Saving the Day

This weekend marks that time of year where we spring forward and change the clocks for daylight savings time. My immediate thought about this day tends to be negative – we lose an hour of sleep, on a Sunday!

Why does my brain instantly sway to what I don’t like or want when there are so many good things associated with changing the clocks ahead one hour? I’m writing this blog intentionally to demonstrate how I’m reframing my negative thought process into a more upbeat and positive outlook. How I’m finding my peace by gaining perspective.

Reframing thoughts is a great way to flip the switch and see that there is more than one way to look at a situation. Yes, we do indeed “lose” and hour of sleep when we move the clocks ahead one hour. However, we also gain an hour of sunlight to our days. The sun will now be setting later in the evening with each passing day. Warmer weather and jacket-free mornings are not far off in the distance. The ability to spend time outside with friends and loved ones can start filling our calendars.

This weekend also marks the anniversary of having to go into lockdown and quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic. Another situation where my brain immediately runs – actually sprints! – to all the bad that occurred this last year.

In these last twelve months we faced isolation, separation, disease, depression, anxiety, loss, and so on. But, here we are. We have made it, we have overcome, and we have learned. We have grown through all the we have experienced this last year.

I am making the effort to reframe my thoughts to look at all the positive that surrounds me each day. It may have been far from an ideal year but the sun continues to shine. The sun will keep shining as the days get longer with daylight savings time.