As I encountered a neighbor’s whimsical upcycled toilet planter today, I couldn't help but reflect on the importance of having and maintaining a growth mindset: instead of "Why is this (sh*t) happening to me?" consider reflecting on…"What is this trying to teach me?" “How might it help me reach greater heights?” Which, admittedly is easier said than done, when you feel caught in the trenches of a sh*storm, as I have, many a time on this long chronic illness journey of never ending plot twists. After 12+ years of navigating the winding paths of Lyme Disease and now MS, I can definitely relate to the feeling of "thanks, 'whatever doesn't kill me', I'm strong now...can we move on yet?" But on those days when it feels like you're stuck on the hamster wheel of "same sh*t, different day," (or maybe even "even crazier sh*t with each passing day" as most of us experienced in 2020), I've found that it is indeed helpful to reflect on what I can continue to learn from repeated or shifting plot twists. What can I learn, where are the opportunities for me to grow and expand my capacity for resilience, for being with what is, no matter how or where it may arise? As Holocaust survivor Dr. Viktor Frankl wisely asserted, "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” So, my wish for us all as we enter this weekend, and the rest of the year ahead, is that we resource and nourish ourselves to the point of choosing how we wish to be in any given circumstance that may arise along the way, and meet it with an attitude of gratitude, as most everything in life can be seen as “a teacher” sent from beyond. Can each of us be willing to accept that sh*t happens, while still nudging ourselves to compost it and use it to fortify our solid foundation of groundedness, plant some new seeds for new possibilities of relating and operating more skillfully with ourselves, one another and the world around us, as we continue to grow, flourish and keep moving towards the light? I’m up for the challenge, will you join me?