Amid the chaos, worry, anger and disbelief that last week’s events caused, I was reminded one must not lose sight of what’s important. No matter how much better things may feel or seem, one must never let one’s guard down. I was also reminded one can’t pour from an empty cup — practicing what you preach is easier said than done — and being on guard all the time is no way to live.

So after two days of doom scrolling and news updates, I circled back to one of the things I intend to manifest for myself all year: ease. I turned the notifications off, put the phone down, turned off the news and focused on myself.

I have been starting my days in complete ease: reading, journaling (using The Five Minutes Journal), stretching and meditating. It all sounds time consuming and intimidating, but it’s really not; I was under that impression until I tried it. I journal for five to eight minutes, meditate (deep breathing exercises) for 10 minutes, stretch for another 10 and then read for 30 minutes — all while listening to a peaceful nature sounds playlist.

Granted, I have the flexibility to dedicate an hour to myself in the mornings since I mostly work from home, but not every day looks the same. When I’m off, sometimes I choose to simply sleep in, but no matter the order I choose for the day, I’ve made sure to not touch/use my phone for at least an hour after waking up and — it comes as no surprise — it makes a difference.

That difference sets the tone for the day and translates into the effort I put in everything I do. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Self-care is crucial in any healing process. And taking things with ease is part of it. In spite of everything, my year started off with lots of self-reflection, self-love and a burning desire to move forward.

How have you been taking care of yourself?

— Yasser Ogando, production & advertising coordinator