Mr. Sunshine Smiles

Happy Monday!

It is only 21 days until the Christmas season.

It might be even less days for you depending on what season you might celebrate.

Honestly, I need a personal assistant for the month of December.

Any takers?

You’ll most likely need to respond to emails, wrap Christmas presents, address Christmas cards, clean the apartment, respond to text messages…you know…the basics.

Just kidding…

Kind of.

Not really.

Anyhoo.

Let’s get down to business.

There were things this week that just didn’t seem to align well for me.

The stories in my head were making their chants louder this week.

And the stress of the season was really bringing its A game.

But amongst all the crap, the level of energy to keep shining was telling me to turn it up another notch.

So, let’s back track to this past Friday.

It was the day where things that were planned decided to not work out for me and the stars just weren’t aligning.

One thing after another.

And, on my way to the Fulton to meet my fitness trainer Ryan and see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, I drove past and accident and the immediate energy of anxiety kicked in.

Seeing those types of things immediately start the stories in my mind thinking it was my family and friends that are involved. And shutting those thoughts off is hard.

Needless to say, that threw off the rest of my drive into Lancaster and focusing was incredibly difficult.

And then, the spiritual Gods were on my side.

I was standing outside the theater looking at the show advertisements in the window and a woman slowly walked by while I was admiring the cast pictures.

And a few moments later, the woman came back and asked me…

“Are you Mr. Sunshine?”

I was so taken aback and humbled by the recognition and immediately smiled.

The woman went on to tell me that she discovered and started following me through Ryan (my fitness trainer) and that she had been working with him on and off for several years.

It was a beautiful moment.

One that was meant to happen that the spiritual Gods knew I needed because of the way the rest of the day had worked out.

And it was in that moment where I felt so humbled and energized by someone who had been inspired by my words and Mr. Sunshine personality that I told myself I must keep shining.

Don’t let anyone or anything dull your sparkle.

I hope that you find your shine and continue to let it be bright to all those around you.

Because there is someone out there who is loving and appreciate your shine.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

This week’s words are super short.

And I mean short.

Be thankful.

Have an attitude of gratitude.

That’s all I’ve got.

Future blog posts will not be this short.

So, don’t forget to be thankful for all the beautiful entities in life.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi folks!

Once again, I am wishing you a very happy Monday as November continues to press on.

And I also welcome you to official post number 240!

I won’t keep you long this week.

We are going the short and sweet route.

The world has had multiple moments of darkness that continue to engulf all of us on the daily.

It can make it super hard at times to stay focused on being light to the world.

Which is why it makes it even more important to intentionally find joy in moments of our lives and cherish them.

On Saturday night, I got to experience Derek Hough’s Symphony of Dance show at Hershey Theatre.

The moves of him and his dancing troupe were precisely perfect, beautiful, graceful, and moving.

And when I got home from that show, I put in my earbuds, threw on my favorite song (Katy Perry’s Firework OBVI), and danced around my house like it was a stage.

I was moving my hands, hips, and doing jazz squares and I mouthed the lyrics and smiled at every corner and open door as if there was an audience of cheering people looking for more.

It felt so good and was SO fun.

It was the perfect amount of joy that catapulted an energy of happiness throughout my entire body.

Dance as if no one is watching.

In my case, I was dancing as if everyone was watching.

And it was glorious.

Here are a few other places where I found joy this week:

1. Catch up time with some guy friends that I haven’t seen in a long time.
2. In-person chat and hang out time with my fitness coach, Ryan.
3. Seeing Derek Hough in Hershey with Devin.
4. Family dinner.
5. Dinner with the 2214 girls at Sunshine Studio and playing games that made us laugh.
6. Casino time with Marissa as we played penny slots.

Make the time to intentionally explore and appreciate the little moments of joy that sprinkle the light in our lives to carry us through.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

P.S.–Please check out my brother and sister-in-law’s consignment shop, Divine Consign on Friday and Saturday for their holiday open house. But in all honesty, check them out all days! Support local, small business!

Happy Monday, folks!

