As we begin this spring and grapple with the coronavirus crisis, the world slows down. Let's use these slow times to experiment with our thoughts and push our creativity; let’s use it to reflect on our place in the world what our priorities should be when everything ramps back up again. Let's also remember that just because you are quarantined, doesn't mean you have to spend all your time inside. In fact, being outside can even stimulate some of these helpful thoughts. 

Try it for yourself on your next walk. Look around you and notice what plants catch your eye. Let's be honest, most people today don't know all the names of each of the plants you walk by every day. If this describes, you, there's no shame. In fact, I urge you to embrace it. This is considered a beginner's mind. You have the opportunity to view your surroundings through the eyes of a child. What are the questions that bubble up to the surface when you observe the plants around you? This mentality is where creativity thrives.  

Engaging your mind in this way, similar to meditation, will bring you closer to that subconscious self, otherwise known as your true self. Take that opportunity to communicate with that self to ask, what is your passion or calling in life? Caroline McHugh, in her TED Talk “The Art of Being Yourself”, talks about how over time we’ve slowly gotten further away from understanding our true selves because we’ve been sucked into all the noise of today. We rarely stop to think about what we really want. We are closest to our true self when we are children and then again when we grow old and we tend to care less what people think.