And here, in Ontario our lockdown continues. We are on a stay-at-home order until at least June 2 and we are a month into it now.

I might actually be starting to miss in-person shopping a tiny bit – I need summer socks and a FUSSY about socks so would really like to see and touch them before buying. Hopefully, I can last another few weeks and our hospital situation improves so we can get back to a moderate real-world life again. It’ll be a LONG time before I get on a plane or ship with people again though I must confess.

I updated my website a bit (particularly the “podcasts and more” and the “webinars, workshops and classes” pages) which makes me happy. Getting things done makes me happy. And getting things done feels hard lately, for nearly everyone it turns out.

COVID changed our routines, our sense of safety and for some of us our sense of value and worth. Change, as you have likely heard me say before, is HARD. Our brains appreciate order, and regularity and predictability. COVID got in the way of that – in so many different ways.

Outcome goals had to adjust and adapt and perhaps come right out of our brains. Process goals that were set to make outcome goals seem possible became frustrating and often felt useless and pointless.

Feeling guilty when things were working out on a personal level when around us people suffered didn’t feel super either. I am still feeling that when I see the news about India, Brazil and other spots around the globe.

How can we cope?

Remember to look for joy, and gratitude I got a lovely note yesterday about the Gratitude Project which filled my heart right up and made me appreciate the world through another lens.

Set priorities with care what really matters to you right now? Focus on the key priorities rather than struggling with a long and complex list.

Accept that you will feel some guilt, some despair, and some distress. Understand that you are human and this isn’t easy – and it hasn’t been part of our normal. That’s ok.

Find support. Connection matters. Take the zoom lessons, go back to your Zero to CD group. Revisit your course libraries. Look for opportunities to not only get but give help (to paraphrase Mr. Rogers). ClubHouse is rolling out for android which I really like as inclusion matters to me … if you need a link to join up CLICK HERE.

Seek some inspiration. Don’t be afraid to think ahead, look for pictures and dream. When your world opens up again what do you want to be doing? Start allowing that picture into your mind now. Start considering what you need to do to make it happen.

It’s been a tough go for all of us. I see you. I appreciate your struggles and successes and can’t wait to celebrate more with you. I am so glad you are in my life. Thank you.