5 Burning Questions About Cacti You’ve Been Dying to Ask

It’s been 5 years since I started Capturing Your Confidence and I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined. What started as a desire to write and help others write has turned into a lifelong passion and the discovery of my true calling. A girl can’t ask for much more than that, can she? 

One of the first things people ask about when they first see my brand and logo is “Why the cactus?” So today, I’m dishing *all about* the cactus and what it means to me and the business.

What’s the story behind the cactus? 

Cacti are weird little plants - at least they’re little where I’m from because they sit on windowsills. In the wild, cacti are huge! Saguaro cactus, the ones with a straight body and arm-looking structures, can grow up to 45 feet tall. 

As I was working on a creative project, I was particularly drawn to an illustrated cactus. It was kind of odd because I'm definitely not known for having a green thumb. Nonetheless, I loved that little cactus for some reason and it stuck with me. As I began researching, I realized why. 

Cacti are incredibly diverse. They’re true survivors. Those sharp spines they grow? They developed those over time not just to protect themselves, but also to provide shade. One spine might not provide a lot of shade, but when they’re taken together as a group, they offer the cactus a modicum of protection from the hot desert sun. 

They live for hundreds of years in desert environments - some of the harshest conditions nature presents - and some even bear flowers and fruit when they’re mature. By the way, cacti become fully mature at around 70 years old, so it’s completely acceptable if you’re hesitant about being a “mature adult” sometimes. In cactus years, we’re all still young.

The cactus symbolizes endurance, strength, and perseverance. They’re truly adaptable to almost any situation. These are all characteristics I think about when I think about people. 

We’ve all experienced the throes of hardship at some point, right? We’ve all been in survival mode at least to some extent. It’s only once we move through and heal that we can begin to live and thrive. 

People, like cacti, are wonderfully varied and often go through transformative periods. We both survive under great odds and thrive where others wilt under pressure. When you think about it, it’s pretty incredible. 

That’s where the Capturing Your Confidence cactus came from. As for me…I’m definitely a little obsessed now. 

What does writing have to do with cacti?

On the surface, not much. But, when you dig a little deeper, it starts to make more sense. 

Writing often feels dangerous, like it might hurt you if you approach it the wrong way. Cacti are, for the most part, covered in small spikes - not exactly something you want to cuddle with. 

When you’re drained and stressed and burned out, creativity seems like it might be a good outlet. But…what if you do it wrong? What if it’s not enough? What if it feels like just another thing on your already way-too-long list? Cacti spend weeks and months in the desert with no water, surviving on their own water supply, which is impressive and sad at the same time. When it does rain, the Saguaro cactus can soak in up to 60 gallons of water. In the same way, life sometimes is almost unbearably heavy. And yet, we survive. Using writing to express yourself can be a much-needed outlet that helps you bear the weight of life. 

Finally, writing can take on any number of forms. Short, long, with pictures, poems, books, and everything in between. Cactus plants come in all shapes and sizes. They’re all pretty neat in their own way, just like writing.

You live in the Midwest, right? So…not anywhere near a real cactus.

Yep! I was born and raised in Indiana and my husband and I (+ our two best boys) live here. 

But, I’ve seen real cacti in the wild when traveling and was duly awed. I also recently acquired a cuddly cactus which I’m in love with – she’s so cute. 

As I continue to do research, I become more fascinated. Just this week I went to the library on the hunt for a book about cacti for something else I’m working on.

Do you really believe people have the same qualities as a cactus? 

100%. 

The technology we have today allows for amazing things in the way of connecting with people all over the world. But, it’s also disconnected us from our environment and nature. I think we can all learn a lot from slowing down and observing what other kinds of creatures and organisms do to survive and thrive.

Cacti provide a wonderful example because they are such true survivors. In the same way, people have an extraordinary ability to survive even in the worst environments we can imagine. The way the mind can process and compartmentalize and still find a way to function - wow.

So, yes. We may not have (visible) spines or stand out in the desert, but we are a lot like cacti in other ways. 

I want to explore my inner cactus strength with writing coaching, what do I do next? 

I’m so excited for you! Let’s do it.

The first step is to read about the options here and book a 15-min call with me to make sure we’re a good match. Fair warning, I’m not about tough love (I mean, I just compared us to cacti, that’s not the vibe). So if that’s what you’re looking for, I’m probably not the coach for you. 

BUT, if you don’t mind *some* woo and you’re looking for someone to guide your creativity and writing out of the burnout/stressed out/stuck desert you’re in, I’m your gal. Grab a chat so you don’t have to try to figure everything out on your own.