Fifteen months after the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns quieted our offices, cleared our streets and shuttered our social lives, the reopening movement is hitting full speed.

But just because life as we once knew it is starting to return, you don’t need bounce right back to your pre-pandemic schedule if you’re feeling hesitant. That’s the message from Dr. Doyanne Darnell, UW Medicine’s clinical director for psychological services at Harborview Mental Health and Addiction Services.

“People are definitely telling me that they want to change their life,” says Darnell. “The pandemic has, in some way, shown them something about their lives that they've decided they want it to be different.”

In a blog post, Darnell expands on the social shift we've experienced during the pandemic, and how you can control your destiny through reopening.