Now that countless states in the U.S.—as well as countries all over the world—have begun reopening businesses and services deemed “non-essential,” I wonder how many of us will still choose to wait out the storm before diving back into the waters, so to speak. Much of the media reports prove conflicting, which can make it difficult to plan how to best move forward in the safest way. I, myself, struggle with contradictory emotions, vacillating between, “It’s too soon!” to “I can’t put my life ‘on hold’ forever” to “I need to do what’s right for me and my family.” And that’s where I’ve settled as of this writing. I understand the urgent need to claw our way out of the current economic crisis. But I also realize the necessity to manage my mental health now more than ever before. It’s the well-known air travel instruction to affix your oxygen mask first. When we care for ourselves first, we can care for others.

How’s your mental health?

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