Here we are, months into the pandemic. Months into changing how we shop, go to school, be social, how we live! People have asked me how I am maintaining my balance. Today I will share that with you: living mindfully.

This sounds very simple. Live in the moment. Take whatever the world is handing you right this very moment and notice that. Not what happened 5 minutes ago or 5 minutes from now, but only now. This can be quite a challenge. The reality is that most of the time, this very moment is tolerable; it might even be good or pleasant. If, however, we are remembering all the things that we are unable to do or all thigs that may go wrong, we will become depressed or anxious.

Let’s do this together. Stop. Look around you. What do you see in this moment? Look at the colors, the people, the pets. What do you smell? What do you hear? What do you feel? Are you sitting on a couch? Can you feel the textures? Stop. In this moment, how is your body? Are you healthy, or at least mostly? Do you have food? Stop. In this moment, do you have shelter? In this moment, are you safe? Again, stop, in this moment, can you see, smell, feel, hear, touch something that brings you happiness, joy or peace?

Allow yourself to bring that all in. Allow yourself to know the good or calm or peace that is available to you in this moment. Stop. Be present in the now.

When we do this, we build our resilience so that when the moment we are in is not good, we have the strength to cope. But also, when we are in a tough moment, by living mindfully, we know that this moment will pass. And soon, we will be in another moment that will be different. Perhaps, even better or more pleasant.

Stop. Be here. Be now. We will get through this, one moment at a time.