It’s easy to feel a sense of loneliness and loss, but we can also look for what we might gain. The lack of socializing at mass gatherings can give us more time for self-care, allowing rediscovery of ourselves and our everyday surroundings. How many times have you walked past a home or building in your neighborhood, observed a keen detail like a beautiful garden or a unique architectural feature, and thought, “I never noticed that before!” This month’s Fit Body article, “Mindful Walking,” shows us how meditative walking fosters mind-body awareness and nourishes the spirit. Learn tips on how to mentally detach from life’s daily stressors and absorb the smells, sounds and vibrant colors of a Wisconsin summer.

In our fast-paced society, most of us are more likely to take a quick shower rather than a more time-consuming bath. In the Healing Ways article “Healing Waters,” we learn how a luxurious warm bath, especially when dead sea salt or essential oils are added to the water, can help us decompress and prepare the body for restful sleep.

And let’s not forget our pets! Our furry friends are becoming clingier as we spend more time at home, but slipping your best friend a frosty treat, like those featured in the Natural Pet article “Cool Treats for Cats and Dogs,” can keep your four-legged pal occupied and comfortably cool while you finish that work project or Zoom conference.

Ryder Carroll, a digital product designer and inventor of the Bullet Journal, once said, “No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action.” We each have the power to take individual actions to contend with the current situation, and we have the freedom to respond in ways that bring self-fulfillment to our own corners of the world.