It seems that we are just days away from Thanksgiving and Christmas…and yes, the Mariah Carey “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has begun.

But like, is all I want for Christmas you?

If you means ice cream, then the answer is definitely yes.

Anyhoo, welcome to post number 239.

Also, the washing machine currently is spinning out of control and it sounds like a railroad train going 100mph.

But, I digress.

A few weeks ago, my amazing fitness coach Ryan asked me what it meant to be emotionally available.

It was a question I couldn’t answer on the spot, but one that I felt excited to delve into, think about, and reflect on with written words.

And so here we are.

My first thought?

Yes, I am in fact emotionally available for that tub of ice cream hiding in the freezer that is calling my name to eat directly from the carton with the largest spoon possible.

And you better believe that I am emotionally available for all of the rom coms that tug at my heart with “you’re better than him” and “he’s just not that into you” storylines that make me laugh, cry, sob, drink, eat, and just about every other motion in the book as I sit, and watch cuddled in a blanket from the comfort of the couch.

All kidding aside.

Well, actually…stay with me.

Maybe being emotionally available means eating the other scoop of ice cream, having the other piece of cake, and crying uncontrollably at the rom com you’ve watched 1000 times.

The more I think about it, the more I believe that emotionally available is all of these things.

Being emotionally available means knowing how your soul feels and knowing how to process that.

Being emotionally available means knowing how to be 100% honest with your friends, those around you, the world…but most importantly yourself.

If you can’t be emotionally available for yourself in processing emotions, feelings, and whatever life throws at you, then you certainly aren’t going to succeed in being emotionally there and available for someone else.

Being emotionally available means that you can say with confidence “I feel like shit, so I’m going to eat ice cream” or “The news really depressed me today so I’m going to have a drink to relax.”

Being emotionally available means being able to do the above in a way that is healthy and not overkill.

Being emotionally available means knowing how to process all the emotions, knowing what triggers you, and being able to communicate those feelings to others.

Being emotionally available means showing empathy, providing support, and discussing feelings in an open and honest way…and knowing if a boundary has to be set.

When I strip away all the shit, being emotionally available simply means loving yourself 150%.

It means knowing when you need a boundary, setting that boundary, and sticking to it.

It means loving your body.

It means loving your soul.

It means loving your life.

It means being secure in who you are and what you were put on this earth to do.

It means having the other scoop of ice cream.

It means jamming out to your favorite song when no one is watching.

It means walking around your home naked with a confidence that is sexy.

Be present with yourself.

Be present with others.

Be present with the world.

And know when you need the time away from being present to give yourself the recharge of filling up the cup.

I think being emotionally available means a lot of different things, but when you get down to it, I simply think it means giving yourself that extra cup of self-love.

The extra cup of self-love that allows you to press 0 for being emotionally available for yourself.

Because if you can’t do it for yourself, you certainly won’t be able to do it for anyone else.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hey there folks and happy Monday!

Or should I say happy Hallow’s Eve?!

Is that actually a term?

Hallow’s Eve?

I just looked it up and it is in fact a real term.

Speaking of Halloween, I have to say that I’m in the minority and it really isn’t my favorite.

I feel like Halloween was a holiday I enjoyed back in college, but as an adult of 36 years, it really isn’t my vibe anymore.

But…with my sweet tooth, I do enjoy me some good candy.

Anyhoo.

Moving on.

Time for this week’s post.

When you hear the alarm go off in the morning with that repetitive beep (or whatever your ringtone what might be) telling you it is time to get out of the warm covers and start your day, what is the first thing that you do?

Do you hit the snooze button craving those extra few minutes of shut eye?

Do you walk out in a zombie-like slumber to put the coffee pot in the on position?

Do you hop in the shower to clean and freshen up the muscles?

Do you scroll on social media liking all the posts you possibly can?

Do you check on the weather to see how you should be dressing for the outside real world?

Do you check the news headlines to see what is happening around you and in the world?

Did you answer ‘yes’ to any of these?

Maybe you are someone who does a mix and match of the above.

