SUNSHINE AURA – self-esteem. self-love. self-actualization. 

Dear reader,

Not going to lie – this was a really tough week. Maybe a tough last two weeks, actually. It has felt like every single thing I have tried to do is a challenge, no matter if it was a big or small task. By Wednesday of this week, I was definitely feeling that desperation that creeps up from time to time, where your internal voice is just screaming to get out of the cyclical rut of doing daily life. If you are anything like me, the monotonous drone of wake, work, exercise, sleep, on repeat, eventually just crushes your spirit. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a simple, daily life if that is what you like. But I am finding, more so than ever, it just doesn’t fulfill me. I daydream often and yearn for more, envisioning travels to faraway lands, meeting new and interesting people, and taking part in thrilling activities I’ve never done before. The reality is that most of us are unable to just jet off somewhere new whenever we need to hit the refresh button. We have responsibilities here at home. We are trying to save and spend our money responsibly. Maybe if we are honest, we are a bit scared to get out of our comfort zone.

Then what is a person to do, when they are feeling trapped in the daily grind? This is advice you have likely heard before, and I hope you do not groan when you read it. Although I cannot claim to have an exact remedy to these feelings, I am starting to learn the value in seeing what is right in front of you. Further than that, getting out and discovering what is right in front of you. This does not have to be expensive, nor does it need to be time-consuming.

Learning to value what is right in front of you can be as simple as going for a walk, breathing in the fresh air, and feeling thankful for the present moment. If you need a bit more, it can be a fun day exploring your city on a free walking tour (like I just did yesterday!) and learning so many things you never knew. It could even be taking stock of all the blessings in your life, big and small. Petting your dog, listing out your accomplishments, thanking your amazing family & friends for being there for you, learning to cook something new, sitting out on the porch with a cup of tea or glass of wine. Anything that gets you out of your head and into the present moment is a good place to start.

The darker side to daydreaming too often is missing out on what wonderful things you already have in your life. You probably have at least one person who you can really count on. You know they love you and want what is best for you, and are always one call away if you need advice or someone to laugh with. And if you are lucky, you have several people in your life like this. Further, if you are reading this then I assume you have access to a phone or computer, which is another thing to be thankful for. Social media can be a nightmare, but at its best, it can be a powerful tool for connection. We can see what the rest of the world is up to and get inspired to try similar things, or it can spark a new idea within you. If you are able to wake up each day, shower, go to school or work, eat balanced meals, drink clean water, and go to sleep each night with relative peace, then you have some of the ultimate blessings in life. It may not always feel like it, but I would bet in this moment, you are living the life your past self only ever dreamed you would attain. Show some love for where you are at and how far you came to get here.

Yesterday, at the height of feeling desperate to get out of the humdrum of doing the same thing each day, I took a day off work. I used that PTO (which I encourage you all to do as often as you can), and I went into downtown for a free walking tour. After that, I toured the home of a pretty amazing, charitable, and ahead-of-her-time woman who helped grow my city in ways I’ve never known. I learned so many things about my city in just a day. I was inspired, appalled, awed, and giddy with the adventure. I was fully in the present moment all day, bopping around from site to site, listening to our awesome guide tell stories about people and places I either never knew about, or some I only had limited knowledge. It was cool to learn all of these stories and visit all of these sites that have been here the whole time, within my reach, but totally uncovered until yesterday.

As I settled down for my nightly routine I thought to myself, what else am I missing? Are there more things within my grasp I am totally missing out on? And if so, what can I change in my life so I can engage more with those things?

After giving it quite a bit of thought, I came up with a list. This is certainly not exhaustive, but here are three things I think we can all do right now to help see the value in what is right in front of us, and maybe even transform our lives:

1. Stay present in the now. Get outside your head and into your body. You can do this by practicing breath work, taking a walk, or even going on a new adventure.
2. See the value in what you already have. Simply: count your blessings!
3. Take every opportunity to discover what is currently around you. This could look like going on a free walking tour of your city. Picking up a book at the library about the history of your town. Check out the new coffee shop around the corner.

Let me know in the comments what other ideas you have, and if any of the things on this list already work well for you.

With love,

Kayla