Self-Care Experiment #4 - Morning sunlight

I’m on a mission to try a new self-care habit every week and report back—not in a perfect, influencer way, but in a real, human, sometimes hilarious way. This week? I tried that wellness advice you’ve probably heard before: get sunlight first thing in the morning.

Here’s how it went...

Day 1
Sitting outside for five minutes confused the heck out of my dog. He stared at me like, “Are you okay?” and I felt kind of guilty. Not the vibe I was going for.

Day 2
I enjoyed the freshness in the air and the sound of the water feature, especially after a rough night’s sleep (thanks, mozzie). I did my word games while watching the sun rise through the clouds… until the garbage trucks arrived. Classic serenity sabotage.

Day 3
I woke up extra early. It was cold—and lovely. There’s something so grounding about watching the light change as the world slowly wakes up.

Day 4
A peaceful, uneventful morning. Just… lovely.

Day 5
Four mozzie bites in three minutes. I fled the scene like it was a crime drama.

Day 6
Moody, windy, and dark this morning. At first I didn’t want to go out, but then I remembered—I was under the patio. I was safe and protected. Kind of a metaphor for life, really. Even when things feel stormy, we can create shelter for ourselves.

Day 7
No sunlight. Just rain. So I went back to bed with a cup of tea and read a chapter of my book—and honestly? That was the most energising start of the week. Permission granted to do what actually works for you.

Final thoughts

So was this a life-changing habit? Maybe not. But parts of it were beautiful, and other parts reminded me that self-care isn’t always sunshine and birdsong—it’s trial and error. And sometimes, mozzie spray.

My Verdict - Not my vibe. But if you’re a morning person or love feeling a bit smug by 7am, give it a try.

Want to try your own experiment?

If you're curious about starting your own self-care habit, grab my free printable habit tracker. It includes:

• A pre-filled exercise version (if movement is your thing)

• A blank version so you can track whatever habit you’re trying—like morning sunlight or reading in bed

Download it here: Click for the tracker.