…remember to pause, take a moment to come back to your body. It’s easy to stay in the ‘thinking’ mind, up in the head. Like the great big trees with deep roots in the earth, we can come back to our roots. Breathe up from the earth into your belly, find your roots that are resistant, resilient and tether yourself to something greater than this one body.

Samuel Lind ‘Portales’

Remember we are not alone. We are connected to so many like-hearted folks. Our branches and roots connect beyond what we can visibly see. It’s easy to think we are alone in this mess of uncertainty. We are not alone. Remember people, places, things that reconnect us to the whole. Don’t let the mind trick you into feeling you are the only one feeling this is a time of uncertainty and a time of much wrong-doing. When you look up at the sky, imagine how many others are doing the same right then! You are part of something big that wants to find peace, awe, and justice.

Remember your joy. What brings you joy? Yes, it’s ok to find joy, even in these times of chaos. Joy fuels our energy, our strength and opens us to see the connections that are right in front of us. We can move from our foundation of joy and strength. Be intentional about daily joy. Make a list of joyful activities and practice that at least once daily.

The basics are important during these times: balanced nutrition (watch the preserved foods and quick chips, watch your media consumption), good sleep (no devices 2 hrs before bed, breathing and calming the mind before sleep), exercise (at least 30 – 45 mins each day), healthy social connections (not just social media connections, call/meet that friend, donate to someone in need, lend a helping hand), proactively managing stressful moments (schedule moments of calm time throughout your day, 2 minutes of walking or moving slowly and mindfully throughout the day).

During authoritarian times, we still have control. We have control of how we let these times affect us. If someone offers you food and you do not take it, it’s still theirs. Don’t eat what is not good for you.

And when you feel ready, act for justice: for the past, the present, and the future.