Sunshine Sessions

When CURRIE ENGEL, WH news & features editor, scheduled her day around dawn and dusk, she discovered a very powerful daily dose of natural awe.

- CURRIE ENGEL

Some people cook a homey meal or turn on a comfort TV show after a hard day, but I turn to sunsets. The soft pinks and vibrant lavenders usher in a sense of calm, of groundedness. My world might feel out of control, but a natural rhythm as old as time tells me that everything will be okay. That tomorrow will be better. That it's all small potatoes.

My sunset watching wasn't an intentional thing at first-maybe I decided to go for a walk or slipped in a pre-dinner run. But the immediate impact on my mind and mood always made me pause and wonder what that magical evening light (and the morning's early rays) might do for me if I focused on catching it each day.

So, for two weeks, I altered my schedule to mirror the sun's movements. I live in a fourth-floor walk-up in Manhattan-my bedroom window looks west into a small alley where a strip of sky between buildings glistens with color in the mornings. From my perch, I'd try to catch that magic moment. (I used my phone's weather app to predict sunrise/sunset; apps like Magic Hour, LunaSolCal Mobile, and Sun Surveyor also work.)

The first mornings were tough-I picked a particularly rainy period close to the summer solstice (a.k.a. the longest day of the year). Sunrise hit around 5 a.m. I'd set my alarm, snuggle into bed, and rise with my phone's squawk. On sunny mornings, it was thrilling to see the sky transform: a private, living artwork. On cloudy ones, I used the time to ease into my day instead of diving into a flurry of sweat, coffee, and emails.