You check the news—another crisis.

You refresh your inbox—unexpected changes.

The ground beneath us feels shaky, and no one knows exactly what comes next. It’s exhausting.

Even the most grounded people can feel fear, anxiety, or despair in times like these, so let’s talk about how to take care of ourselves and move into the safety of knowing we can handle what comes next—moment by moment.

Step 1: Build Stability Through Adaptability

Real security doesn’t come from rigid plans or trying to predict the future. Control is an illusion—the more you cling, the more exhausted you become. Stability comes from adaptability.

Instead of planning for only one outcome, build options. Think through different possibilities and how you can stay resourced no matter what happens.

Try This:

• Identify one area in your life where you feel rigid and shift to adaptive thinking. Experiment with a small change—adjusting expectations, trying a different approach, or simply pausing before reacting.

Step 2: Strengthen Your Ability to Tolerate Uncertainty

True resilience comes from learning to stay in the unknown without spiraling.

Worry and planning aren’t the same thing. Planning is a conscious decision to be strategic, while worry is often an emotional spiral into fear and compulsive action.

Before making any big decisions, slow down and check in with yourself. Are you making a hasty choice to avoid discomfort, or are you taking a clear, intentional step forward?

Try This:

• When you feel uncertain and worried, come back to the present moment. Ask yourself: Am I safe right now? Feel your feet on the ground, notice your breath, and remind yourself: I don’t need to have all the answers right now.
• Instead of resisting uncertainty, observe what it feels like in your body. Maybe it’s a swirling in your stomach or a foggy pressure in your head. Breathe into it. Let it be there. The more you allow it, the more it moves through you instead of controlling you.

Step 3: Accept 'What Is' First—And Then Take Action

You don’t have to like what’s happening, but resisting it is exhausting.

When you accept what’s happening and say, “This is what’s here right now,” you ground yourself in the present moment. Instead of reacting from fear, you respond with clarity.

Improvisers use a powerful mindset called “Yes, And.” Instead of rejecting reality, they acknowledge it and add to it. This keeps them fluid, responsive, and creative instead of stuck in fear.

Try This:

• When you’re facing uncertainty, say: “YES, this is happening… And here’s how I can adjust.” This simple shift takes you out of your resistance to reality and into helpful action.

Final Thought: Adaptability is Strength

Change is coming—whether we like it or not. The more we resist, the harder it feels. But when you learn to release rigid control, sit with uncertainty, and move with reality, you become stronger.

The more flexible you are, the less you break under pressure.

Navigating uncertainty takes practice, but you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to trusted friends and loved ones. We all need each other during uncertain times.

With Steadiness, Carolyn