Pressure, Plants, and the Choice to Rise 🦋

Have you ever felt like your back was against the wall?

Maybe it’s a job change you didn’t expect. Maybe it’s a pay cut that makes your stomach knot up. Or maybe it’s God calling you into something completely outside your comfort zone. And suddenly, your heart races, your mind spirals, and anxiety floods in.

The truth is, when life shifts, it’s hard. We get worried, overwhelmed, and stressed especially when what has always been safe and familiar is no longer secure.

In those moments, I’ve learned there are really two types of pressure we face:

✨ Pressure to Perform.
Not all performance pressure is bad. Sometimes it’s the very thing that shakes us out of comfort and into courage. It’s the push that says, “Don’t shrink back, RISE UP.” This kind of pressure can be holy, it’s God nudging us to step into the unknown, to trust Him, and to move forward in faith even when it’s scary.

And sometimes, deep down, we know God has already given us the green light. He’s saying, “Go.” But what do we do? We question everything. We get stuck in the “what ifs.” Most of the time, that comes back to one thing: fear of failure. But here’s the truth, if we fail, so what? Failure isn’t final. If we don’t even try, then we’ve failed anyway.

✨ Pressure that Paralyzes.
Then there’s the other kind of pressure, the kind the enemy loves to use. It’s the pressure that whispers lies: “You can’t. You’ll fail. You’re not enough.” That pressure freezes us in fear and keeps us stuck. And here’s the truth, if the enemy can keep us paralyzed, we’re no good to the Kingdom.

Paul reminded us of this very tension when he wrote: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.” 2 Corinthians 4:8

Even in the squeeze, God sustains us.

That’s why, in those pressure-filled moments, we always want to choose to RISE. To take the step. To believe that God will meet us on the other side of obedience.

🪴 How Plants Help Us Breathe Again

Now, here’s where my crazy-plant-lady side comes in. 😂 At one point, I had over 80 indoor plants (yes, you read that right, 80!). And while that might sound excessive, tending those plants taught me something about pressure and peace.

When I felt anxious or overwhelmed, caring for my plants slowed me down. Watering, pruning, wiping leaves, repotting, watching new growth unfold, it was grounding. Research shows that plants don’t just look good, they do good:

🌱 They clean the air. Plants absorb toxins, release oxygen, and improve indoor air quality, which can actually help you breathe easier and think clearer.

🌱 They calm the nervous system. Simply being around plants can lower stress hormones, reduce blood pressure, and ease anxiety.

🌱 They boost focus and creativity. A little greenery refreshes the mind and lifts the spirit.

🌱 They remind us of growth. Plants aren’t in a hurry. They grow one leaf, one root, one bloom at a time just like us.

And maybe the biggest lesson? Plants shed what no longer serves them. Dead leaves fall so that new life can flourish. Without shedding, there’s no room for growth.

🪴 Check out my favorite plants here: 🪴https://www.amazon.com/shop/warriormom_jennrobb/list/CRMBA7T9N53Q?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_DVENE38F34JEZY9V2FTZ

Ephesians 4:22-24 says it this way: “You were taught… to put off your old self… to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Shedding the old gives room for the new. And growth isn’t optional, it’s a must!! 🦋

🩷 Pressure → Purpose

So, the next time you feel that familiar squeeze, whether it’s pressure that pushes you forward or pressure that tempts you to freeze, PAUSE. Take a breath. Water a plant. Pull off a dead leaf. Let it remind you that growth is possible, but only if you make room for it.

Because pressure doesn’t have to crush you. With God, pressure can refine you. Just like a diamond formed in the fire, becoming stronger, clearer, and more radiant through the process. 💎

🔥 Warrior Mom Truth:
You are not defined by the pressure.

You are being shaped through it.

📖 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

📖 “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3-4

💡 Want to go deeper?
This week I released a brand-new Warrior Mom Bundle: my Warrior Mom Rising eBook + a 30-Day Devotional designed to encourage, equip, and remind you that you’re NOT alone in this journey.

For a special launch price, you can grab both resources and start building your own rhythm of strength, advocacy, and faith-filled peace, one day at a time. 🦋🔥

👉 https://warriormomcoach.net/book-devo

With lots of love,

🩷 Jenn Robb/Warrior Mom

P.S. If you’re looking for some of my favorite resources, books, and tools that have encouraged me on this journey, you can check out my Warrior Mom Amazon Storefront, I’ve curated it just for you. Link: https://amzn.to/4mHSHLy

Come hang with us in the Warrior Mom Facebook group. It is a space where we remind each other that we’re not machines. We’re moms. We are Warrior Moms. And we need rest too.
FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16faoff9Rn/

🩷 Stay tuned for ALL my NEW podcast episode releases. Lots new ones releasing in September.

And if you haven’t read Warrior Mom Rising yet, now’s the time.
It's not a fluff book. It is real, it’s a raw, Spirit-led reminder that your pain has purpose and you are NOT alone.
Amazon Book Link: https://a.co/d/fT4eEdy