It's safe to say we are all on the same page of walking around thinking ... WTF.

We have never experienced a time in our lives that has been so utterly unstable and uncertain. As humans, we crave stability, certainty, and connection. All of the things we are currently lacking during this pandemic of COVID-19. Life as we know it has been flipped upside down, and all we know for sure is that we need to WEAR THE DANG MASK, and that regardless of the situation at hand, people will always find a way to be a-holes.

With that being said.. how can we make the most of the situation at hand?

1. Focus on what you can control!

We may feel that we don't have many things we can control right now. We can't go anywhere without a mask, we are suppose to be keeping 6 feet from people who are not in our household, and we can't go to concerts, weddings, vacations, parties, or bars in the same way, or at all, like we used to. I understand that and you understand that. BUT instead of focusing on all of the things we can't do, focus on what we can do! It is summer and it is beautiful out. We could:

-Go to a lowkey beach sitting far away from other parties.

-Get a few friends together and park your cars in a circle in the parking lot and have every have a picnic out of their trunks.

-Play tennis! (it is like the least contact sport that there is)

-Plan a zoom game night!

-Have driveway drinks! Pack your chair and a beverage and go over a friends and park yourself right in their driveway. Play some music, drink your drink, enjoy the summer breeze, and their company.

2. Concentrate on TODAY.

I know we are all looking towards the future wondering what are things going to look like in a month? In 3 months? In the New Year? Well, nobody knows. Anyone who claims they know is fooling themselves. What we do know is what our life looks like TODAY. Sometimes it is best if we learn to stay present. Focusing on today eliminates the worry or panic of the uncertainty we have for tomorrow. Here are a few affirmations to help you focus on today:

-TODAY I am happy.

-TODAY I am healthy.

-TODAY is a great day to be alive.

-I am ok today.

-I am taking care of myself the best way I can.

-I will be kind to myself today.

3. Take the time to improve.

Whether it be your home, your health, or your knowledge, there are so many ways we can be bettering ourselves and our environments. Since we are a society who is typically on the go very often, we now have the time to slow down. Let's use this time wisely! Maybe try to:

-Learn yoga! This will help your mind, body, and spirit!

-Perfect your cooking and baking skills! Now is the time to get creative in the kitchen! Your stomach will surely be thanking you for putting in the time and effort.

-Attempt a new type of exercise. Workouts getting boring? Try HIIT, or Zumba, or even Pilates!

-Try new DIY projects in the house. Sand down old furniture and refinish them, remodel the basement that you have been putting off for years, or give your bathroom a fresh paint touch up!

-READ. Read about a new topic that you enjoy, but would love to hear more about! Your brain should never stop being fed with rich information!

4. Unpack your baggage.

We all tend to shove the not-so-pretty parts of us deep down away in the trenches of our brain. I challenge you to use this time to confront the things about yourself you know you need to work on. If you aren't sure of what those things are, try reaching out to an online therapy or life coach service. Allow yourself to be real and open and honest. Nobody is perfect, and we all are growing and evolving. Take a risk on yourself. Face the hard parts of yourself that you know are there but usually like to ignore. Learn what pieces of your childhood or even past relationships wounded you enough that you still carry that pain with you. Dealing with those inner issues will allow you to have a better relationship with yourself, your friends, and your partner. If you are single, it can allow you to attract a healthier relationship the next time around. It will even allow you to reevaluate the people in your life, and determine if those are the healthiest people that you would even want to be associating with. If they are, reach out and tell them how much you value them. If not, cleanse your circle. What you put into this world, you manifest. If you show the world a healthy you, you are going to attract an abundance of health, healthy friendships, healthy partners, and healthy self-love in return.

5. BE KIND!

To others, and to yourself! We are all going through this messed up time together. Tell people how much they mean to you, how much you care, and how much you love them. Tomorrow is never guaranteed, but today is full of time to let them know how you feel. We never know what other people are going through. Anxiety and depression are at an all time high. Reach out and be someones ray of light today. Random acts of kindness will never go out of style. Pay for someones coffee, send someone flowers, send someone a text of things you love about them, or even leave water bottles outside for your delivery person! Spreading love feels so good. If you can't find a kind person, lead by example and be the kind person. Kindness is like glitter, it spreads and gets all over! Don't forget about yourself, too. Be kind to yourself. Somedays you might eat healthy and crush that workout! Other days you might eat Ben & Jerry's and binge watch Netflix. Both are okay. Give yourself permission to find balance and not feel guilty about it. You are doing the best you can. You are amazing!