So that happened. Yesterday. There was more violence and much closer than many of us would care to feel it. Scary? Yes. Receiving those “shelter in place” messages can send some of us to a dark place.

Fear.

Fear isn’t terribly useful past its initial “flight or fight” impulse. It’s healthy to fear if it spurs us to action and saves us further damage. Wallowing in it? Avoiding it? Neither are useful. Ah, but the fear  can also put us into a fairly primitive place where our minds realize how much of our day-to-day life is just noise.  In those moments we receive a gift of sorts: We realize what is and is not truly important to us. That’s useful too.

Fear.

Do your best to face it.

Feel it.

Appreciate the initial message your body and mind communicate to you… they are trying to keep you safe.

My best advice is to FEEL it but not FEED it.

Easier said than done, I know. Take care of yourself – ask for help if you need it – and refocus your energies on the things you CAN control: Studying, for instance (wink).