some peaceful plant programming to give your brain a break

I know we’ve been isolated from the outside world for quite some time, but is anyone else feeling bombarded? Especially for those of us with empathic tendencies, the heaviness of the world right now can easily feel like it’s settling on our shoulders. While I agree it is a reasonable thing to stay aware of our current situation, I think it’s also important to take regular breaks from all the news. I’m not a huge fan of spending tons of time watching TV, but I know it can feel nice to play something relaxing for a little while to take your mind off a reality that feels like it’s been taken over by the screenwriters of Game of Thrones. (Which I would NOT recommend watching for relaxation, by the way.) I kid you not, last night I felt a huge wave of empathic anxiety coming on, and totally chilled it the fuck out thanks to watching the following material. So to pay it forward and give all of our brains a much-needed break, today I’ll be sharing one of my go-to relaxation techniques: watching my favorite plant channels on YouTube!

1. Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t: Described as “a low-brow, crass approach to plant ecology as muttered by a misanthropic Chicago Italian,” this is not your average plant program! If you’re craving some adventurous plant discovery through the lens of someone with the most colorful vocabulary since HP Lovecraft, this is the channel for you. Discovering nature from such a lovably gruff perspective will make you laugh while you learn something cool about the planet, and let’s face it, we all need that in our lives right now.
2. Summer Rayne Oakes: One of my favorite bedtime wind-down rituals is watching Summer’s channel. From international botanical garden tours to plant-centric home makeovers, care tutorials to unboxing videos, there is an incredibly wide variety of content to choose from for anyone botanically-obsessed. This is pure plant love paired with an impressively encyclopedic knowledge, and something about watching it makes me feel incredibly peaceful. (Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so, as she has started to dabble in ASMR as well.) This channel has miraculously mellowed out my moods more times than I can count!
3. Planterina: She’s the down-to-earth plant mom we all want to be when we grow up. Check her out for detailed advice that keeps it real – she’ll give you the full lowdown on what types of foliage may or may not fit in with your space and lifestyle. Whether you’re just starting out adding greenery to your space or you were born with two green thumbs, you’ll feel like you’re learning pro tips from the front row of a master class with the world’s coolest professor. She’ll leave you feeling inspired to work towards your own version of her jungle-like collection.

Seriously, do yourself a favor and give yourself a little brain break with some of these videos. It’s important to take in new information that teaches you something and leaves you feeling refreshed. Please, for sanity’s sake, temper your crazy news and tiger related media consumption with something that will help you (and the life around you) grow.