Origin Story
Cream or Sugar?
How many times have you been asked this question at a food establishment, friend or family home, charitable event, etc. etc. Like me, I bet you have become numb to it and just reply with a cookie cutter response of your desired amount without thinking about it. Double-Double. Single-single. None for me, thanks.
Can you stay late?
The numbness transcends our coffee orders to our day-to-day lives. Of course I can stay late. No problem boss.
This is the industrialized way, isn’t it? Go about your daily life without actually having a daily life? In the few moments between screens, appointments, commuting, we try to fit things in or block some time for personalized individual pursuits. It seems we don’t have enough time to simply enjoy a coffee before we’re whisked away into another commitment or deadline.
The truth is, we’ve allowed ourselves to have our boundaries pushed, and in some cases, destroyed. We’re at the mercy of the calendar. Time has become something we try to manage, rather than enjoy; and for most of us we accept this dynamic. We accept the world has corporate ladders, it’s just business, it’s just the way it is. You sense the need to change though, problem is, where do you even start? There’s so much in a day you need to get done that your bandwidth is stretched and you’re exhausted.
“I can’t fit anything more in and I just want to snap my fingers and everything be the way I want it.”
What if there is a different way, a way that is more human? What if you took time to give yourself the space and mindfulness to listen to what your body is saying to you? What if you can slow down and be more?
Start with your coffee! I challenge you to have your first coffee of the day sitting down, silent, just you and your wandering mind. No need to make extra time or effort as part of your daily routine, just augment, slightly.
Don’t force thoughts or solutions. Just be. Give yourself 10 minutes of solitude to breathe, sip, and smell the coffee. Feel the warmth of the cup in your hand, feel the steam rise and lick the tip of your nose when you sip. Who knows where your mind will take you but be there with it.
If a thought comes to you - sense your body. Does it tense up? Loosen? Where specifically? Don’t fight the sensations, don’t fight the thoughts - breathe, sip, and repeat! Bring attention to your body. If your thoughts take you into the future or the past, don’t chase them, just let them go by coming back to your breath and awareness of your coffee.
And it’s OK to dwell on thoughts, it’s OK that they cause you stress or joy. The best part is you still have your coffee and breathing. Just sip and breathe through the thoughts. This is your time and there is no right or wrong.
This is where we, Sun Under the Sea, are here to help and be alongside you. We’ve gone through the ups and downs of startup life, public sector life, corporate life, and rigorous professional training, and every industry under the sun. We know the stresses, the travel, the missed family time, the desire for achievement. We are you; and our origin story is not unlike what you’re going through whether nutritionally, physically, or mentally.
We use Sun Under the Sea as a platform to help bridge the gap between physical and mental through our products and culture. Our products are lovingly made to charge your mind and body, so you can Slow Down. Be More. It is our intention over time to share stories and resources for you to explore and discover yours.
We challenge the burn-out culture that is so pervasive and prevalent in our society and to challenge some long held beliefs about nutrition as well. It’s not just “cream & sugar” anymore.
The best part is that we don’t have to do this alone, we’re all equals, we’re all on our own journeys, but everyone needs support systems along the way.
We want to feel good on the inside, both body and mind. We need to embrace and celebrate the small incremental changes.
As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It rings true in every aspect of our lives. You didn’t earn your education in a day, you didn’t gain your work experience in a day, you didn’t build your home in a day. And if you’re truly on a journey for better health and wellness you need to know that changes will take time. We’re still on our journeys and invite you to join us so we can share and learn from each other.
I’ll leave you with one fun, simple, and powerful resource to check out today.
“Oh, the places you’ll go!” By Dr. Seuss
I think I know my answer.
“Cream & Sugar?”
What’s yours?
How many times have you been asked this question at a food establishment, friend or family home, charitable event, etc. etc. Like me, I bet you have become numb to it and just reply with a cookie cutter response of your desired amount without thinking about it. Double-Double. Single-single. None for me, thanks.
Can you stay late?
The numbness transcends our coffee orders to our day-to-day lives. Of course I can stay late. No problem boss.
This is the industrialized way, isn’t it? Go about your daily life without actually having a daily life? In the few moments between screens, appointments, commuting, we try to fit things in or block some time for personalized individual pursuits. It seems we don’t have enough time to simply enjoy a coffee before we’re whisked away into another commitment or deadline.
The truth is, we’ve allowed ourselves to have our boundaries pushed, and in some cases, destroyed. We’re at the mercy of the calendar. Time has become something we try to manage, rather than enjoy; and for most of us we accept this dynamic. We accept the world has corporate ladders, it’s just business, it’s just the way it is. You sense the need to change though, problem is, where do you even start? There’s so much in a day you need to get done that your bandwidth is stretched and you’re exhausted.
“I can’t fit anything more in and I just want to snap my fingers and everything be the way I want it.”
What if there is a different way, a way that is more human? What if you took time to give yourself the space and mindfulness to listen to what your body is saying to you? What if you can slow down and be more?
Start with your coffee! I challenge you to have your first coffee of the day sitting down, silent, just you and your wandering mind. No need to make extra time or effort as part of your daily routine, just augment, slightly.
Don’t force thoughts or solutions. Just be. Give yourself 10 minutes of solitude to breathe, sip, and smell the coffee. Feel the warmth of the cup in your hand, feel the steam rise and lick the tip of your nose when you sip. Who knows where your mind will take you but be there with it.
If a thought comes to you - sense your body. Does it tense up? Loosen? Where specifically? Don’t fight the sensations, don’t fight the thoughts - breathe, sip, and repeat! Bring attention to your body. If your thoughts take you into the future or the past, don’t chase them, just let them go by coming back to your breath and awareness of your coffee.
And it’s OK to dwell on thoughts, it’s OK that they cause you stress or joy. The best part is you still have your coffee and breathing. Just sip and breathe through the thoughts. This is your time and there is no right or wrong.
This is where we, Sun Under the Sea, are here to help and be alongside you. We’ve gone through the ups and downs of startup life, public sector life, corporate life, and rigorous professional training, and every industry under the sun. We know the stresses, the travel, the missed family time, the desire for achievement. We are you; and our origin story is not unlike what you’re going through whether nutritionally, physically, or mentally.
We use Sun Under the Sea as a platform to help bridge the gap between physical and mental through our products and culture. Our products are lovingly made to charge your mind and body, so you can Slow Down. Be More. It is our intention over time to share stories and resources for you to explore and discover yours.
We challenge the burn-out culture that is so pervasive and prevalent in our society and to challenge some long held beliefs about nutrition as well. It’s not just “cream & sugar” anymore.
The best part is that we don’t have to do this alone, we’re all equals, we’re all on our own journeys, but everyone needs support systems along the way.
We want to feel good on the inside, both body and mind. We need to embrace and celebrate the small incremental changes.
As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It rings true in every aspect of our lives. You didn’t earn your education in a day, you didn’t gain your work experience in a day, you didn’t build your home in a day. And if you’re truly on a journey for better health and wellness you need to know that changes will take time. We’re still on our journeys and invite you to join us so we can share and learn from each other.
I’ll leave you with one fun, simple, and powerful resource to check out today.
“Oh, the places you’ll go!” By Dr. Seuss
I think I know my answer.
“Cream & Sugar?”
What’s yours?