The Chronicles Of Nay

Happy Thursday evening friends, family and readers!  I hope that everyone had a good week! We almost made it! Just one more day! 

So as most of you know I really struggled in 2020 with my mental health. I was struggling with all the isolation and then when I got back into “public” if you will I was struggling to feel part of it again! I really feel like the devil knew what awesomeness God had in store for me this year and was trying to keep me down! The last week before we left for Christmas break I had an idea. I set up a bulletin board in my classroom and the title is Find the sunshine. It went through a few different names because I couldn’t find enough letters to write what I did want to say! Haha anyway it works is I have a google form that I have sent out to my students encouraging them to find the sunshine. I know that everyone is struggling but there is always something to be thankful for if we just look. Even when it rains there are those little rays of sunshine that shine through the clouds. I know that usually when we are in the thick of things we don’t see the sunshine. However, I am making a conscious effort to see the sunshine! 

I have really enjoyed seeing my students sunshine. The sunshine in their life is everything from them getting an xbox or PS5 for Christmas to they are alive or someone in their family recovered from Covid. I found out that one of my students recently got a girlfriend, one of them doesn’t live with the three sisters but they all got to spend time together Christmas. One of them said that the sunshine they have found was that life is getting better! Some of them have found new friends, one of them is moving into a new house. One of them got a new puppy, one of them has a new baby brother, one of them likes the new hair cut they got! 

Quite a few years ago I wrote a blog about being grateful for everything. I have sort of been using the terms finding the sunshine and grateful interchangeably. Here is an excerpt from the blog I wrote a few years ago: We always have something to complain about “it’s cold outside” “It’s hot outside” “I hate my job” “I hate traffic” “people don’t know how to drive” “that person smells funny” “that person is a jerk to me” (sadly I think I said 4 of those today! Haha and yes someone smelling funny was one of them!) But when was the last time we stopped complaining and saw the good? I mean “I got to wear my new jacket today because it was cold” “I got to wear my new sandals today because it was hot” “someone at work made me smile today” “I got to listen to my favorite song (twice) while sitting in traffic!” “It’s a good thing I have ninja reflexes that person could have hit me!” “I am glad I know about and use deodorant!” God has given me so much and I want him to know I appreciate it all! It is a mindset for sure to take the crap that is happening and find the sunshine in it.  I have been working really hard to find the sunshine! When I complain, because I still do, I have been forcing myself to find 2 good things for every bad! Sometimes it is hard when all you want to do is kick and scream and be upset. The goal isn’t to stop complaining, but maybe to remember that there is good around me too! I encourage you to try it. To try to find the sunshine when it’s only easy to find the clouds! What sunshine have you found recently? Tell me in the comments. I want to know!