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Posted: 2024-06-18T07:00:06Z | Updated: 2024-06-18T07:00:06Z

Its easy to curl up inside with a book or binge-watch a Netflix show when its dreary outside. Who wants to go for a hike or garden when its lightning and thundering? Its a universally accepted truth: rainy days equal lazy days.

But being a sloth when its beautiful outside? That can feel like a faux pas. The intrusive thought of taking advantage of the sunny weather can affect your mood and make you feel bad about yourself.

If you feel guilty lounging indoors when the weathers gorgeous, youre not alone. Sunshine guilt, or the self-imposed shame you feel when you stay inside on a sunny day, is a common experience. The term went viral earlier this spring after TikTok user Renee Reina posted about her experience with the phenomenon.

It can lead to feelings of guilt, anxiety, regret, FOMO, and for some people, even shame, Emily Hemendinger , an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told HuffPost. People might also end up thinking theyre worthless for not being productive or wasting time, Hemendinger added.

Heres why you feel bad doing nothing when its nice out and how to show yourself some grace next time you want to take it easy on a sunny day:

Why you feel so ashamed about being lazy on a sunny day

When its nice out, people tend to feel like they should be making the most of the day. If they dont, they might feel as though theyre letting themselves down or arent properly taking care of themselves, said Dr. Gail Saltz , a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

People can also experience FOMO , or fear of missing out, when its sunny out. You might tell yourself, I feel that everyone else is out enjoying or benefiting from this sunny day, but I am missing it, Saltz said.

Another factor contributing to sunshine guilt is having a scarcity mindset, or believing the idea that theres a limited supply of something in this case, sunny days. This can, understandably, make people feel even more desperate for whatever the limited commodity is, Saltz explained. Although there are endless sunny days, a scarcity mindset can make you feel awful about letting even one day go to waste, pressuring you to get outside and enjoy it.

Guilt, in many cases, can be helpful. It can show you that you need to work on yourself, apologize for something you said or change your behavior. But in other instances, such as with sunshine guilt, it can be confusing and unhelpful.

Sometimes its due to an irrational story you are telling yourself, and it needs reframing, Saltz said.