I’m writing this on January 1st and enjoying the sparkling white blanket of snow glistening outside my windows. The best part—it arrived with no wind. It lays peacefully undisturbed on pine trees, fences, and sidewalks. It’s beautiful. Maybe Mother Nature is exhausted after her tantrum in Boulder on December 30th. I hope the calmness of freshly fallen snow is a sign of kinder times ahead.

The snow reminds me of some positives as I think of what we have experienced in the last two years. We learned to slow down and entertain quieter times. We had months of being tied to a house. Cooking, reading, and being more creative filled our days because we couldn’t jump in the car and go shopping or meet friends for lunch. People who lived together got better acquainted. Maybe not for everyone, but if I didn’t turn on the news, my days were sweeter and calmer, and I was more appreciative of my home and family. I had uninterrupted visits with myself—something not always valued in our busy lifestyles.

I want to keep the picture of this beautiful white morning in my mind as days come and go in 2022. You and I can create calm and quietness if we choose, even within external chaos. Nothing says we have to read or believe every person, blog, text, tweet, email, or whatever else is out there in life or on social media. Therefore, we can think and live within a range of reasonable and manageable wellness.

Learning how to relax our minds and bodies helps us find perspective in chaos. 2022 will not be free of disasters, challenges, or loss. It is up to us to develop skills to quiet our minds so we don’t make adverse events more traumatic.

Picture this New Year’s day—snowflakes floating through the air with not a wisp of wind. Sit with that picture for a few minutes. Then picture the Boulder fire with gold, orange, and red flames bursting through windows and roofs. Add the roar of the wind to your picture. Sit with that vision for a few minutes. Remember the one that slowed your heart rate.

We need a mental health toolbox to keep us from ending upside-down in a ditch when unwelcome events happen around us. If we allow it, chaos generates chaos—slowing down enhances emotional stability. For sure, I will strive for calmness like the January 1st snowfall instead of the violent December 30th fire.

Envision calmness, and even if bad things happen around or to you, you can maintain a level of equilibrium, which is a lot better than falling into and digging out of a big black hole.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

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