Life Lessons From Sunflowers: Always Turn To The Light
We can get life lessons from sunflowers and try to emulate their instinct to constantly seek sunlight, get nourishment and grow in beauty and strength. But also remember that your true sun is not a star you are moving around. It is inside you, so look for it, notice it and follow its instinct.
The folk tales from many cultures about sunflowers are interesting and magical. They are often associated with truth, honesty and loyalty. It is also said that if one is in doubt about something, then one should just take a sunflower from the field right at sunset. Then place it under one’s pillow. When you wake up in the morning, everything will be ready.
The legend of Clytia
But this positive controversy loses a bit of its luster when looking at Greek mythology. According to classical legend, the young water nymph, Clytia *, was hopelessly in love with the sun god, Helios. She was also in love with the light he emitted every time he came past her. She admired his strength and beauty. But he noticed her never gave her no attention.
The days turned into months, the months into years, until Klytia lost her appearance as a water nymph and began to take root. She grew firmly in the ground, and beautiful golden leaves grew out of her beautiful face. The time and loyalty she displayed in her unconditional love turned her into a sunflower. A beautiful creature whose sole purpose was to follow the object of his impossible love with the gaze: Helios.
Sometimes, as this legend explains, we focus our gaze and longings on impossible goals. Therefore, we need to pay attention to turning on our inner light. It is better to lead us than the outer ones.
Life lessons from sunflowers: searching for the best opportunities
Life takes many turns, just as sunflowers turn themselves to follow the light of the sun with their natural magic. But it is clear that we do not have a natural instinct in our DNA to search towards such a positivity. We are not moving naturally towards new opportunities or changes that will make us grow. Initiatives that will improve us and make us happier.
Every day, people move through fields, sown with the seeds of uncertainty and the weeds of fear. There is no North Star to lead us. So we almost have to turn on our inner light to guide us through paths where nothing is guaranteed. Where nothing is safe or convenient.
Richard Wiseman is a psychologist at the University of Hertfordshire and author of interesting books such as 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot and The Luck Factor. He explains in the latter how important the emotional state is in attracting or repelling luck. It is far from magic, but just a mental attitude and being open to new possibilities. Being open to the rays of light where chance and even luck can be to our advantage.
You create your own luck
Elizabeth Nutt Williams is a professor of psychology and researcher at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She conducted a very interesting study on “luck”. She tried to describe the factors and characteristics that describe people who more often experience happiness and unexpected luck. It is often something we associate with fate or even magic.
She demonstrated, for example, that people who seem to be lucky were more open, resilient, problem-solving, and positive. They had more confidence, innovation and creativity. They were less neurotic, anxious, suffered less from guilt and anger.
From this one can conclude that if we want to create our own luck, then we must turn on our inner light. As a beacon, we must let it lead us toward personal satisfaction and well-being. We need to access the l ife from a more relaxed perspective.
Let’s avoid being like Klytia. Despite her poetic history, she is a clear example of someone who has focused all her energy and emotions on an impossible dream. Let us be like sunflowers, made of light, positivity, happiness, self-confidence. With the ability to illuminate our own path. This will lead us to true happiness.
* The German name .
Pictures of Veronica Minozzi
