In our new pandemic lifestyle, we are recreating our lives and redetermining our values. And in the midst of the suffering and challenge, we have an incredible opportunity to reflect and review life from the inside out. In time, I’m sure we will recognize the profound crossroads humanity faced and the dramatic turn we took, but while we are living through it, our power lies in recognizing what we can change or modify in our own lives and minds, and finding creative ways to express our unified strength and capability.

So, what’s new in your life? What skins are you shedding and what new habits are you forming? What have you learned about yourself and what is the future you want to create?

For me, consistently getting more sleep is part of a new physical reality. Without having to base my work routine on a travel schedule, I’m giving myself permission to honor my body’s needs and releasing all judgment of how long I sleep. My dreams are vivid and remembered more frequently, and I’m hearing similar reports from others.

Also new, is the confusion about what day it is, and the weekend no longer holding the meaning it once had. Feeling disoriented some days is something I accept, along with occasional days of despair and even grief. In the context of the pandemic, this is completely understandable. I’ve chosen to be more kind and compassionate with myself as I learn to navigate differently.

Having been on the Keto diet for several months, I’ve enjoyed exploring new recipes, cooking roasts, and even baking. The leisure time for these activities has reignited the joy of making meals and appreciating foods.

Facing the loneliness of living alone while sheltering-in-place, I was nudged to finally initiate the search for an animal companion. A divine synchronicity brought an eight year old cat named Bella to my home, and we have bonded to each other beautifully.

Donning masks and gloves to go out is obviously new for all of us, as is social distancing. With it, comes a heightened consciousness of ourselves, our environment, and one another. We realize how connected we are through the air we breathe and the space we share. We are becoming more mindful.

And speaking of mind, therein lies the greatest challenge of all: how to manage anxious, fearful thoughts, even thoughts of attack (judgment) as we agree or disagree with others and face uncertainty in every aspect of our lives.

I’d heard of Dr. Joe Dispenza for years, so now with the luxury of time to read, I’m currently enthralled in his books Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, You Are the Placebo, and Becoming Supernatural. There is no better time for his wisdom in bridging science and spirituality and learning how to reprogram our brains, than now.

New tools, new rituals, new activities, new thoughts, and new forms of relationship are the guideposts for going forward. Determining what no longer works, globally and personally, and being willing to let it go as we forge ahead differently is the shapeshifting we are being asked to do.

But motivating ourselves to engage the new, or even go forward on some days can be a struggle. I have a beautiful new Keith Urban guitar and teaching program I’ve long intended to follow through with, and the farthest I’ve gone is to get it out of its case one day. I resist washing my hair, putting on makeup and even wearing a bra, so getting ready to go out is a greater chore. The inward pull of isolation can make phoning a friend, reaching out or getting out, an uncommon hurdle.

These are all our common experiences now. Given these boundless changes, I believe one thing that lies ahead is a rupture that will unleash creativity so vast, it will energize, catalyze, and inspire the ideas and creations that will engage our ability to overcome the ancient archetypes that now restrict us, and create new paradigms for unified life on Mother Earth.

How fascinating and exciting a time it is. I know there is loss, and that is a part of life, but let us hold to the higher vision and purpose of what is taking place and can be. Let us be the instruments of change that lead to the greater good for humanity, with the faith and courage to endure the struggle and realize the dream.