I’m often asked how I came up with the name for my litetherapy site. Is it just about sharing ideas and information to make life a little brighter? A play-on-words with light therapy – the beneficial treatment that uses daylight or artificial light to boost mood during darker months? A more light-hearted resource for those who find traditional therapy too stigmatic? Something else?

Well friends, it’s all of the above – but it’s that “something else” component I’ve personally found most valuable during these recent COVID months.

There’s tons of content out in the world about happiness – finding happiness, being happy, and now even toxic happiness for those who have had just about enough of all the happiness talk! I do love all things positive, though, having devoted numerous hours of study to the science of well-being. What I’ve come to realize over the years is that having an overall sense of wellness comes down to finding the right tool or tools that enable an internal deep dive.

We all possess a light within and it’s in the discovering or re-discovering it that taps into our happy place. I’m talking about that moment in which you are fully present, logically recognize yourself as an individual who must be here for a reason, and feel a sense of peace in this awareness. It’s regularly connecting with that kind of light – the light within – that has proven to be my wellness weapon.

So how does one go about connecting with this light? If you already know what works for you, then yay! Please share it below in the comments to inspire others on their light therapy journey. For those who aren’t yet sure, I recommend exploring different strategies. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another so trial and error is key.

For me, it’s regularly finding time first thing in the morning to sit quietly with my coffee as an opportunity for self-reflection and inspiration (even if that means getting up super early before the rest of the house!), or getting outside for a walk or swim later in the day to clear my mental cobwebs. While daily practice isn’t always an option or reality (and that’s okay when it isn’t!), it’s the shooting for consistency that I’ve found to be key in reaching my inner light.

For some, I know it’s journaling or yoga that enables them to reach their happy place and feel more centered. For others, it’s singing, dancing, reading, painting, cooking, fishing, meditating (even focusing on the breath for just a few moments), practicing being more present (mindfulness)…there are many possibilities. But I do believe we all have the ability to reach that desired peaceful state – even if only for a few fleeting moments at a time – when we put our minds to it.

The greatest news about this kind of light therapy is that you can start today. To quote one of my favorite motivational speakers, Wayne Dyer, “Everything you need you already have.”

If you have lungs, go ahead and download a breathing or meditation app to see if that is your thing. If you have feet and a pair of shoes, get outside and walk. If you have paper and a pencil, start journaling in a quiet place for a short while and build up to longer sessions. The key is to try different tools until you feel some type of connection. Once you find something that resonates, continue with that activity and turn the practice into a habit.

So what do you say? Ready to take a deep dive and explore that light within? I think you’ll be happier for it.