Let The Day In

Every morning, I open the curtains around the house. It’s one of those tasks I do automatically and don’t think about it once done. Day after day, myself or my husband go round the house opening the curtains allowing the day to enter our house. Sometimes I open them and have a look around at what is happening on the street or looking at the weather to decide what shoes to wear. You can learn a lot from looking out of your window.

The simple act of opening curtains can do so much for your day and get it off to a great start. Here is a number of things to do and think about the next time you open yours:

• Seeing the weather – rather than asking Alexa or looking at your phone, you can actually see what the weather is doing when you open the curtains. I know at this stage you will be fully dressed so knowing the weather will mainly be to help determine if you need to wear a jacket, a hat or scarf or if you need an umbrella or if you can wear the suede shoes or boots you love. But have you really looked at the weather, could you do this mindfully? Instead of looking at the rain and seeing only rain, notice if it is heavy rain or light rain or if the clouds are moving away fast or slow. We forget to pay attention to real life sometimes, your phone can give you far more details about the weather than you really need. But using your eyes for the immediate weather and paying attention to what is going on outside your own front door will make you aware of your surroundings.
• Noticing what is going on in your neighbourhood – I’m not asking you to go all nosy neighbour or be like James Stewart in Rear Window, what I am suggesting is notice what is happening. Before the pandemic, opening the curtains would show many people getting in their car and going to work, now, there is very little movement in my street as many people are working from home. Maybe you will see people walking their dogs or taking the milk in they’ve had delivered. I’m not suggesting you spend ages staring out of your window instead for the briefest of moments as you open the curtains, who or what do you notice happening in your street?
• Take a deep breath and begin your day – open the curtains with gusto, take a deep breath in and sigh it out. Today is going to be a good day. Make it a habit. Every time you open any curtains, pause and breathe deep. Set yourself up for the day and focus on your breathe. The first time you do it, notice how it makes you feel. How do you feel before and after? Become conscious of how you are breathing before you open the curtains, are you breathing shallow and fast or slow and deep. Use the time to reset your breathing and focus on this as you let the new day into your house.
• Time for a fresh start – every day is a brand new day. Forget what happened the day before and when you open the curtains, start afresh. So if you didn’t go to the gym or you ate that jar of Nutella the day before, then leave it in the past. Let it go and say to yourself, ‘today is a brand new day and I’m ready to enjoy the fun and challenges it brings’. Days can often blend into each other and before you know it weeks have past, so when you open the curtains and breathe deep welcome the new day and the new opportunities that lay ahead.
• Let the light in – when you open your curtains you are welcoming the day and letting the light in. The morning light brightens your room, If you are working from home then make sure you open the curtains in the room you are based so you can get as much natural light to enter the room as soon as the sun rises. This can affect your mood so try to sit near a window if possible.

Something as little as opening your curtains can as you can see have an impact on your day. So the next time you open your curtains, pay attention and make it a great start to your day.

Thank you for reading.

Have a great week and look after you.

Love Emma xx