Maybe you do all of them.

Maybe you do none of them.

When I wake up, I check the news headlines, scroll on social media, complete my daily Wordle game, look at my bank account, and write my daily affirmations in my journal.

I am confident.

I am dependable.

I am loyal.

I am trustworthy.

I am kind.

I am strong.

I am beautiful.

I am loving.

And you know what?

You are all of those things too.

And don’t let the voice inside you say otherwise.

You. Are. Enough.

That is most definitely not a trick.

Each and every one is a treat to this world and even when our society tries to knock us down, we must stay strong.

Something my dad shared with me yesterday that I found quite relevant for this week’s post that I wanted to share:

Note to self:

-Your feelings are valid.

-You are allowed to enforce your boundaries.

-You do not need anyone else’s approval.

-You are capable of amazing things.

-You are enough.

No tricks here.

We are all worthy.

We are all capable.

We are all deserving of love.

We are all beautiful.

There are no tricks here.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi folks!

And welcome to another blog post by yours truly!

Blog post number 237 to be exact!

WOO!

October has easily become the busiest month of 2023 on record for me.

Welcome to the life of Mr. Sunshine.

But like, honestly…I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Well, then…let’s get down to business shall we?

This week’s blog post!

Do you have your favorite beverage with you?!

Not going to lie–peppermint mocha season is right around the corner and I CAN’T WAIT to indulge.

And, side note, I’m still trying to finalize tunes and music for the Christmas Eve service.

But we’re getting closer.

So we shall take that as a win.

The other day, I was reading a few pays of the book Joyful by Ingrid Fetell.

It is a beautiful and rejuvenating read so if you need any type of good read, I highly recommend it.

100% guaranteed or your money back.

Anyhoo…one of the chapters in the book talks about the entity of “play.”

What is play?

In the book, play is described as the following:

“Play can put us in a powerful state, which allows us to let go of everyday worries and be absorbed in the joy of the moment.”

Read.

That.

Again.

“Play can put us in a powerful state, which allows us to let go of everyday worries and be absorbed in the joy of the moment.”

How many times do we go through our lives allowing the darkness of our world to suck the joy from all the wonderful things around us?

To be frank, it is too often.

The war is Israel.

Shootings in cities across the Country.

A world on the brink of a recession.

Hatred, bigotry, and prejudice against multiple people.

Darkness and negativity around every corner.

And, I thought back to what I had read earlier in the week and play.

So, I stopped, stepped back, and thought about the entity of play and what ultimately makes up the secret sauce of sunshine.

So…here a just a few things that I was able to find some play with this past week.

1. The golden sunsets that fill the sky with cotton candy colors.
2. The relaxing smell of pumpkin scented candles.
3. The warmth and comfort from my fleece blankets.
4. Jokes from episodes of The Golden Girls…especially those delivered by Betty White.
5. The vibrant colors that surround Sunshine Studio in the artwork, the pillows, and the clothes hanging in the closet.
6. The changing colors of leaves on the trees around us in Mother Nature.
7. My annual work party at Spooky Nook with bestie Devin that included food, fun, laughs, and dancing.
8. My first time at Terrain Cafe with girlfriends that involved good conversations and lots of giggling.
9. Family dinner time that involved Guess Who games with Mackenzie.
10. Seeing audiences cheer and enjoy the current production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Ephrata Performing Arts Center.
11. Workouts in the gym and having the opportunity to experience the results of hard work.
12. Laughs and conversations in the cubicle with coworkers.
13. Watching episodes of The Price is Right and literally jumping in my seat as people win, especially in the game Plinko.
14. Watching Noelle on Disney+ and smiling from ear to ear because it captures the magic of the Christmas season.
15. A video call with my fitness trainer, Ryan that was full of insight, laughs, and everything in between.

I hope this week that you take time to enjoy the PLAY around you in our world and use it to create moments of joy that will shine bright amidst the moments of darkness that get thrown in our faces constantly.

I often have people ask how I remain so positive and happy in life.

The secret sauce?

It’s simple.

