what's affirming as a phytanthrope
making this as sort of a resource (you can alter and apply it to other phytantypes), sort of a documentation, and sort of a way to brainstorm things i haven't done before! it's also practice for making a similar thing for my linktype that i don't really know how to go about linking yet.
i am a coast redwood phytanthrope and have a redwood sorrel paratype because of it!
🌿 🌿 🌿 🌿
research
i love reading about what makes coastal redwoods unique! bonus points if you can get a poster or pamphlet with facts on it. which brings me to...
decor
consider adding some decorations to your space. personally i only have this in the form of stars on my ceiling (which also helps with other types), but it makes it feel a bit more like home
take care of what's around you
this one is super vague but i mean like, personally, part of being a tree is protecting all the plants and animals that rely on me for shelter, shade, etc. this could look like taking care of a houseplant, having stuffed animals of species that live in your forests, or even caring for your current ecosystem by going outside and doing volunteer work. i guess taking care of a pet would also be affirming, but please don't get a pet just because you're a tree lol.
gear
i used to think there wasn't a lot of gear out there for phytanthropes but: flower/stick crowns, rings in the shape of leaves/plants (i have one of those), floral print clothing, clothing/jewelry the color of your phytantype (i have a bracelet and some dark red, brown, and green clothing that's super affirming), charms of your type on jewelry (leaves, flowers, etc), anything wearable that relates to the sun, and so much more! there also might be more abstract things related to your type, for example i have a moonstone necklace that i like because it reminds me of fog, which coastal redwoods need for hydration!
sensory
this is kind of a broad suggestion as well, but i just mean having things that appeal to your senses. for smell, perfume/candles/incense of your phytantype/the atmosphere around your phytantype. for touch, clothes/accessories/fidgets that have similar textures to your phytantype (personally i really want a particular type of fuzzy sweater because redwood bark is fuzzy). for hearing, look up ambient sounds of where your phytantype grows (redwood forests for me). sight is kind of covered in my previous sections, and taste is covered in the next one!
food
i know most of us get our food from roots, but there's some ways to get creative with mimicking that: worms in dirt (a dessert, like you're getting nutrients from dirt), floral drinks/ice cream (think like you're tasting remnants of decomposed flowers, personally i like rose tea), food that relates to where your phytantype grows (like specific berries, nuts, animals, etc), and food that relates to unique traits your phytantype has (for ex. i like drinks with "fog" or "cloud" in the name). also, hydrate!! water yourself!!
activities
the obvious one is be in the sun for a while, which i love to do, but here are some others: sit on a swing and sway gently in the breeze, look at bugs (but don't bother them-- i used to just sit in a field and watch bees buzz around me), make art/crafts of your phytantype, write about it, read a book set in the place your phytantype grows, make/listen to a playlist that feels like your phytantype, etc.
conservation
look into organizations that work on the conservation of your phytantype and get involved! whether it's joining it, donating, spreading awareness, or doing other actions the organization recommends like calling/sending letters to representatives.
pronouns/names
being referred to as something you associate with your phytanthropy can be very affirming! a generic example would be sun/sunself pronouns since we photosynthesize, but i recommend looking into things more specific to your phytantype. personally, i've thought of names like Sequoia, Sorrel, and Coniferous. some pronoun ideas, off the top of my head from what i know about my phytantype, are fog/fogself, sorrel/sorrelself, fire/fireself, and hollow/hollowself.
that's all i got!! feel free to reblog with more ideas