This has always been my mantra, and it’s certainly being tested again. The feelings and thoughts I have right now are very similar to those when I was diagnosed with breast cancer multiple times.

Back in 2015 I had just launched Lacson Ravello after being in remission and on the mend from my second cancer diagnosis. I was on such a high...filled with so much excitement of what the future could hold. And literally the same day (in fact, a couple of hours after launching my website), I received a call from my oncologist saying I indeed had breast cancer for the third time.

The news didn’t just knock the wind out of my sails—it felt like my world was yanked out from under me. At that point I had invested so much time, energy, and money in Lacson Ravello and now I had to put that same focus back on my personal health and medical procedures. I felt scared, uncertain, anxious, and vulnerable—much like what we are all feeling right now. I considered whether or not I should retract my designs, pull down the website and just hit pause on everything. But lucky for me, my amazing husband convinced me to leave the site up. He reminded me that in the best of times building a business starts with small steps, and it’s important not to get overwhelmed.

Throughout the next few months, creating Lacson Ravello became a welcome distraction and respite from the difficult rounds of treatment. It was much more than just designing a clothing line. Every time I "showed up", it was restoring my sense of well-being and purpose. Now that I’m healthy and strong again, I can look back on those times with recognition and gratitude.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, in many ways I feel that the entire world is in a similar state of mind as I was five years ago. We’re all experiencing fear, uncertainty, anxiety, vulnerability…perhaps even despair. We can all relate to one another. We can all empathize with what’s going on. On top of that, all of the things that kept getting bumped to the bottom of your to-do list—it’s now time to tackle them. That’s your welcome distraction! Community and solidarity are exactly what we all need at the moment. It’s the most powerful mindset we have to overcome this difficult time. The cherry on top (all things considered) is you can start knocking out those new priorities now, so when the waters quiet you will be better and stronger. Focus on the things you can control—your daily actions, finding a new routine, making the most of the situation.

Embrace this unity. We’re in this together. Stay the course. Stay resilient.