Valentine’s Day is over and it’s Feb 22, a date on the calendar when it’s easy to catch the WINTER BLAHS. The scents of pine and pumpkin spice are tucked away, the trees in town are naked, you’re burnt out on soup, and summertime feels like a distant dream. If you’re in Texas or somewhere else where blizzards are raging, it might seem all the more impossible to radiate sunshine vibes. No matter how serious your case of the blahs, today I’m posting a handful of ideas to help you infuse your soul summery goodness. Cause the thing is, when you exude sunshine from the inside-out, it’s easier to smile. It’s easier to eat. It’s easier to kick your inner critic to the curb and to recognize your innate awesomeness.
I didn’t realize channeling sunshine is important during my twenties. Rather, I reveled in midwinter blues with the messed-up belief that simple pleasures are for weak and lazy women. Winter presented an opportunity to crank up my productivity while reducing my caloric intake. Thankfully, however, once I reached out for help, my eyes opened and my mind became clear. On a path towards Recovery, I embraced this mantra: I am good enough and I deserve to enjoy life! Our world needs winter to prepare for the beauty of spring. Our hearts, however, crave warmth and light throughout the year, regardless of our achievements. Truly, this life is yours to fill up with love, laughter, and pleasurable experiences.
There’s a beachy açaí bowl spot near my parents’ house in Oahu called The Sunrise Shack (pictured!). Their açaí is tasty, but it’s the shack’s bright yellow decor and a sunshine face on the wall that keeps me coming back. While a ticket to paradise might be hard to come by, here are some ways to give yourself a jolt of February sunshine…
1- Build a bomb tropical fruit bowl! One of our fav weekend brunches is to load bowls with vanilla yogurt, bananas, orange slices, pineapple, and mangos. Top it off with some toasted coconut flakes and you’re in the tropics!
2- Create a playlist that makes you want to get up and dance—hula skirt optional… 😉 Here’s a Spotify playlist to get you started: Sunshine Playlist
3- My girlfriend sent me a care package years ago filled with happy yellow items from Target when I was going through a breakup that instantly brightened my world! Giving gifts always makes us feel better, so consider if there’s someone in your life that might benefit from a box of sunshine… you’ll feel rad just putting it together!
4- Ever watched an old school surf movie? They might be super-duper cheesy, but it’s hard to feel the BLAHS when you’re watching a 1960s Gidget flick w/ an old school bowl of neon sherbet! This list is pretty legit: Beach Movies
5- Turn your apartment/space into an island spa! Buy a beachy candle, grab some coconut oil, fill up that bubble bath and then, RELAX.
It’s crazy how one activity has the power to not just brighten your day, but to shift your whole perspective on life. So let the sun shine in and remember, you deserve to feel happy from the inside out Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall…. XO
