This morning I was in my early yoga class. It’s always pitch black when I leave my house, and all winter the sun has just been beginning to rise as we finish.

The other day I jokingly said to my friend, “I wonder if the sun will ever come out during our yoga class?”

At the end of yoga there is a time of rest called Savasana. During this time you can lie on your back with your legs down, or place your legs up a wall for a more restorative pose.

As I settled in, I noticed a small rectangle of sunlight shining into our otherwise dark studio. It looked so beautiful that I moved and placed my legs up through the light. I could feel the warmth on my skin during those quiet moments of rest, and it was incredibly calming.

At the end of class, the instructor shared that she had taken a picture because she found the moment so beautiful.

Seeing that picture later made me think about how often in life we need to search for light and warmth.

There are many times when life can feel like we are living in the shadows—isolated and cold. In those moments it can feel easier to pull our knees to our chest, lower our heads, and stay in the darkness. It feels protective in the moment, especially when we convince ourselves there is no light or warmth to be found.

But what if we shifted our gaze and looked for even the smallest sliver of light?

What if we trained our brains to notice sunshine even on gloomy days?

What if we allowed others to help us reach for that warmth we are searching for and let it wrap around us, even if only for a moment?

Today, I invite you to pause and look for your source of light, sunshine, and warmth. And if you’re struggling to find it, reach out to someone who may help guide you toward where it might be hiding.

Because I truly believe there is light within all of us and within our reach.

And sometimes, simply noticing it—and allowing ourselves to bask in it, even briefly—can lift our spirits and warm our souls