I always make intentional time (even with a hectic life) to recount the moments of joy I have experienced.

I appreciate the time that I get with family.

I appreciate the time I get with friends.

And I equally appreciate the time that I make for myself.

You will never be able to find the happy in life if you don’t take an extra moment to step back, find the color, joy, and play with it.

Don’t let the shit of this world ruin your colorful moments of play.

The secret sauce of sunshine is just that simple.

Find the sunshine.

Bask in it.

Spread it.

Appreciate it.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday and start of a new week, folks!

It’s hard to believe that we are already at the middle of October! That means that Thanksgiving and Christmas are tomorrow. I mean I’m always ready to eat some cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes, but I’m not even close to being ready for Christmas. I still need to pick music for Christmas Eve. I feel behind.

Anyhoo, I digress. On to the serious topic at hand with this week’s post.

This past week we celebrated National Coming Out Day.

While there seems to be more positive discussion of this as a hot topic in today’s society, it is also one that still seems to bring about a lot of negative feelings of hostility that makes it hard for us to move forward to a day without seclusion, bullying, and hate crimes.

This week, I reshare a blog post from 2020 that still feels incredibly important to share.

This is an open letter to those out there who are struggling with their sexuality and identity. The ones who feel lost in what seems to be a cruel, cold world.

I know not everyone’s coming out story is positive…or even possible for some.

I’m here to tell you it will be OK. I promise.

Dear Friend,

I see you, I’m here for you, and I love you.

I know there are days when the world around you feels cold, cruel, and dark. But it will get better. I promise. There are days of light and sunshine ahead. I know it.

I know there are days when you might not feel like getting out of bed at all, but trust me, there is always something out there worth living for, so never give up trying to find what that certain something is…because it exists for all of us. And that is the truth.

I know that you are struggling and that’s OK. Coming out of the closet to express your true colors is not easy…I will not sugar coat it for you. Be prepared to fight battles with friends, family, and the world. Be prepared to stand tall amongst the passion of true love and kindness that exist inside your heart. Be prepared to lose those who you might thought were once your friends and close to you.

Never back down and never give up.

Will there be moments when you are scared to walk in public?

Yes.

Will there be moments when others will stare at you, bully you, and ostracize you?

Yes.

Will there be moments where you will tremble with fear to share your true, inner voice?

Yes.

Don’t let those moments win and overcome you. Don’t let them waiver the true colors that you were created to express and share with the world.

They are beautiful and they are you.

It won’t be an easy journey. There are people that will cross your paths who will think that homosexuality is wrong and will try to do everything in their power to make you believe it is wrong.

Listen with patience and an open heart and show them you are human. Show them the true colors that God created in you for expression. Help them to understand. Help them join in the foundation of love you support.

Find your support system. Trust them. Hug them. Love them. They will be the ones who show you the light when the world seems like it is closing in with darkness. They are the ones that will wrap you in warmth of love and support.

Above all, never let the flame of true colors in your heart fade away to nothing. Keep it alive.

I see you.

I’m here for you.

I love you.

Sincerely,
Mr. Sunshine

I came out 18 years ago during my Junior year of high school. While incredibly emotional, rocky, and dark at various times, it has been the best decision of my 36 years of living on this Earth that I look back at with no regrets.

As a single gay man in society who works four jobs to support himself, I will admit that there are days tougher than others. There are days where I have awful, reactive roller coaster emotions because I feel that society tells me I need a partner beside me in life to be happy.

Well, guess what.

You don’t.

I don’t.

I work four jobs, volunteer when and where I can, find joy in the simple things, and try to always come up with new methods of how to make those around me happier through facets of love and kindness…and maybe a bit of laughter.

And if that means that I continue living life in the single lane with close friends and family I love beside me, so be it.

If that means I keep myself busy and neglect the dust of the furniture in my apartment and cleaning the car, so be it.

I’m not perfect, but my true colors are. And I embrace them 100%.

I want anyone out there who is struggling with their sexuality to know that it will be ok.

I’m here to listen to you.

