REFRAMING UNCERTAINTY: FINDING CLARITY IN A CHAOTIC WORLD
Lately, nearly everyone I talk to has been experiencing some level of anxiety. The world feels heavy. Change is constant, and uncertainty is the norm. Many Americans are deeply anxious about the economy, politics, and the ongoing struggle for human rights. Rising living costs, job instability, and recession fears leave many financially insecure. Politically, polarization and distrust in leadership breed disconnection, anxiety, and powerlessness. Meanwhile, battles over race, gender, immigration, and LGBTQ+ rights are fueling exhaustion and moral burnout.
These overlapping crises are not abstract headlines. They are emotional weights that many of us carry daily. Fear, frustration, and a growing sense of disillusionment are becoming the emotional backdrop of our times.
I’ll be honest: I’ve been in avoidance mode. I’m not denying what’s happening, but I’ve sometimes wanted to bury my head in the sand. I’ve felt guilt, even shame, wondering if I should be out protesting, speaking louder, doing more. And yet, I also feel a sense of sanity that I’ve fought hard to maintain. My mental health is still intact.
Uncertainty isn’t new to me. I’ve lived with it for as long as I can remember, from childhood trauma to immigration battles to the emotional rollercoaster of starting and running a business. Depression and anxiety have been familiar companions along the way.
So, when I say the next four years may be challenging, I say it from a place of lived experience. But this time, I’m choosing to respond differently. I’ve been stepping back, not out of indifference but self-preservation. I’m learning to reframe my relationship to uncertainty. I’m learning that there are healthier, more sustainable ways to show up, for myself and for my community.
What Is Uncertainty?
A quick online search shows that uncertainty is “The state of not knowing what will happen or how things will turn out. It involves a lack of clarity, predictability, or control over future events, outcomes, or decisions. Uncertainty can create feelings of confusion, doubt, and anxiety, especially when it affects areas of life that people rely on for stability, like health, finances, relationships, or social systems.”
So, how do we live without losing ourselves in uncertainty?
1. Remember to Breathe
In moments of overwhelming worries and concerns, I return to the breath.
- When I see another legal immigrant being unlawfully detained by ICE, I pause and breathe.
- When I hear someone justify slashing essential programs for the most vulnerable, I breathe.
- When my investments drop, and my gut reacts, I remind myself to breathe.
The breath connects me to my body, present moment, and self.
2. Choose Your Battles – Reactive Response
Not everything deserves our attention. In this age of nonstop news and outrage cycles, the media thrives on our fear, anger, and clicks. As I wrote in my March blog, most headlines don’t report news; they recycle emotional triggers.
I’ve become very intentional and selective about the media I consume. I filter out the noise and the sensationalism. Why? Because I want to preserve my energy and protect my emotional space. I may not be able to control the chaos, but I can control my reactions. That control gives me a sense of peace, and that peace matters.
3. Choose Your Battles – Proactive Action
From my advocacy work, I’ve learned that not every form of activism is the same. Yes, protests matter, and they are powerful. But so do emails to elected officials, community organizing, storytelling, and everyday conversations that challenge injustice.
I continue to bring up issues like DEI and mental health in my trainings, even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular. It’s my way of staying in the fight without burning out.
We don’t all have to do everything, but we must each do something that is aligned with our strengths, capacities, and well-being.
4. Reframing Uncertainty
Some fears are valid. Others are imagined. But left unaddressed, both can become toxic. Chronic stress, the kind of uncertainty that fuels it, can easily turn into depression, anxiety, and emotional paralysis.
That’s why I double down on daily rituals that help me stay grounded:
- I meditate for ten minutes each morning.
- I spend at least 30 minutes outdoors, soaking in the sun.
- I take short, tech-free walks to reconnect with my senses.
- I read for fifteen minutes daily, something nourishing or thought-provoking.
- I move my body for twenty minutes in any way that feels good.
These may seem small, but they’re powerful. They create space to detach from the world’s chaos and reconnect with myself. And in that space, I find clarity. I find calm. I find me.
In these uncertain times, let’s not underestimate the power of reframing and choosing our responses. The world may feel unstable, divided, and unjust, but within ourselves, we can still cultivate peace, purpose, and presence.
This is how I’m moving forward. This is how I’m staying in the fight without losing myself. This is how I reframe uncertainty.
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