Face to the Sun
Joayne’s Guide to Stay Sane, Chapter 5
How Naming Your Desires Nourishes Your Soul
Winter in the northland has a rhythm all its own. Some days, it’s “cloud city” — long stretches without direct sunlight, we are back to the regular vitamin D supplements! And some days, lucky for me in the past few weeks, the natural world feels like a snow globe: big, fat crystal flakes drifting slowly, beautifully, covering everything in soft white powder.
This contrast had me wondering:
If vitamin D nourishes my body… what nourishes my soul?
What’s the inner version of sunlight — especially in seasons that feel cloudy, uncertain, or heavy?
One of my guiding values surfaced immediately:
Put your face to the sun.
This phrase came from two beloved colleagues who held me during a particularly dark time. It became a spiritual practice, a grounding principle, and a reminder that I could still choose warmth, vision, and desire even when the path felt murky.
Today, I want to share what this value means — and how it can help you reconnect to hope, desire, and possibility, no matter what season you’re in.
What Does It Mean to “Put Your Face to the Sun”?
At its core, this practice is about courageously naming what you want.
Not the version you think you should want.
Not the smaller, “safer,” more reasonable desire you’ve talked yourself into.
But the honest, heart-level desire that lights you up.
This is your soul’s vitamin D.
It brings:
clarity
direction
expansion
emotional warmth
connection
possibility
When you turn toward your desire, you turn toward life.
First, Lay the Groundwork (A Quick Review)
This chapter builds on the earlier steps:
1. Know Your Values (Chapter 1)
Values act like trail markers — they keep you oriented even in a dense forest.
2. Be With the Discomfort (Chapter 2)
Feelings can exist without steering your choices.
3. Cultivate Gratitude (Chapter 3)
Gratitude lifts your vibration and pulls you toward hope.
4. Reach Out for Repair (Chapter 4)
Tend to your relational field with self and others.
These four practices create the inner stability you need to name your desires without collapsing into fear, shame, or scarcity.
The Brave Work of Naming What You Want
Naming your desire is vulnerable — especially when:
you don’t know the how
it feels too big
it feels “selfish”
you’ve been disappointed before
you’re tired or in a difficult season
But desire is powerful.
It’s direction.
It’s vitality.
And it’s deeply human.
There is a quiet, fierce bravery in saying:
I’m allowed to want things.
I’m allowed to speak them out loud.
I’m allowed to be supported as they unfold.
When you “put your face to the sun,” you open the door to alignment, creativity, and abundance. You also allow the universe — and the people who care about you — to meet you halfway.
We forget this, but it’s true:
People genuinely love to help bring dreams to life.
Happiness begets happiness.
Abundance begets abundance.
A Gentle Practice: Turning Toward the Light
Find a quiet moment.
Place a hand on your heart or belly.
Take a slow inhale… and a longer exhale.
Then ask yourself:
What do I truly desire right now — without minimizing it?
What would “face to the sun” look like in this moment?
Who could help me — if I allowed myself to be supported?
What small step would honor this desire today?
Let the answers rise slowly.
Let them be imperfect.
Let them be yours.
And then — turn toward the light.