What Is Essential Now?

This morning, I received a text from my neighbor—who also happens to be the HR Manager at my job.

"All non-essential office staff has been told to stay home."

Outside, an ice storm warning is in effect. Roads are slick, temperatures are dropping, and travel is discouraged unless absolutely necessary. My company made the call to prioritize safety, keeping those not required onsite at home—a decision I respect and appreciate.

Still, the phrase—non-essential—stuck with me.

That term became part of our collective language during COVID. Entire industries and jobs were labeled essential or non-essential, shaping how people saw their work, their worth, their purpose. It was a way to categorize roles, but like all labels, it could never capture the full picture of a person’s value.

And now, as I sat with it, I realized: essential isn’t just about work. It’s about life.

So, what is essential now? What truly matters in this moment? And what am I doing about it?

Letting Go of Labels, Focusing on What Matters

It’s easy to get caught up in labels. To believe that being essential is something we earn—something that comes from a job title, a role, a responsibility to someone else.

But I am not essential. That’s just another label.

What matters is not what I am called—it’s how I choose to show up.

"You are the vast expanse of stardust that makes up the universe. You are not the passing thoughts and emotions that try to define you." – Michael Singer

I am not my job.

I am not my responsibilities.

I am not defined by how much or how little someone else needs me.

But I can choose to be present. I can choose to love. I can choose to let go of what doesn’t matter and focus on what does.

Choosing Presence as What Matters Most

So today, instead of questioning how others define what is essential, I’m asking myself:

What is essential now, and what am I doing about it?

Am I letting go of what I can’t control?

Am I showing up for myself and the people I love?

Am I allowing joy and gratitude to shape my day?

Because at the end of it all, we aren’t defined by job titles, roles, or external labels.

We are not essential—we are simply here.

And that is enough.