Changes

     The year 2020 will go down in infamy as the year of change. If we would have walked into a store in 2019 and everyone was wearing masks we would have wondered where we were. Many parts of normal life are now cancelled. This includes: Athletic events, school, church, cultural events, and everyday normal activities. This may leave us feeling out of control and panicked. How do we handle this? Should we be scared? What do I have control over?

     Well, here are a few things that we cannot control and what we do have control over in a time when change is so drastic and constant. I cannot control: If others follow the rules of social distancing, the actions of others, predicting what will happen, other people’s motives, the amount of toilet paper in the store, how long this will last, and how others will react. I can control: My positive attitude, turning off the news, finding fun things to do at home, how I follow guidelines to stay safe, limiting my social media, my social distancing, and my kindness and grace. 

     Mindfulness can also be a very powerful tool for us to use. It helps to ground us in the moment and not get too overwhelmed with the future. Again, we cannot control the future but we can control our reaction and how we choose to move forward in the future. 

April Moedl, LCSW