Have you ever heard someone say “Hello Sunshine” when they were speaking to you or someone else?  It always makes me SMILE when I hear that.  But why do people say it, what do they mean?

Sunshine signifies CHEERFULNESS and happiness.  Have you ever wondered why?  It’s because we need some actual sunshine.  Just a little bit will help LIFT your mood.  Have you noticed that a cloudy day can make you tired, feel gloomy, just no desire to do anything?  You see, just having a MODERATE exposure to sunshine can have a POSITIVE impact on both your mind and body.  There’s a hormone called serotonin that has been nicknamed the “HAPPY HORMONE”.  Why?  Because exposure to sunlight TRIGGERS a release of serotonin in your brain.  That release has been known to generate not only a BOOST in your mood, but it can help you feel calm and focused.

So SUNSHINE - not to be confused with a suntan or sunburn - is good for your SOUL.  It can uplift your SPIRIT.  But sometimes even with sunshine we don’t feel uplifted, in fact we can still feel lonely, depressed, invisible.  I think everybody feels that way at times.  How can we fix that?  Well my friends, some days you just have to CREATE your own sunshine.  Focus on what is good in your life.  Is that hard?  It may feel impossible to find anything good in your life.  I get you!  Sometimes it feels like the world is crashing down all around you.  Ok then, LOOK around you!  Go OUTSIDE and look at the sky, the grass, the trees, flowers, birds, squirrels, butterflies - whatever is LITERALLY right in front of you!  If you live in the city where you are surrounded by tall buildings and paved roads you might not be able to see all of these things, but what do you see?  The sky is still there, birds are still there.  There may be noise, but LISTEN to it.  There are MESSAGES for us even in the noisiness of life.  Go TALK to someone, even if it's a total stranger.  Strike up a conversation.  I know that may sound weird, but I find it helps just to say hello to someone.  And do you know what?  Maybe THAT person needs someone to talk to them, to let them know they are NOT invisible.  That’s right - YOU can be the sunshine they need.  Sometimes YOU have to be that source of cheerfulness and happiness for someone.  

Do you see the cup half empty or half full?  Do you see the sunshine or the clouds?  My friends, if you can’t find the sunshine, go BE the sunshine.  If you can find the sunshine, go RADIATE it to others.  BE the SUNSHINE to those around you - and to the world!

Have a fabulous week filled with sunshine my friends!