Here in the UK we typically get some lovely sunny and warm weather mixed with days where it feels damp, cold and miserable. It is amazing how different people are when it is sunny. I am lucky enough to be able to walk through my local park each morning to get to work and on sunny days everyone is much happier. Dog walkers and joggers smile and everything is good – the animals even seem happier. It’s hard to feel sad when the sun is shining.
Compare this with the miserable frowns people have etched on their faces when they walk past me on a dull, grey morning. All sorts of research has proven that the sun makes us feel better and there is actually a medical disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly named SAD for short) where people become depressed by the lack of daylight. People with this disorder are depressed for most of the winter. Doctors recommend getting outside in the daylight as much as possible. This is difficult if you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, but trying to get outside in your lunch hour is a must if if you are a sufferer. Other things include getting enough vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin D, and using one of those lamps which wakes you up gradually by simulating sunlight.
I am a firm believer in feeling good and keeping a positive outlook and, although I don’t suffer from SAD, I like to get outside as much as I can, even in the miserable weather. Another thing that makes me feel good about sunny weather is the carefree feeling it gives you. When you think about it though, you can get this same feeling by changing your thoughts. NLP is one area which can help with this. One of the principles of NLP is that your thoughts affect your reality. It states that a situation is just a situation – it is your thoughts about it that make a difference to your moods. Think about it this way; a huge downpour of rain may be a pain if your day trip to the beach is ruined but for farmers who have had months without rain, it will be a relief. The rain is the situation but people have different outcomes based on their thoughts about it.
The next time you wake up to a dull, grey day, don’t let it get you down. Instead, imagine how you would feel if it were sunny and get into that mood. This will not only help you feel good – it will have a positive effect on the rest of your day as we all know by now that your focus becomes your reality.