There is so much we cannot control. As I write this we are in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a scary, uncertain, unprecedented time in the modern era. We don’t know what next week will look like. We are worried about our loved ones, especially those 60 years or older. We don’t know how our hospitals will meet the needs of the ever-increasing patients. We don’t know when we will be able to congregate in groups of ten or more or how long we will have to use the Zoom app to catch up with friends and family. How bad will this get? How long will it last?

It is healthy to be honest with ourselves, to grieve the uncertainty, and question why certain things are happening. However, it is also important to focus on what we can control – First, by doing our part to stay indoors, washing our hands, and encouraging others to do the same.

Second – by choosing to control our thoughts and focus on what we have to be grateful for. Focus on the little things: the simplicity of this current time, an opportunity to spend more time with your immediate loved ones, more time away from the distractions and hustle and bustle at the office, potentially more time to to sit in stillness and reflect (I know, I don’t have kids yet), how the entire world seems to be coming together to fight the virus, and less pressure to go out and spend money on food and drink. I appreciate long walks without my phone now more than ever. If we don’t intentionally choose to focus on what we have to be grateful for, our thoughts can easily spiral out of control, especially right now when we don’t know what next month will look like.

Focus on what you can control – your thoughts. Take a conscious effort to identify the little things you have to be grateful for today.