With the headlines full of dire warnings about SARS, Mad Cow Disease, West Nile virus, terror alerts, job losses and economic woes, we can become tempted to move to one of two extremes.

The first extreme is to immerse ourselves in every negative story with the intention of being "informed". The risk is that we could end up like "Chicken Little", running around yelling: "THE SKY IS FALLING!! THE SKY IS FALLING!!" until we are paralyzed by fear.

The other extreme is that we consciously try to avoid all of the negative news with the intention of retaining our sanity. The risk with this extreme is that we could end up like an ostrich, burying our heads in the sand to protect ourselves and falling victim to the theory that "If I don't acknowledge it, it can't affect me", or convincing ourselves that all of these negative things happen to "other people" and not to us.

Now, admittedly, these are extreme examples - but I'll bet that you recognize some aspects of yourself in one of these scenarios. I know that I'm guilty from time to time.

Living a mindful life is a powerful way to cope with the "mountains" that appear in our path, as well as the daily "molehills". This week, try to focus on the opportunities that are available to you each and every moment. By keeping these thoughts at the forefront of your mind, you will feel an overwhelming sense of calm and power.

Rather than focusing on the external issues that may or may not affect us, we can focus on the fact that only WE have the power to choose our reactions and more importantly - our ACTIONS!

So make this week a week of thoughtful action and choose your reactions wisely!

ENJOY NOW!

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