As states are slowly tipping their toes into re-opening and coming out of cocooning, I’d like to remind you that while these are hopeful times, these are also stressful times.

It’s this tension between wanting to return to “normal”, yet the “old normal” doesn’t exist anymore. Every time we are going outside and see another person wearing a mask, we are reminded of the new safety measures we are advised to take to keep ourselves, our families, and other humans protected, and the medical system out of overwhelm.

We have a choice every day. Every moment even. We can choose to stay in the grips of anger, worry or anxiety. Or we can choose to be present, acknowledge what we feel and then move on, so we don’t get sucked into the downward spiral of energy-sapping emotions, because energy goes where the attention goes…

To help you choose, you can ask yourself:

“What’s vital for me to focus my energy on right now?” and 

“Is this the best use of my energy?”

One of my favorite books is The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. “Lasting happiness in a changing world” is written on the cover. Our world is changing, our lives are changing, we are changing. Drastically and rapidly. Let this be an invitation to tap into our inner joy, despite all the challenges we are facing.