(Breather) I’ve been seeing a lot of content and sitting back; since I’m not a health expert, I felt I had nothing urgent to contribute. But lately, I’ve been thinking about the way life has changed, and so suddenly. Earlier this month, we were barnstorming Las Vegas for basketball games and checking out a magic show, attended a concert in Nashville, went to Graceland in Memphis, and were sampling bourbon in New Orleans. I felt a minimal personal connection to the news I was reading; I have to confess to a flawed mindset about the early news of the virus and the suggestion of social distancing. I was taking Dr. Bruce Lipton's Biology of Belief message to heart (more on that later), and refusing to live in panic and fear of contracting the virus. If you’ve listened to my shows highlighting Dr. Lipton’s work about how thoughts affect cell function (part 1 here and part 2 here), you’re familiar with the fact that stored negativity, fears, and anxiety elevate stress hormones, suppress immune function, and can cause illness... such as cancer and stress-related heart attacks. Healing with the power of the mind is profound, so check out books like Mind over Medicine by Lissa Rankin if you’re interested in learning more. I usually have a pretty positive mindset and in hindsight, I didn't fully appreciate the concept of contributing to the exposure and transmission to those who are weak and vulnerable. The Spring Break partiers in Miami might want to take heed. We are now being forced out of our self-absorbed dispositions to think about how our behavior impacts others globally. This is a huge positive takeaway and hopefully shift in consciousness for the future of humanity. Maybe more tolerance and acceptance will arise out of this, who knows? Also, something to keep in mind: not all youth are degenerate, insensitive partiers. There was a great LA Times article from UCLA baller Natalie Chou about how she’s been getting dismissive looks on the airplane because of her Chinese-American heritage, which she says has given her a slight sense of how her black teammates might feel every day. Chou also points out how inappropriate it is to call it the Chinese virus, especially certain leaders, considering it’s a global virus. Here are some things I’ve noticed so far have really helped me retain my positive mindset while dealing with this massive global life disruption: Challenge yourself to move away from complaining and focus on the positive. Anytime the slightest thought of ‘hassle” (“Oh man, this is totally messing with my spring break!”), I jump right to gratitude. Things could always be worse. Yes, the economy is taking a major hit, but people are resilient and will do their best to recover. We have survived worse as a society. My mother tells stories of growing up on the Oregon coast during WWII and following orders to turn off all lights after dark so enemy planes would not know where the coastline was! Outdoors: viruses thrive and transmit in colder temperatures (that's why this occurred during winter and cold/flu season) and because people gather more indoors. I’ve noticed more people out on my usual trail runs and hikes, including kids. At least for some, there seems to be more impetus to get out of the house and get some fresh air. A simpler life:  Life is a lot less stressful when you’re not running around doing errands and attending public events. Of course, this is not going to go on forever, but find things to be grateful for, instead of complaining about what you can’t control. Heightened productivity: I’ve had more time than ever to work on book writing and other content since life is simpler and more focused. Watching more digital entertainment than ever before (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 10!). Greater appreciation for social connection in the experience of social distancing. More awareness of how illnesses are transmitted. I try not to be a germ freak, but I can sometimes err on the other side of being oblivious or in de