The Magic of Turning Rainy Days into Special Ones

Hello, this is Yurippe🌸

I was actually supposed to post this on Saturday, but it got swapped with Sunday's article💦
So, I'm posting it on Sunday...

But since it was raining yesterday, it turned out to be a timely topic.

As I was looking out the window at a cafe, the way the raindrops were streaming down the glass looked somehow beautiful. Watching people walking with their umbrellas, I thought, 'Oh, that person's umbrella is a lovely color.'

Actually, a year ago, I hated rainy days.

'It's my day off, and this happens...'
'My hair is going to get ruined...'
'I just don't feel like doing anything...'

That's how I used to spend rainy days, feeling gloomy.

But it's different now. I've learned to enjoy rainy days as 'special days.' Today, let me share my little discovery with you.

By the way, it's easy for your mood to drop when it rains, but
the reason I can shift those feelings and get wonderful ideas
is because I started Threads and note.

Life with note has really changed me.
I've been making some profit from note, but
I think what I've gained is even greater.

Now, let's get back to the topic of rain👇

It's not your fault that you feel down on rainy days

First of all, I want to tell you that feeling down on a rainy day is by no means because you are weak-hearted.

In fact, it is said that there are about 110 to 124 rainy days a year in Japan. In other words, it rains about once every three days. We live with rainy days more than we think.

And there is a perfectly good reason why our mood sinks on rainy days.

When daylight hours decrease, the secretion of 'serotonin,' a happiness hormone in the brain, decreases. This has been made clear in psychological research. In other words, feeling 'somehow unmotivated' on a rainy day is a natural reaction from a scientific perspective.

I also had a time when I was mentally ill when I was a new graduate. While studying psychology at that time, I encountered this knowledge. I remember feeling a little relieved when I learned about the relationship between the weather and the mind, thinking, 'Ah, I was blaming myself too much.'

One day, I tried changing the color of my umbrella

The trigger for changing my view on rainy days was something really small.

I, who always used black or navy umbrellas, suddenly thought one day, 'Maybe I should buy a brightly colored umbrella.'

The first one I chose was a soft yellow umbrella.

The moment I stepped outside with the umbrella, I noticed something strange. Even though it was the same rain as always, just by having a different color in my field of vision, I found myself feeling brighter.

This was exactly what color psychology calls the 'effect of warm colors brightening one's mood.' Colors like yellow and orange have the power to lift your spirits just by looking at them.

Since then, my umbrella has become a part of my rainy-day fashion. Now, choosing an umbrella color to match my mood or outfit—pink, light blue, orange—has become a small joy on rainy days.

Working in the apparel industry, I really feel that colors have a mysterious power. When customers wear colors they don't usually wear, even their expressions seem to change. Umbrellas are the same; just by carrying a bright color, a gloomy rainy day turns into a 'slightly special day.'

However, when I talked about this on Threads, a male follower said,

And...
True.
How about trying brighter colors for clothes, or enjoying colors through small accessories?
Actually, maybe having a different colored smartphone case would be good too.

What do you think?

Morning activities are pleasant precisely because it's a rainy day

I cherish my morning activity time every day from 5:00 to 6:00 AM.

I brew hot coffee, disconnect from my smartphone, and do a digital detox. I spend quiet time alone reading. This habit started as a way to find topics for my note posts, but now it has become time for self-investment.

And, morning activities on a rainy day have a different kind of comfort compared to sunny days.

The sound of rain heard from the window. Did you know that this actually has a rhythm called '1/f fluctuation' that relaxes the mind? Just like the murmuring of a stream or the sound of waves, the sound of rain has the effect of naturally calming people's hearts.

On rainy mornings, I feel like I can turn the pages a little more slowly than usual. Since it's not busy outside, it's easier to get immersed in the world of a book. The warmth of the coffee also feels like it soaks into my heart more than usual.

It's my daily routine to go for a run from 6:30, but on rainy days, I switch to stretching indoors. This is also a choice not to push myself. I used to think, 'I have to run every day,' but now I've come to see rainy days as 'days to face my body.'

A rainy afternoon spent at a cafe

On my days off, like Thursdays or Saturdays, I've started to think, 'Today is a perfect day for a cafe,' when it's raining.

