One thing COVID did – aside from torture us ( ... I’m only half kidding, haha) – was strip us of everything external to ourselves and our families. While it was hard to go through and certainly many of us faced innumerable losses, there was a silver lining many said they felt – life became simpler, and we were able to focus on what was really important (even if it was momentarily out of reach).

Now that things are starting to reopen (at least in the U.S.), I can’t help feeling a little apprehensive. As excited as I am to get back to “normal” life, I don’t want to get back many things from pre-COVID times. And, I know I’m not the only one. I miss vacationing, I miss having a social life and going to events. I miss my people; I miss community. I miss spontaneous adventures.

What I don’t miss? Hectic lifestyles, over-packed schedules, long commutes, the pressure to conform to a certain image, the pressure to be a certain way, to do certain things, and the lack of time for myself, my family and my home.

As more and more people get vaccinated, I can’t help but feel like we’re presented with a very unique opportunity to “start over.” Before we just jump back into “normal life” (if we ever get there), let’s take stock of our lives and assess where we’re at, where we want to be, and who we want to be. Ask yourself questions like:

This is where we are at with our Haute Hijab summer campaign: Color Your World. We’ll be exploring mood-boosting color (literally) with our fun new spring and summer colors, and breaking down topics like choosing the best colors for your skin tone, how to wear color for those who don’t *love* color, fresh summer styles and the science of how color impacts our moods.

Aside from literally coloring our hijab wardrobes, we’ll also be talking about infusing FUN into our lives after more than a year of isolation and also exploring what “fun” means to us. Ready to vacation again? We’ll walk you through some vacation style and packing tips. Getting married or attending a wedding? Let’s talk about formal hijabs and attire! Ready to do more outdoors activities? We got you covered with HH Sport! Want to maintain a more quiet, low-key life that you’ve grown to love from your months of sheltering-in-place? Let’s look at what casual hijab and outfit styles will suit your needs.

We’ll also explore different ways in which you all color your worlds. Is it activism? Acts of service? Community building? Fostering friendships and relationships with others? I recently came across this quote online that really stood out to me:

It made me pause, and I think about it often. The relationships we hold as human beings are, I think, the most beautiful and important things in life after our relationship with Allah (S). We often feel down because our lives aren’t going the way we’d like – but that’s because our eyes are on the destination. They’re not always on the journey.

It’s not what you do, but how you do it, and who you do it with.

The world is your canvas, ladies. How will you color yours?