A week into my state’s shelter-in-place order I found myself sitting on my bedroom floor, legs crossed, and my head leaned back on the wall, slowly and intentionally breathing in and out. I was trying to figure out the whole meditation thing everyone talks about enjoying. So many thoughts and questions swirled around in my head. 

I felt afraid about everything going on with the pandemic. I decided to get curious about this fear instead of avoiding it. I slowly began to ask the part of me that was fearful questions to better understand it. The answers I received fluctuated between, 

“I’m worried about the whole world!”

“Am I going to be okay?”

“How will I adapt?” 

As I listened, clarity began to fill the space between my heart and mind. I found part of my Self gently answering, “All you can control right now is you. What do you want to get with this time? Who will you be?” Responses began to gain momentum as the restraints of the fear I was feeling began to loosen. For the first time since the pandemic, I was feeling… hopeful. 

By making room for multiple perspectives, other than just fear, I was able to acknowledge the difficult time that this is for so many of us, while also starting to recognize the potential for gifts to exist within the unknown. This change shifted my perspective from survival mode to the possibility of potentially using this moment to thrive. Putting effort into identifying thoughts other than fear, allowed me to have another place to return to knowing that it exists within me. 

What did I do with this moment?

I grabbed a pen and paper and began to write out the values I wanted to embody during this time. 

Calm. 

Authentic. 

Resilient. 

Empowered.

I then identified ways that I could embody these traits by rituals I could integrate into my routine such as meditation, keeping a gratitude journal, working on projects I didn’t have enough time for previously, and exploring hobbies I had always wanted to try out, but didn’t have the capacity to tackle prior to the pandemic.

I began to reflect on all of the powerful and beautiful moments I had witnessed online and in-person over the past month. It reminded me that fear isn’t the only byproduct of chaos, it also creates incredible moments of love, connection, and ingenuity. When we can acknowledge this truth, we have the ability to choose what we focus on.

So, what will you choose to focus on in this moment? Who will you be? 

Below are some follow-up opportunities to help guide you through figuring these questions out for yourself. We would love to hear what you come up with, so please feel free to share if you feel comfortable doing so!  

Follow-up Opportunity:

Time: 10-15 minutes

Supplies: Art supplies, pen, and paper

Instructions: Find a quiet, relaxing place to sit with yourself. Take 2-3 minutes to just sit and relax. Take some slow, deep breaths to help quiet the mind. In through your nose and out through your mouth. When you are ready, take the time to reflect on the questions below. Feel free to either write out the answers or use other art mediums to express the answers that you create (ex: drawing out images to express the values you want to embody or the rituals you want to implement). Once you are done, keep this exercise in a place that you can see it as a reminder to you of your intentions during this time. 

Reflection Questions: 

• What characteristics and/or values do I want to embody during this time? 

• How do I want to express these to myself and others? 

• What situations might make it difficult for me to stay in alignment with my goals during this time? 

• What rituals, habits, or routine can I implement that will help support me staying on track with my goals when the above situations impact me? 

A Little Extra: Here is a link to a wonderful video by Glennon Doyle about choosing who we want to be during this moment. Enjoy!