April Showers Bring May Flowers

You've probably heard the phrase "April Showers Bring May Flowers."

But have you ever thought about what it really means?

Many believe the rhyme originated in 1557 from the writer Thomas Tusser. In his collection of writings, he called "A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry," he wrote in the April section, "Sweet April showers, do spring May flowers." There are many poems of April Showers Bring May Flowers, and each comes with a different style of writing and each has its own sweetness. Some view this expression as typically meaning, “get ready for a bounty of happiness and joy that only flower blossoms can bring.”

In further celebration of poems, April is recognized as National Poetry Month in celebration of writing, reading and enjoying poetry. The annual “Poem in Your Pocket Day” is April 18^th! On this day, individuals are encouraged to carry a poem around with them all day to share with others, whether it be reading it to a friend or posting it in public. What a fun idea, right?!

April is also known as Stress Awareness Month, held every April since 1992.

Sponsored by The Health Resource Network, a non-profit health education organization, Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.

Stress is a reaction to an event, not an event itself. And stress is contagious. While you can’t always control life’s stressors, either brought about by your own or other’s actions, you can control your responses and choose to respond in positive and healthy ways. One question to ask yourself is “Am I an Optimistic or Pessimistic thinker?”

Whenever negative encounters, setbacks or challenges happen, how do you react?
In times of stress, do you often blame yourself for not reacting well?
Do you often blame other people for problems that occur?
Do you often feel as if problems are not likely to improve and will adversely affect other areas of your life?
Are you able to search for creative solutions to improve the situation or are you more apt to embrace the fight-flight-freeze thinking which leads you to feel you have no control over the situation, it won’t get any better and/or it must be someone else’s fault?

Optimism and pessimism are both learned ways of thinking. We all tend to form habitual responses and ways we view situations based on our past experiences.

By learning to challenge our pessimistic thoughts during negative events and instead approach situations optimistically, we can improve our ability to sustain hope and handle problems without taking them personally.

Learning how to manage the way you think will determine how you feel and what you do. If you can approach situations from an optimistic mindset, you will feel empowered, more resilient and more successful and will be less stressed!

Remember to smile, laugh and engage in meaningful interactions, even when you don’t necessarily feel like it. Putting one foot in front of the other can be reaffirming and give you the momentum you need to move on. Even a good cry can help, since tears are believed to release certain stress toxins from the body.

Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring; try to live each day to its fullest potential with a positive mindset. It is the best antidote to the ill effects of stress!

Refer back to my February Newsletter or blog post for tips to manage your energy stores to decrease and build resilience against stress and my March Newsletter or blog post for practicing the art of Mindfulness as a tool for stress management!
Fun Fact! Did you know that research shows that flowers can reduce stress, and flowers/plants in the workplace increase productivity and enhance problem-solving skills? Treat yourself or your co-workers and bring some joy and happiness with some flowers this month!
And don’t forget to brighten someone’s day on April 18^th with National Poem in Your Pocket Day!

Sunny Side

Always look at the sunny side of life
the ups and the downs
the truth of a beginning
we need water to grow
we need seeds to sow

What we see today
is bringing us more
for tomorrow
even if we can’t tell
as they say
April showers bring May flowers.

~Author unknown

If you’d like some support in developing and sustaining a more positive mindset and build resilience against the ill-effects of stress, I would welcome the opportunity to chat with you! Click here to access my calendar and let’s connect!