The Next Move

There is not a day that goes by without choices to make. Our lives can shift overnight to a new normal that affects the most basic day-to-day moves — at work, in our interactions with family and community, and even in the smallest routines. Wrapped up in uncertainty, fear, anxiety, and even depression can creep in. The challenge is learning how to keep moving anyway.

At the onset of any significant disruption, many of us become intensely focused — diligent in ways we never were before. We develop new habits, new rituals, new awareness. Some of those practices, it turns out, are genuinely good. A heightened sense of hygiene. More time spent at home, discovering creative experiences within our own walls. A slower pace that invites reading, cooking, watching something meaningful. Difficulty has a way of sharpening what matters.

I recently watched Netflix's The Queen's Gambit, set in the late 1950s — a refreshing series following an unstoppable young chess prodigy as she burns through match after match. What struck me most was not just her confidence, but her adaptability. No matter what move her opponent made, no matter how the board was set, she found a way to maneuver her pieces and win.

That image stayed with me. Because once we understand the circumstances of any life experience — no matter how difficult — life becomes about adapting to new measures and choosing the right path forward. We are not in a tournament. But our lives deserve to be held in similar high regard.

Find the path that keeps you well. Don't let the challenge win. Even if your strategy requires it to consume part of your day to stay ahead of it — keep yourself in play, in a healthy way. Keep the people you love close. Stay the course. Make healthy choices.

Life is all about adapting to change. Meet the challenge with intention, and make your next move a good one.