Just a few short weeks ago, we were asked to stay at home and not go out unless we absolutely had to. Decisions were made for us about what we could or could not do. We may not have liked it, but our decisions were easy. That’s because we understand “on/off” thinking or “dichotomous thinking”. But, what is it really and how does this type of thinking hold us back when it comes to positive behavior changes?

With all that is going on in our world, the words of Charles Darwin are particularly insightful to me. “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable to change.” So, what does adaptability really mean and why is it important?

I don’t know about you, but maintaining my usual level of optimism is becoming increasingly difficult. The daily news cycle alone is often enough to send me down a path of negativity that leaves me seeing the world in shades of grey. And with the reality of what’s going on, it is totally understandable and can be expected. However, even with this new reality, losing our positive expectations about the future can have serious consequences.

Research shows that only about half of us are satisfied with either the quality or amount of sleep we get (Lau et al, 2018). And this was before Covid-19. With so much going on in the world and in our personal lives, it is understandable that we may be experiencing even more difficulty with our sleep habits. So, what can we do about it?