I have felt much more positive and motivated lately. It’s like this wave of energy and determination passed through me and has lingered and helped me make things happen. Although it feels new, it’s a familiar feeling.

What changed, you may ask? Well, it starts with therapy. These are unusual times that can luckily be handled with usual measures, and I’ve found a tremendous amount of comfort and clarity by committing to it. This commitment translated into different areas: journaling every day, staying active for at least 25 minutes daily, catching up on doctor appointments, weekly self-care routines and more calls to loved ones.

The week felt like déjà vu, but I find comfort in knowing, this time around, I am better prepared (in all aspects) to adapt. We all are. Even those of us who normally skirt change have been forced to learn how to navigate and evolve. Few events and experiences in human history have been shared as collectively as the pandemic — I can’t think of anywhere in the world that remained untouched, and that is mind-boggling. As difficult and harrowing as moments of this year have been for everyone individually, there’s a tiny sliver of beauty in the idea we all experienced it together.

— Yasser Ogando, production & advertising coordinator