I have a few favorite cafes in my neighborhood, and on rainy days, I go there to write articles for my note. Sitting at a window seat, facing my computer while watching the rain—for some reason, I can focus so well during these times.

On sunny days, I feel like I 'have to go out' or 'should be spending my time more actively,' but on rainy days, I can confidently take my time at a cafe. This 'guilt-free rest' is actually something very important.

Working in customer service, I've noticed something. The customers who come to the shop have a different look on their faces on rainy days compared to sunny ones.

On sunny days, many people have a clear purpose, like 'I want to see this and that.' But on rainy days, more people take their time browsing the shop, thinking, 'I wonder what they have.'

It might be because they are taking shelter from the rain, and
since it's often less crowded, perhaps they feel more relaxed.

Small adjustments can change a rainy day

You don't need to do anything big to turn a rainy day into a special one. With really small adjustments, your mindset will change.

When you wake up in the morning, even if it's raining, open the curtains to let in natural light. Even on a cloudy day, it's brighter than inside. Just doing this can support serotonin production.

What I do is prepare a 'reward' specifically for rainy days. Like my favorite tea or a magazine I don't usually read. If I decide, 'I'll enjoy this when it rains,' then even when I see the rain forecast, I feel a little excited, thinking, 'Oh, I can do that tomorrow.'

By the way, yesterday I intentionally went out to a cafe I had been curious about.
'The reward was supposed to be pudding'
However, the wait was so long that I gave up and went to another shop.

And the shop I visited instead was wonderful.

The reward didn't end up being pudding, but
I encountered a wonderful shop✨

I'll write about the shop in another article.
And I feel like I was able to attract a special, good encounter.
It feels like because it was raining, I thought, 'I'm going to have a wonderful day,' and when I went out, I attracted it. And when I got home, I was able to encounter this article too.

When you are conscious of things like that, they are attracted to you one after another.

Oh, it's not a religion or anything like that💦
I simply believe that there is a law where if you believe and take action, your subconscious mind attracts connections.

Also,
I try to choose bright colors for my loungewear on rainy days too. Precisely because I'm not going out, I lift my spirits just for myself. How you spend time when no one is watching—that is actually the very way you face yourself.

I believe that positive thinking starts with thinking, 'I'm glad.'

'I'm glad it's raining.'

At first, it might be forced.
But, try thinking about 'why it was good' afterward.

"I was able to do some reading I usually can't."
"I was able to rest properly."
"My new umbrella finally got some use."
"I was able to clean my room."

Surprisingly, you can find a lot of little "good things".

Rainy days are a gift that allows you to face yourself.

Living in Tokyo, every day is just so busy.
Work, relationships, social media... there's a constant feeling of being chased by something.

But rainy days allow us to pause for a moment.

A day when you can be kinder to yourself because "it's raining today." A day when you don't have to feel guilty about changing your plans. A day when it's okay to choose to spend time slowly.

Having experienced mental health struggles myself, I truly understand the importance of this "time to pause." If you only ever seek out sunny days, you're bound to get exhausted at some point.

Because there are rainy days, sunny days shine even brighter. Because there are quiet times, you can enjoy lively times even more.

"Will this choice make the me of one year from now smile?"

This is the decision-making standard I always cherish. The same applies to how I spend a rainy day. Rather than forcing myself to go out and getting sick, I decide to rest today. That choice might just protect the heart and body of the me one year from now.

Making rainy days your ally

As long as we live in Japan, we have to live with the rain. In a country where it rains once every three days, if you hate rainy days, one-third of your life will be spent in gloom.

If that's the case, I think you can live much more happily if you make rainy days your ally.

Try changing the color of your umbrella.
Try changing your morning routine.
Try spending some time relaxing at a cafe.
Try wearing clothes in a different color than usual.
Try listening to your favorite music.
Try enjoying a warm drink.

These are all little spells you can cast without spending any money.

In my 20s, I can't easily take long breaks, so I can't often go to the Disney parks or on the trips I dream of. But I feel that if I have the power to find "something special" in my daily life, every day will become much richer.

The magic of turning a "gloomy day" into a "special day."
It starts with changing your perspective just a little bit.

The next time it rains, try looking out the window and whispering this to yourself:

"I'm glad it's raining."

You're sure to find some little "good thing"✨

May your rainy days become a little more special.

■ Regarding my note...

Yurippe
Threads: @yuripe_ai