivation. Taking just a few minutes to work on mindfulness with your child every day has so many benefits! Not only is it an activity you can do with them, but it will translate to decreased stress, better emotional regulation, and easier management of anxiety for BOTH of you. So give it a try and let us know your favorite techniques! As always, no matter your age, don't forget to #PullYourWeeds!