From Grey To Blue Skies

From Grey To Blue Skies

by Allen Merritt (2017)

As I write today I'm sitting outside on a little patio. It's a beautiful sunny day and the sky is blue. I'm looking out across desert landscape and there are several small critters: butterflies, bugs, hummingbirds, rabbits, geckos and chipmunk/prairie dogs. It's a refreshing change after flying into Arizona yesterday from cold and wet Seattle.

It's interesting when you think of how grey skies can effect how you feel about the day, especially if that grey is ongoing for several days in a row. I'm a sunshine person. I know for a fact weather has an impact on my mood and how I feel about the day, as well as my life as a whole. 

So today I want to talk about how the world effects and impacts our daily living; and how we make the most of the day by taking advantage of opportunities to see more than what is really there...beyond the clouds. And, I just want to share what that is for me. If it helps other people have more of a positive attitude toward their daily living, than I'm happy to share. How do you put yourself in a position where you are at your best, as well as your happiest when skies appear grey?

For me it starts with waking up to a beautiful day.

What is a beautiful day?

For me, it is comfortable weather where I can go out and explore.  If I can get out in the morning, go for a walk or a run and take care of myself, than I am most definitely off to a positive start. Then I can carry on that healthy attitude for the rest of the day. 

There's nothing like hearing the birds sing when you wake up in the morning, enjoy a little peace and quiet or a little alone time with yourself. Of course that doesn't mean that when the rain does come and the clouds fill the sky you can't have a good day. It simply means you don't want to be inhibited by it all the time. So self-awareness is a big step toward having a happy day. I see this as the chance to take a break and drink in the sunshine, whether it's actual sunshine or a figurative sunshine emanating from your soul.

We need to give ourselves a break. We need to take care of ourselves. In fact, I saw a sign on the train to the airport yesterday that said just that. “Take care of yourself.” And the truth is if we're broken people in our everyday then how can we be helpful to other people or inspire other people to have any better of a day. So take care of yourself and then you might be able to help others by being their inspiration. It makes sense if you think about it.

Taking care to take care also gives us an opportunity to recognize that there's more to life than just what we're doing. You get out and about, you experience the world for what it has to offer and you recognize each day as beautiful. Is today a beautiful day for you? Some people thrive in a cooler wet environment. Where do you fit in and what are your preferences? Maybe grey skies equals a blue sky to you! If so, that is your beautiful day.

Maybe the idea of cultivating positivity toward making each day worthwhile starts with understanding more about what you are attending to. Where is your focus? What are paying attention to?

We all have busy lives, things to do and things that were put in the middle of that take us away from our true self.

Let’s not do that today! Today I just want to remind everyone including myself how important it is to step away for just a moment and to figure out where you're at. Take stock in it. How has your week been? Has it been blue skies and sunshine? What kind of crazy things have happened and what kind of lessons are there for which to learn from? Are the choices we're making and the decisions were making good ones?  Are there moments we need to open up our eyes to and discover better ways for which to navigate through? 

In the end it doesn't matter where we are or what kind of weather we're having nor what the environment is. It's where our heart, mind, soul and spirit rests while we're within that environment even if it's just for a short time. 

If you make the most of where you are, then you can move on from there. That's where positivity steps in. After all, not every day is going to be actual blue skies and sunshine. I can attest to that because over the last week I rode a roller coaster of a ride dipping through grey skies and rain; from cold to blue skies; to sunshine and warmth. Within one week I've experienced drastic changes. It affects who I am as a person and it puts me in a position of making decisions and choices which may be a little different than what I would normally choose. However, they are still part of who I am.

I still promote being the best person I can possibly be in the midst of making those choices or being in those environments. I think that's one key element in staying positive: recognizing who you are in the midst of everything. Recognizing that you're trying to DO the best you can, trying to BE the best you can and staying on top of being positive.

It's a journey. Will your journey be positive? Or will you choose to just wallow in misery? How would you respond, that is the question?

Not sure if I am making any sense this week, but I am aiming for more blue skies in the midst of it all! Won't you do the same?

Go out and have a great week...on a positive note.

Cheers!