Read the topic, then answer it by writing your response in a letter format. Write a letter to Mayor Garcetti about your solutions to answer the questions from the subject. Use the Appendix, at the end of your book, to format a letter to Mayor Garcetti. Maintain at least three paragraphs Opening, Body, and Closing

We shouldnt go back to normal. Normal wasnt good enough.

Many of us feel resistant to return to pre-pandemic life for good reason. This story is part of a group of stories called Finding the best ways to do good. With America vaccinating people at a good clip, its starting to feel like we could get back to normal-is life soon. And of course, we all want an end to the pandemic that has taken so many lives. But many of us are also feeling anxious about returning to normal, having realized that our pre-pandemic lives contained a lot that were better off without.

To what extent can we redesign our life

For the privileged individuals among us, now is a good time to get intentional about setting rules for what we will and wont go back to post-pandemic. Beilock, the cognitive scientist, recommends asking yourself some questions. Start by asking yourself what makes you happy. What are the activities you want to bring back? What is meaningful? And what isnt? What are the boundaries you want to have in terms of work, family, other obligations? She suggests actually writing out a grid, where on one axis you jot down all the activities you normally do, and on the other axis you indicate the degree to which you must do them (three is I absolutely must, two is I feel like I should, one is I dont need to). For any activity thats not an absolute must, ask if it decreases your well-being. If it does, see if you can discard it. This individualist approach can only go so far, though. Many of the things we dont want to return to cant be discarded by sheer force of will (unless, perhaps, youre independently wealthy). This is true of the things mentioned above, and its certainly true of broad social problems like the lack of adequate sick leave, family leave, and health care. For social change to happen, something deeper needs to take root. That begins by acknowledging that the normal we are returning to may not be so normal at all. It requires us to ask ourselves what we can do to change the harmful systems highlighted by the pandemic. If we dont, we will have wasted a massive opportunity for a reset. During the pandemic, it felt like people realized the importance of community and mutual aid, Delgado said. But when things open back up, I fear well forget that and its every person for themselves again.

To what extent can we redesign our life (Title)

• What makes you happy?
• What activities do you want to bring back?
• What is meaningful and what is not?
• Do you want to go back to the way society was before?