You can do this challenge anytime or with other SPM group members from June 1 – 30. Read on for details! #firstlightchallenge
What is the first source of light you look at when you wake up?
For many of us, it’s the blue light of our phone screen… that modern extension of our brain and body that helps us know what to expect from the outside world each day.
I am a heavy phone user. From taking photos of my kids, to looking up recipes, to planning around the weather, to just not feeling so dang alone in this stay-at-home parenting journey because I can talk to another mom over social media, it’s quite the “lifeline” for me. Which is why I also realize that for my own wellbeing and mental resilience, I also need to be comfortable WITHOUT my phone.
Sometimes this is as simple as just starting my day without the phone… giving myself time to just “be” and take in the day without checking messages or doom scrolling. After all, we are human BEings, not human DOings! And that is what this “First Light” Challenge is about. I think this Pearls Before Swine comic by Stephan Pastis (April 23, 2023) sums it up best:
It’s a double-edged sword, isn’t it?
How to Do the Challenge
We aren’t overcomplicating this. You don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn. Whether you get up at 5am or 11 am, the goal is simply to not look at your phone right away. Try to make natural daylight the first light you see. Open your curtains first. Go outside. It could just be for 30 seconds before heading back inside to get children ready for school or yourself out the door for work. I like to do some grounding and get my bare feet on the grass too. This helps “reset” my system and wake me up!
So to summarize, my goal is to:
- Not look at my phone first thing.
- Get daylight on my face.
- Get my feet in the grass.
- Breathe in some fresh air.
- Have a few moments of mindfulness.
How you’ll benefit!
- Improve your circadian rhythm and get better sleep.
- Boost your body’s natural healing ability through grounding.
- Practice awareness of your personal screen habits.
- Build mental resilience to the stress of the modern world and current global uncertainties.
- Give yourself those precious first moments to breathe and just “be.”
Timeline for Group Participation
The official dates are June 1 – June 30, though you can do this anytime! I will do basic daily posts (or sometimes quick videos) in the Suburban Prepper Moms Facebook group, after I’ve done my own non-screen time in the morning. I encourage group members to also share their takeaways with the hashtag #firstlightchallenge and for the month of June we’ll have a prize draw that everyone who uses this hashtag will get entered in.
If you’re catching this halfway through the challenge, just jump in! Or if you want to do this at another time of the year, still share your insights with the group using the #firstlightchallenge hashtag.
For those not on Facebook, I will also be doing some Instagram Reels/TikToks and sending out some summary emails! And I always welcome e-mail feedback. You can still enter the challenge prize draw by subscribing to e-mails and e-mailing me back some of your reflections on the challenge.
Invite Friends
Stay motivated by having some challenge buddies! Share this webpage and invite others to join in with you.
Let’s do this!
xoxo
Kayleigh Rose
Your Suburban Prepper Mom friend
What previous participants have had to say…
I felt a greater connection not just to the earth and sun but the energy it provides. I have always enjoyed stopping and turning my face to the sun regardless of the time of year (even on thise gray winter days that the sun barely pushes through the clouds), I found the practice of doing it daily with intention had longer lasting effects. I really can’t put the feeling into words, but the closest I can describe it as is when you are carrying around tension in your shoulders and you take a deep breath and relax your shoulders — it was like that and helped set the tone for the day.
Christy T., Alberta
Such a good and healthful idea, on many levels. I loved establishing the habit of stepping outside to give thanks and greet the day, whatever the weather. (Breaking vestiges of the phone habit was a plus, too!)
Leslie B., Vermont
