When 4th Grade Teacher Elizabeth Smith of Austin's power went out late Sunday night, she didn't imagine she'd be spending the next 5 days freezing in her home with her family. But a polar vortex brought a cozy Valentine's Day to a grinding halt, affecting families all over the middle and southern areas of the United States. Although Texas bore the brunt of the worst due to power and water loss, the state is now working to regain its footing after a year of a pandemic and now a natural disaster with deadly consequences. 

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"Breathe easy" is a phrase we used to rely on to remind each other to relax and take a moment of peace. But few of us have been "breathing easy" since COVID-19 came to the U.S. one year ago. Since that time, we've been carefully isolating, keeping our distance from others, and wearing face coverings to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. Even as Americans are getting vaccinated, it's more important than ever to slow the spread of COVID-19 until we've reached herd immunity. But there may be an additional piece to the prevention puzzle that will help schools and business get back to breathing easier sooner.

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Do you sometimes feel like the past year has been a blur? As we come up upon a year of dealing with COVID-19 in the United States, the days can begin to mix together. This "Groundhog’s Day" feeling has been lasting over 10 months now, and even as life begins to return to normal, it may still seem as if progress is slow. At the same time, the world continues to move quickly. Kids are still learning. Companies are still hiring, producing, and flourishing. Some days, it can be challenging to remain productive and hopeful. So how can you gain access to a feeling of movement and change in a world dominated by distance? Here are just a few ways to get moving again.

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