Rainbow Hunting in August… Finding Glimmers of Joy when Life feels Hard
When we think about August… what often comes to mind is the promise of lazy summer days, ice cream by the sea, and carefree family moments. But for many of us, there is a different reality… school holiday chaos, heightened parenting demands, and the weight of trying to hold everything together while the world expects us to be "enjoying" quality time together.
If you've been following me for a while, you may know that in August I invite people to join me in what I call Rainbow Hunting… noticing the tiny glimmers of joy in this crazy and often overwhelming world. It's not about pretending everything is perfect… life is far from perfect! Instead, it's about acknowledging that rainbows are only created when both rain and sunshine come together within our complex lives.
The Rainbow Hunting Concept
This Rainbow Hunting concept was born within the darkest period of my life… the time after we had received the news that my Royal Marine husband was terminally ill, and that our time together was limited. Unlike the worrier I used to be, my amazingly inspirational and optimistic late husband always managed to see the best in things. A year into his chemotherapy treatment, I was updating a friend about how we were doing, and she was shocked that, despite the gloomy future that lay ahead, we were maintaining a positive outlook.
To explain how we managed to keep going, a weather metaphor came to me. Living with cancer in our family felt like living in turbulent, changeable weather - at times it was stormy and dark (and sometimes felt as though it would never end), but in those moments I reminded myself that the sun and stars never stop shining. Chasing rainbows became my mission and gave me hope for brighter times. I clung to the belief that at some point the rain and wind would ease, and brightness would emerge once again.
This belief that good can come from darkness has shaped my world ever since.
What is Rainbow Hunting?
Rainbow Hunting is about actively noticing the good bits, but without dismissing the pain. It's the ability to acknowledge the moments of joy, even when everything feels hard… not for any reason other than to use these tiny glimmers of joy to create positive anchors in the storm.
July is always a tough month for me… it’s when I hibernate to let the key dates of my birthday, my husband’s death anniversary and our wedding anniversary pass. Then, in August, Rainbow Hunting becomes my daily practice and a way to ease back into a more social life. Each day, I look for one rainbow moment… something that makes me smile or brings a glimmer of joy to the craziness of everyday life. And I invite others to join me, sharing these moments and spreading encouragement over on Instagram.
Past rainbow moments have included simple pleasures like:
☕ Coffee in the garden
🌅 Watching a sunrise or sunset
🐕 Playing with your dog
🍦 Ice cream at the beach
🎨 Painting pottery with the kids
🏊♀️ Wild swimming
💐 Buying yourself flowers
📚 Ignoring the dishes to spend time with others
🔥 Toasting marshmallows on a campfire
🌈 Seeing an actual rainbow!
The reality is that these are truly ordinary moments… that's the whole point!
Rainbows aren't found in grand gestures or expensive treats… they're discovered in the everyday magic we so often overlook.
What Rainbow Hunting is Not…
Rainbow Hunting is not about toxic positivity, it's not about pretending that life isn't hard or forcing gratitude when you're genuinely struggling, and, it's not about ignoring the real pain.
As I wrote in my recent blog, "Sometimes Life Feels Hard Because it IS Hard," there are times in our lives when acknowledging difficulty is the most honest thing we can do. Rainbow Hunting doesn't ask you to ignore these storms… it simply suggests that even in the hardest moments, tiny glimmers of beauty can appear.
If you're in acute grief, overwhelming stress, or simply surviving right now, please know that there's no pressure to participate. Some days, just getting through is enough. The rainbows will wait… but whilst you wait, that warm cuppa in the garden listening to the birdsong may just be your Rainbow Moment.
How to Join Us this August
The Rainbow Hunting concept is simple… there are no rules, no obligations, and no pressure. You can participate daily or occasionally, share publicly or keep your moments private.
If you'd like to join the social media community, simply:
Look for one rainbow moment each day
Share it over on Instagram using #RainbowHuntingInAugust
Tag me @rainbowhuntingmoments so I can celebrate with you
Some people write detailed posts about their discoveries. Others share simple photos on their stories. Some just take a mental note and smile. Whatever works for you is just perfect.
The hope is that you can train yourself to notice glimmers of goodness, even on difficult days… it’s a little something for you in a summer month that can be tricky for so many people for so many different reasons… grief doesn't take holidays, overwhelm doesn't pause for summer, financial pressures don't disappear because school's out. In fact, the contrast between society's expectation of a "happy family time" and the reality of daily struggle can make August feel even harder.
This is exactly why Rainbow Hunting matters. When we're drowning in responsibility, tiny moments of joy become lifelines. When everything feels chaotic, noticing one beautiful thing can provide a moment of calm. It's not about changing the big stuff… it's about finding small pockets of joy within your world.
What we Focus on Grows
The bit of magic that I really love is that there can be a beautiful ripple effect… when we start actively looking for moments of joy, we begin to see them more frequently… because what we focus on grows! Our nervous systems learn to recognise safety and beauty alongside stress and struggle.
And there’s a lovely ripple effect… it can become a wonderful shared language. Children learn that it's possible to find good things even on hard days. Parents model resilience and hope without dismissing legitimate struggles.
Growing Life Around Grief
At its heart, Rainbow Hunting illustrates a core philosophy of mine… that of growing life around grief. We're not trying to "get over" our struggles or "move past" our pain. Instead, we're learning to expand our capacity to hold both pain and joy simultaneously.
This August, whether you're navigating loss, overwhelm, family challenges, or simply the everyday complexity of being human, I would love you to join me in hunting for rainbows over on Instagram. Not because you have to, not because you should be grateful, not because there’s any reward, but just because even in the stormiest weather, it’s possible to find moments of beauty.
If you're finding this August particularly challenging and need more support than rainbow moments can provide, remember that I'm here. My summer coaching packages are 20% off throughout August - please message me for details - and my Directory has details of charities such as Mind, Cruse and Samaritans who provide support for anyone who is struggling. You don't have to hunt for rainbows alone.
Wishing you glimmers of joy in the most unexpected places 🌈 x