We face an unpredictable future. A state of “unknowing" that’s unparalleled by past experience.

It’s a time of doubt, restlessness, boredom… fear.

And---we have a choice to make.

We can spend our minutes in quarantine fretting about the future, about what may or may not happen… what we may miss out on…

We can day dream about the past, reminiscing on the “good times” to avoid the discomfort of the present.

If you’re like me, you’ve tried both of these approaches, and you’re still feeling quite down in the dumps.

So again, we arrive at a choice— a choice that only you can make.

A choice to accept.

Accept all the scariness and discomfort of admitting that, yes— this is something we’ve never faced, and something in which no outcome is foreseeable. We accept to “not know” and still continue on living in the present moment.

In times like this, when you are striving to stay present amidst many distractions, I find a few things helpful.

When thoughts of the past or future begin to creep in, these are a few things to turn to to re-focus on present possibilities.

Grab a candle and inhale the scent. Close your eyes and let your mind wander— creating an image or list of qualities that this scent produces. While silly, this can help you regain contact with the present moment.
Candy. Taste, like scent, occurs in the present moment. Thus, grabbing a lollipop, or a piece of hard candy, and indulging can help you regain contact with the present moment.
Take out post-its. Every time a past or future thought pops in, write it down and put it on your fridge. Find humor in how many times you have the same thought— our minds love to repeat! Begin to see thoughts, and purely words on post-its. They are not reality.
Workout. The most powerful way to connect with the present is to physiologically stimulate the system. Exercise helps you feel all parts of your body— and helps you connect with how you are feeling in the present moment. Get outside!
Shower. If you’re really struggling to get moving or motivated, a shower can help wake up the system and kick-start action.

Start small and work your way up. Past and future thoughts can be very convincing— and if you give in, you might get caught in the never ending chatter of “how coulds” and “what ifs.” Use these strategies to talk back— to keep present.