To support you.

To hug you.

To love you.

I pray that one day we will be able to live without that feeling of fear that invades the back of our minds on the daily.

The fear that creeps up as we lock the front door because we know that targets are on our back constantly because of who we love.

I pray that one day all people will be able to understand that we are humans too who are ready to love with open hearts, minds, and hands.

In the meantime, give yourself grace. Always pour yourself another cup of self love.

Dear friend,

I see you.

I’m here for you.

I love you.

And together, we are the rainbow connection of love that our world needs to shatter the darkness.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hey folks!

It is time to wish you another happy Monday!

And a cold, brisk Fall one too!

It seems that we have finally gotten some of that sweatshirt-wearing weather this past week that Mother Nature has been hiding from us since Fall officially started.

Well, I guess it is time to get down to business with this week’s post, huh?

I promise I won’t keep you long.

I trust that most of you have heard the phrase or term ‘outside the box.’

To me, outside the box means being unique and doing something outside your comfort zone.

Living outside the bubble and being loud and proud as you do it.

As I start to think back on the year of 2023, I have started to think about moments where I was embracing moment of being outside the box.

And here were just a few time in 2023 where I feel like I was embracing that outside the box energy.

-Deciding to take the plunge of selling my Lancaster home and moving back to Lititz.

-Embracing the gym and taking time to get my body in shape and become more confident with how I look.

-Leading conversations at work about Quality Assurance.

-Getting on a plane and traveling outside the Country for the first time in more than a decade.

-Putting myself back on dating apps after having some really terrible experiences within the past year.

-Reading recipes and actually attempting some cooking in The Sunshine Studio.

Well, that’s all I’ve got.

I hope each and every one of you who is reading this week’s post will embrace being outside the box in your life.

Get out of the bubble.

Do something you normally don’t.

Make it count.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi folks and happy Monday!

And…

Happy October too!

How is it October 2nd already?!

This week’s post with be short, sweet, simple.

All about the alliteration.

Are you ready?

Grab that side-kick beverage and let’s get going!

On Friday night, I was working one of my part-time side hustles at Lititz Apothecary.

The evening was quite crazy and created the perfect storm of patients waiting to get checked out, the phone ringing, and trying to get people in and out for scheduled flu shots. Toward the end of the night, two patients were complaining about waiting and one even cared to say that “back in the day, you would never wait.” And because I was a worker from “back in the day,” I almost lost my cool and snapped because I was at my wits end.

Just remember that be kind to everyone, especially those who are in positions to try and help others. We are working hard to be efficient (sometimes overworked) and trying to do it with a smile on our face.

And if that means that you might have to do some extra waiting, so be it.

BE KIND.

The end.

BYEEE.

I left the pharmacy that evening feeling defeated and really upset. It has been a long time since I’ve let someone get under my skin, but Friday night ended that streak.

And when I got home, the on-brand moment to go with the shitty feeling I was having was the fact that I broke a graham cracker crust trying to make a cheesecake pie for Saturday evening dinner.

Well, Saturday was a new day and the interactions that I got to have during my shift made up TEN-FOLD for the crappy evening the night before.

And, it helped remind me that at times of extreme stress, it is important to step back, breathe, and remember the short, sweet and simple moments of life that bring the greatest of joys.

Here are moments from this past week that brought me that feeling of great joy.

