It is time. The world has been disrupted. The old models are crumbling. Like a perfect red apple so perfectly beautiful on the outside while decaying on the inside! The gig is up. The weight upon us is too heavy to carry any longer. We are tired. We are apathetic. We are numb.

Where can we choose to go from here? Do we foolishly stay ground up in autonomic responses? Do we fight to keep what is old – what is broken – what is damaged beyond repair? Do we stay numb to the reality of the demise of all we once held true?

Is it true? Go to college. Get married. Buy a house. Have kids. Do the grind. Go into debt. Spin the plates of routine and what we think will make us happy while never asking “what will bring me joy?” This is folly!! Deep down we know this. We know because we are tired. We are sick. We may get temporary rushes of elation for this new thing – or that knew accomplishment – but does it last?

So what is a different way to approach all this change? We can choose to wake up. We can choose to let go. We can focus on what goes my heart long for. What does my body need? Then we focus primarily on this. We make small adjustments toward change. We may have joy in our life – so we cherish what we have from a place of gratitude. We recognize we are fortunate to be up when so many are down.

How do we stay up? Or if down, how do we get up? We stop chasing. We stop thinking if I just hold on – it will go back to ‘normal’ or it will get better. If you ‘hold on’ you will sink with the ship! Time to plan. Time to look for or build your exit. Get busy people. Use this time to question EVERYTHING.

Ask self “is this really true? Do I really want this? Do I really ‘have to’ or just feel trapped and the deeper truth is I don’t know how to get out of this?”

The great news is our old thinking is a prison and once we release those bonds we will be liberated! We don’t ‘need’ what we falsely believed would make us happy. We will find that ‘having’ is just a temporary nicety of life and with or without we can still be perfectly joyful!

We can use this time to be of service to others! This gets us out of the feeling of being trapped and connects us to others.

I blow off my entire street. I did my neighbors yard. My ‘intention’ was because I wanted to beautify my own views. I did not do this for praise. I did not do this for a return. From this place of unconditional giving with the intent of wanting to enjoy the beauty around me – I enjoy more my space. Two neighbors have no idea. Two neighbors look out for me and receive packages for me.

When we focus on what we want from a place of self care – and do little things toward our goal of inner joy – glorious things begin to happen. We find our tribe. Those who also want to give back. We grow in bonds. We see there are many of us now on this new path. We realize we are NOT ALONE and those feelings of “no one understands” start to crumble too!

The apple is decaying yes but don’t be afraid! Notice how our shackles are decaying. Notice how we can be free in ways we never imagined. Notice how letting go is way more liberating than sad. Let this process unfold with minimal resistance.

Many things await our readiness so use this time to purge – to dig deep into what is really true for you now! Use this time to become a student and childlike in your inquisition. Drop “I know” and replace it with “maybe I know – maybe I don’t, but the real question is what am I willing to do about it – RIGHT NOW!”

Focus on what action you are willing to take – rather than what everyone else should be doing. Focus on what you want – instead of a litany of negative chatter “how its not right – fair – or a list of all you don’t want!”

Focus on I want statements – avoid I don’t want statements.

Drop “I know” with what am I willing to do about this? What could be a positive next step?

Drop fighting, resistant and rebelling against “what is” and self talk into relaxation “let’s breathe and trust the way through this is to go through this with an open mind – open heart – and slowly release our mental grip and need to hang on.

Look for the fortune in your life. Focus on it. Enjoy it. See your progress. Affirm what you are doing well.