Getting a house ready to sell can feel like running a marathon you haven’t trained for. 

You scrub, you organize, you make the space look like no one has ever actually lived there. 

And underneath it all, there’s the quiet stress of transition. 

Selling and buying a home stirs up our foundation of security. It’s exciting, yes—but it can also be triggering.

Recently, in the middle of this process, I felt the weight of the “to-do” list pressing down. Logic told me to focus on packing boxes and staging the inside. 

But my heart had a different impulse: go plant flowers.

So that’s exactly what I did. I drove to the garden store, picked out blooms that delighted me, and spent the morning with my hands in the dirt, filling flower boxes with color. 

It wasn’t practical. It wasn’t efficient. But it was life-giving.

And here’s the beautiful surprise: following that impulse shifted everything for me. The stress softened. I felt present, creative, and joyful. 

Instead of pushing through, I was nurturing beauty—not only for myself, but for the future owner who will one day walk up to the house and feel welcomed.

This experience reminded me of something important: when we listen to what feels expansive, even in times of pressure, we invite ease and connection.

It also brought an unexpected gift in my relationship. Working side by side with my husband—me planting, him tending to the landscaping—drew us closer together. 

What could have been a petri dish of tension became a spontaneous spark of more connection and fun. 

Our shared vision has sweetened our love in ways I never anticipated.

So here’s my invitation for you: next time you feel stress closing in, pause and notice what small impulse is calling you. 

It might not look logical. It might not even make sense on paper. 

But if it brings you a spark of joy or beauty, follow it. 

That step may be the doorway to more ease, more connection, and more love than you imagined.

Because sometimes the most practical thing you can do is nurture your soul.