1. Getting to spend some quiet time with a faith community member that was at the end of her life with Pastor Angie. It was a beautiful moment that brought so much into perspective about what to be thankful for.
2. Learning about new team members at work that will be providing renewed energy, spark, and creativity for our Platinum customers and driving force as we continue to grow.
3. Speaking with my first grade teacher, Mrs. Morrell on the phone at the pharmacy and sharing some quick laughs with each other.
4. Seeing my ninth grade algebra teacher, Mr. Dietrich and talking about how much I enjoyed his class, especially the fact that he got me to run the Red Rose Run during that year in his class. He made algebra SO fun.
5. Getting time to worship outside in our church grove with our friends from St. Luke AND our furry friends during the pet blessing service on Sunday. It was so fun and hearing the barking of dogs and energy of children and the wind in the trees was just wonderful.
6. Having dinner with my Aunt Mary and getting a chance to talk about life, Christmas Eve, and church Council President things.
7. Seeing my former roommate, James Oblak and having the opportunity to show him around The Sunshine Studio.
8. Spending an evening with my bestie cooking dinner (mainly me mashing potatoes), playing sequence, and enjoying some Fall sangria.
9. An evening with Pastor Angie enjoying pizza and catching up on each other’s lives and talking about the positive energy and exciting things happening at Penryn and St. Luke. The fuure is looking super bright and exciting!
10. Having the chance to spend quality time with some friends and enjoying each other’s company.
11. Having a video call with my fitness coach, Ryan and laughing and relishing in all the beautiful moments that have occurred in 2023 since my journey with him began.

Short.

Sweet.

Simple.

I hope this week when you experience a moment (or moments) of stress, that you will stop, breathe, and think of a simple moment of short sweetness that brought you the greatest joy.

It can change your whole world, perspective, and bring a negative attitude back down to Earth.

Short.

Sweet.

Simple.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Well, hello there folks!

A very good Monday morning to you!

I sincerely hope that those of you on the East Coast that are reading this were able to stay dry amongst all of the rain that we got these past 2 days.

I feel like I could’ve captained a boat down the streets because of all the water there was!

And welcome to official blog post #233!

Well, time for this week’s words!

Cuddle up and get those eyes ready to read.

We are all a work in progress.

It’s the truth.

No one is perfect.

As the Hannah Montana song goes, “Nobody’s perfect, I gotta work it, again and again til’ I get it right.”

And I’m tired of the social media images trying to tell us that we need to be 100% every day, every minute, every second.

I call bullshit.

Because that ain’t realistic.

Like MMMBYEEE.

And it’s what gets us each in trouble because we forget how to be human, vulnerable, and honest with ourselves.

We forget to put ourselves first.

Instead, we constantly think about which filter on the social media app will make us like as perfect as possible to the world to get that extra like.

Will showing some extra skin bring another 100 followers to make me more popular?

When was the last time you scrolled on social media and compared yourself to someone else’s pictures of perfection?

When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror and let the negative talk take over?

When was the last time you had thoughts of not being perfect enough?

If you’re like me, you’ve answered “yes” to all of these questions at some point in life.

And it’s very possible that you might have answered “yes” to all of these questions as recently as just moments ago…social media is all around us.

It’s time to take charge.

It’s time to stop the negative talk.

It’s time to start being honest with ourselves.

It’s time to enjoy another cup of self-love.

What exactly is self-love?

The dictionary defines it as:

-(Noun)-regard for one’s own well-being and happiness (chiefly considered as a desirable rather than narcissistic characteristic).

And this is only just a little taste of practices that can help us embrace self-love.

Find your favorites and practice them daily.

Here are just a few of my favorites to get the creative juices in your brain thinking.

1. Watching something every night that makes me laugh.
2. Eating ice cream straight from the carton.
3. Turning the lights off in my bedroom and meditating and saying prayers before officially turning in for the night.
4. Writing 8 affirmations in my journal everyday when I wake up.
5. Cuddling up with a blanket.
6. Turning my phone on DND to limit the buzzing that I hear constantly.
7. Sitting down at the piano bench to play some tunes.
8. Lighting a candle to fill the house with a relaxing scent.
9. Working out to feel good about the body and strength it has.
10. Watching a Disney movie.
11. Putting on your favorite song and shouting out the lyrics.
12. Shopping to find a new outfit that rocks your beautiful body.

Make it a ritual with yourself.

And share your rituals with those around you.

In a world that will continue to be draining, exhausting, and defeating at times, it is even more important than ever to be honest with ourselves, open our hearts, and be vulnerable with our souls as to what we need.

Don’t sell yourself short.

You are enough.

We could all use another cup of self-love.

Have another cup.

Really.

You deserve it.

We all do.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!