10 Tips for Life Learned from Buying Flowers

10 things to learn about life from choosing bouquets of flowers:

1. Choose flowers according to when you'll need them.

Use the language appropriate to your setting. Don't talk to your boss like you'd talk to your friends, and don't talk to your friends like you'd talk to a second-grader. The same goes for clothing (don't dress for the club when you're going to church), your writing (don't tweet an e-mail to your boss), and pretty much every day-to-day situation.

2. Choose flowers that are still closed. They will probably not look as pretty as those that are open.

Plan ahead. Also, sometimes the best option doesn't look like the most appealing option. Taking a job with a lower starting salary may give you better long-term pay if it has more room for advancement, or it might just have a better work environment. 

3. Expect to find dead bits inside the bouquet.

Nothing in life is perfect. Just because you argue, doesn't mean you're not really in love; just because the house has stains in the carpet, doesn't mean it isn't your dream home. But don't buy mostly dead bouquets, either.

 4. It really helps to know your flowers before you buy.

Do your research. Snazzy, brand-new company that just needs investors? Check out their business plan before handing over the cash. Trying to publish a novel? Look up the name of the publisher before signing any contracts and find out if they're reputable or not.

5. Purchase mixes that include greenery and at least one type of filler flower.

Make the extra effort to present a polished product when you're trying to sell something. It's much easier to sell a product than an idea. Likewise, put that extra edit on the novel before submitting it to agents.

6. Keep the color scheme simple.

When explaining something, keep it simple. Don't get off track. Don't confuse your audience. Know what they want, know where they are, and figure out the shortest way to go from point A to point B. You can tell them about scenic route later, after they know the basics.

7. Think about where you'll put the flowers.

Always know your audience, whether it's writing e-mails, teaching math, selling something, or writing a novel. Use terms that your audience can understand and identify with. Know their purpose for tuning in. If they want to be entertained, entertain them. If they want just the facts, they'll be annoyed if you try to dazzle them with rhetoric and wit instead of giving them the facts.

8. Flowers don't last as long without maintenance.

Neither do relationships, homes, or cars.

9. For roses, it's not what's on the outside that counts.

Strangely enough, same with people. Look for the people who believe in you and care about you for yourself, who will help you when you need help and who will stand back when you need to do it yourself. 

10. Rushing things causes problems.

Do it right the first time, even if it takes longer.

What other lessons can you learn from buying flowers?