Cacti are famously seen in cartoons as piercing one of the character’s exteriors and making them shout and scream. One of the beauties of life is you can look around and make a lesson out of almost anything around you! I challenge you to look around wherever you are now and make a life lesson out of whatever you lay your eyes on. It may be challenging, but it increases your creativity and appreciation for the world around you. So, what lessons can we learn from cacti? Let me tell you; it can get as deep as you want. So let’s start with what makes them such distinct plants, those prickly spines!
Why are those unique thorns there, and why do they hurt so much? I hate to break it to you, but those spikes weren’t always so hurtful (I'm not talking about you.. yet). They evolved from leaves, so technically... they are leaves. This leads us to our first life lesson:
Defense and protection: A Double Edge Sword
Cacti get a bad rep as being scary and threatening. They get much more hate compared to their plant brothers and sisters. Cacti aren't seen as beautiful, breathtaking, or sweet. The leaves evolved into spikes as a defensive wall to protect the good stuff on the inside. People resemble this the more hurt and pain they experience from others. We tend to put up barriers to keep people away. We harden our exterior so people won't get the chance to hurt us again, or we don't damage the people we care about again. They say a depressed mind focuses on the past, and an anxious mind focuses on the future. The spikes we have are formed from pain in the past and fear of pain in the future. The voice that tells you to push people away may be an anxious or depressed voice. It comes as a friendly voice, like a guardian promising protection for yourself and your loved ones. Do not listen to this voice. If you let your walls down, someone may hurt you again, but that's life. I know that's not great advice, but look at it this way: What is life trying to teach me with this pain? Is it to never trust again so my soul can grow? This cannot be correct. For one to grow, one has to step outside their comfort zone. If you want to protect yourself in the future, take risks and put yourself in vulnerable positions now. It sounds counterintuitive, but it's the only way to show yourself how powerful you are. It shows you what path is for you and what isn't. It shows you what you're good at and where you need improvement. If you take a shot at a job, relationship, or new project, you may fail,' but you're still alive. You're more than alive. You experienced emotions, fantasies, dreams, and goals. You saw what parts came to fruition and what parts didn't, BUT you still walked away. You felt the feeling of life inside yourself. You experienced life's rollercoaster. This is what makes life so beautiful and valuable.
Like a good movie, you can't predict what happens next. The failure couldn't take you down; you were knocked down but not knocked out. The disappointment and shame CANNOT stop you. The only way loss wins is if you never try again and put up walls. You're telling failure, "I quit; you win." What if failure could respond to you at this point and said: "Oh, thank goodness you stopped now! The next risk you were thinking about trying was going to pay off and come to full fruition. The next project you were going to start would take you places. The next person you were going to trust was going to change your life for the better. I'm glad I got you to put up your walls because I didn't know how to stop you after your next success".
Don't let fear overtake you. It may always be scary, but build a habit of acting against fear. If you're terrified of something happening, remember this: when you work in accordance with fear... it comes true. So if you really don't want your anxiety to come true, don't act out of fear in defense. That sounds like you're manifesting it, almost preparing for it to hit. Instead, act despite fear because it can't stop you. Even if the fear does come true in this scenario, you might see it wasn't as bad as you thought. Plus, what if you were wrong and because you acted out of fear, you missed out on a great opportunity? Keep your head up and realize only you control your happiness, which comes with how you view life. It's like how the song 'Silence' goes by Marshmello: "I found peace in your violence. Can't tell me there's no point in trying."
The Good Stuff on the Inside
Cacti are vital parts of their environment. They hold soil in place, shelter animals, and provide food for many beings on the planet. The cactus gives so much. In return, insects and birds help pollinate the cactus flowers. When you let people around you and you trust them, they help your soul become more beautiful. Your opening up allows others to be blessed by your words, energy, spirit, wisdom, and knowledge. Open up to the circle around you and let yourself trust more. You'll inspire others to act despite the fear they feel. Your shared experiences are like a potluck, take what you need and fill yourself up. Your circle will make your soul more beautiful just as you do the same for theirs, like insects pollinating cacti. If you put your walls up, think about how much slower you'll progress toward your ideal self. People will hurt you, but your loved ones need you to stay the person they love so much. Don't let any experience limit your light! When someone hurts you, why carry around their mistakes on you? Why do you have to pay for their sins? Why does your life have to be limited and closed off because of their stupidity? Rise and show yourself you are the boss of your life. Turn losses into lessons that'll make you a weapon to defeat whatever you've been stressing.
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