Find the Sunshine

Controlling the sun may seem like an impossible task, but in our daily lives, we wield that power. 

Just as the sun's warmth and magic uplift us, we have the ability to infuse our days with sunshine, irrespective of external conditions. 

Yet, amidst this pursuit, we often face a blizzard of thoughts within our minds—darting, fleeting, and sometimes immobilizing. This evolutionary bias towards negativity, while once essential for survival, now burdens us with unnecessary stress.

According to the National Science Institute, a staggering 80% of our thoughts lean negative, perpetuating a cycle of stress and anxiety. 

However, we hold the key to breaking free from this pattern. By choosing our thoughts deliberately, like selecting our daily attire, we can significantly impact our mental and emotional well-being.

Consider the power of a single negative thought that produces a surge of cortisol that floods our bodies, plunging us into a state of stress. 

Yet, positive thoughts, like rays of sunlight, release oxytocin, fostering feelings of empowerment and control.

Establishing a morning routine devoid of immediate phone use sets the stage for a day infused with positivity.  To start, leave that phone away from your bedside table (because you know what happens when that's the first thing you pick up in the morning).

Give yourself time in the morning upon waking.  Before you even get out of bed, just start thinking about all those things you are grateful for.  

Heck,  even your cozy bed, with its silky soft sheets and the most comfortable pillow, can be something to be grateful for. Let those positive thoughts begin to flow.

Protect those first few minutes after waking for actions that will be soothing, comforting, and well serving for you.

It can be getting on the floor to stretch for a few minutes … 

or splashing some cold water on your face and feeling grateful for how that feels, then looking at yourself in the mirror and giving yourself a high five, …

or it could be going into your kitchen, and making a cup of coffee or tea, then walking outside and sitting in the sunshine for a few minutes to breathe in the sights, sounds and smells around you… 

or sitting in a quiet corner,  journaling or reading - whatever will set the right positive tone for you for the day.

Oxytocin and cortisol engage in a perpetual seesaw battle within us. When we consciously cultivate positive emotions and gratitude, we tilt the scales in favor of oxytocin, diminishing stress and promoting well-being. 

While cortisol serves vital functions, chronic stress can undermine our physical and mental health, necessitating proactive stress management strategies.  

Because cortisol is carried through the blood supply, it signals to the brain that there is a life and death situation present - and when that happens, our brain and body work to protect us.  That means laying down extra fat in the abdominal fat cells. If you have weight around your center - it can be a signal of chronic stress. 

Cortisol’s impact on the body is to erode our immunity.  And its impact on our brain forces us to go into low power mode.  

That means those higher order actions of processing … like thinking creatively and flexibly, solving complex problems, overriding our biases, regulating our emotions … just aren’t required if we’re in survival mode.

So again, immersing ourselves into a self care routine that we have established for ourselves, whatever it is, is a powerful tool for stress relief and self-awareness,  harnessing the transformative potential of mindfulness in our daily lives. 

The benefits are profound: improved decision-making, enhanced creativity, and deeper relationships, culminating in a sense of inner peace and contentment.

In moments of uncertainty, we find solace in focusing on the positive, on the sunnier side of life. By embracing sunshine—both metaphorically and literally—we foster a mindset of resilience, capability, and readiness to tackle whatever challenges may arise.