As our society has changed, so too have my views on what it means to reflect, pause or simply slow down.

With so much out of our control, businesses shut down, jobs lost, retirement gone… How do we maintain stability and hope when the rug has been pulled out from under our feet?

I find myself still procrastinating, still mindlessly wondering among internet pages, still connecting with friends and family and still living with the same fears and anxiety that plagued my heart before any of the COVID stuff came into play. The questions that keep you up at night are only amplified as we don’t have any world distractions to turn to. It seems like this is true even for my friends on the front line. They work, then go right home…sleep and repeat.

We talk about opening up America as if it will be something we all snap back into. Business will return, but not as usual and in my opinion it will take a long time to find our new normal. This for me, is a humbling reminder of the times we live. It’s a pivotal point where we now can redefine the trajectory of our lives. It’s not about how well you are doing when things are great, rather… What happens to your mind when stuff gets unbearably difficult. Who do you have in your corner and what have you surrounded yourself with in times of great stress? How do you respond under pressure and deep concern? If you’re calm, collected and maintain a routine…does that mean you are actually successful and if you don’t, does it mean it’s too late to change these habits? No and no.

I’ll start drafting my thoughts on how we can create a different path for ourselves and maintain or improve mental health. For now, I challenge you to find what purpose drives you to wake up every day. You may not be getting of the couch, and sure.. you’ve missed a few showers, but what makes you tick? The world is a curios place.

It’s not about falling and losing everything. The joy in our journey can sometimes be found when we fail miserably. Some of these things may be in our control, but I hope you see now that many circumstances are not within our power to immediately change or fix. How we work around these obstacles and how we fail, can shape and mold our lives in beautiful ways. If certain timelines have shifted because of this mess, create a new goal. Make a new roadmap, do what you can now and know that somehow / someway, we CAN become stronger.