Plant care is self-care. We hear this phrase a lot these days and I just wrote a book entirely dedicated to this topic. If you are a plant parent, no matter what stage you are in, you know that this hobby is so much deeper than just making our home environments look beautiful; they are, frankly, about beautifying our internal worlds as well. Creating space and time for us to connect with nature and connect with ourselves. If you’ve been a longtime listener, you know this is my favorite topic to wax poetic about, and I found a beautiful kindred spirit in this episode's guest. Niyya is known as @thebloomjourney on Instagram and is a huge believer in nature-based self-care herself. Niyya and I have been IG friends for a while and this conversation was so fun, there are tons of insights to gain from it about how deep and true self-care and plant care can be connected. Let's dive in!Order my book!Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungDon't forget to subscribe to the podcast,so you don't miss the amazing episodes we have coming up!In this episode we learn:[00:51] What to expect from this episode[02:21] How to get in touch with Maria[03:00] Where to connect with plant friends in an ad-free platform[06:12] How Niyya showed up for Maria at her book launch[08:09] How plants can help during isolation and uncertainty[09:08] Why plant people are the best kind of friends[10:26] Who is Niyya and what is The Bloom Journey about?[11:47] How plants helped Niyya deal with social anxiety and find her passion[17:37] How the concept of seed dormancy can be applied to our lives[21:51] What was Niyya’s experience growing up with plants around?[24:35] Niyya and Maria’s common allergy to mosquitoes and how it disconnected them from nature[28:08] What plants can teach us about the seasons of life[29:34] Learning how to let go through plants[30:18] Why you should try planting garlic this garden season![31:39] Bring the sun in your home during winter months[33:44] Dealing with plant overwhelm by doing a plant pause[36:36] Why you should take care of plants that work for you and for your lifestyle[38:08] Why Maria recommends Rhaphidophora's[39:02] What plant-life parallel keeps getting reflected back to Niyya recently?[42:37] The art of mindfulness and how plants help us reconnect with ourselves[46:05] How plants influenced Niyya’s interest for hiking and taking care of her body[51:31] The importance of being true to ourselves and to our growth, despite losing followers[54:48] How being our authentic selves can inspire others to do the same[56:22] What is Niyya’s current favorite way to grow joy in her life?[57:25] Where to connect with Niyya online[57:59] Niyya shares an anecdote on the power of connecting with people[01:00:18] The reality about our experiences with plant care: they are both unique and common at the same time[01:01:11] A thank you from Maria to youMentioned in our conversation:Being in Love: How to Love with Awareness and Relate Without Fear by OshoThank you to our episode sponsors:Soltech SolutionsSoltech Solutions makes the grow lights you’ve heard me talk about for years: whether you are looking for a pendant light, track lighting, or a simple bulb to screw into any standard light fixture, Soltech has got you covered. They offer quality products with great customer service, free shipping, and a 5-year warranty. Keep the sun shining and the plants green inside your home with Soltech Solutions. Check them out at soltechsolutions.com and get 15% off with code bloom15.Territorial Seed CompanyExcited for this year's growing season? If you’re looking for plants for your garden, skip the lines at the garden center and let Territorial Seed Company deliver top-of-the-line, healthy and hardy vegetable plants right to your door! They have a great line of pre-grown plants, an expansive seed catalog, and over 40 years of experience delivering the best seeds and plants for everyone's garden. They are offering an exclusive discount just for listeners of Bloom & Grow Radio, use code GROW10 to get 10% off your first order. Order now at territorialseed.comFollow Niyya: InstagramFacebookMailing listFollow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio:Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungJoin the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet!Take the Bloom and Grow Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadioTiktok: @bloomandgrowradioSubscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /BloomandgrowradioWebsite: www.bloomandgrowradio.comJoin the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club