Finding Calm in Chaos: Practices for Staying Grounded During Uncertain Times

It’s been quite a week—or rather, it’s been quite a time in our country and world right now. Many of us are experiencing whiplash from executive orders, policy changes, and the constant barrage of concerning headlines. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

For many women in my community, these changes are not just abstract news stories—they are directly impacting our daily lives. School budget cuts are affecting disability services. Friends are facing impossible choices between speaking their truth and keeping their jobs. All while we’re still handling the everyday challenges of parenting, managing household illnesses, and trying to stay afloat.

When everything feels chaotic, what grounds us? How do we avoid falling into despair when the noise is so loud? Here are some reminders that have been anchoring me lately, and I hope they might help you too.

Our Nervous Systems Weren’t Built for This

First, let’s acknowledge something important: human beings simply weren’t wired to process this much information at this pace. Our nervous systems can’t healthily absorb the constant stream of alerts, headlines, and updates flooding our devices every minute of every day.

This means we need to be absolutely meticulous about our boundaries with inputs—what enters through our eyes, ears, and mouth. Ask yourself:

• Which news sources am I consuming, and when?
• What text chains am I participating in?
• What substances am I using to cope?
• What words am I putting out into the world?

Being mindful of these “sense doors” can make an enormous difference in our wellbeing. For example, I had to create email filters for messages from my mother because seeing her name in my inbox would instantly throw me into dysregulation. Now I decide when I’m ready to engage with those communications rather than being ambushed at inopportune moments.

Consider yourself a bodyguard for your own nervous system—what triggers can you protect yourself from when you don’t have the capacity to process them healthily?

Suffering Is Inevitable, But Our Response Isn’t

In mindfulness practice, one of the Four Noble Truths teaches us that suffering is an inherent part of human existence. This might sound depressing at first, but I actually find it deeply relieving. Expecting life to be free from difficulty creates unnecessary additional suffering.

This teaching is particularly relevant when raising children. Rather than trying to shield them from all hardship (an impossible task), we can equip them with tools to navigate inevitable challenges with resilience and grace.

The same applies to our current situation. Bad news isn’t going away. The media ecosystem profits from keeping us anxious and engaged. The real suffering comes not from difficult circumstances themselves, but from our resistance to what is happening and our craving for a different reality.

Can you take a deep breath and acknowledge that unpleasant things are part of life without adding the extra layer of suffering that comes from fighting reality?

Your Nervous System State Colors Everything

The state of your nervous system fundamentally dictates how you see the world. When you’re in a shutdown state (dorsal vagal), everything looks hopeless and doomed. When you’re in fight-or-flight (sympathetic), you’ll view everything through a lens of anxiety and anger.

It’s only when we’re in our regulated state (ventral vagal) that we can access “the long view”—the perspective that this is just one moment in time, however difficult it may be.

This understanding is crucial when interacting with loved ones too. If someone is deeply dysregulated, they literally cannot access a balanced perspective, no matter how logical your arguments. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is help them regulate (perhaps with a walk or change of scenery) or set a boundary if they’re pulling you into dysregulation too.

Remember: our stories follow our state. If you find yourself unable to see anything but doom and gloom, it’s a signal that your nervous system needs tending to first.

Back to Basics: Body, Food, Rest, Spirit

When the world feels chaotic, returning to fundamental practices becomes more important than ever. We all know what serves us, but there’s often an incongruence between what we know is good for us and what we prioritize.

Now is the time to double down on the basics:

• Movement that feels good in your body
• Adequate, quality sleep
• Whole, nourishing foods
• Contemplation, relaxation, and spiritual practice

This last category is distinct from sleep—it’s about consciously creating moments of stillness and presence. For me, walking in nature while noticing trees and birds is a form of spiritual practice that helps ground me.

These practices aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities. When we stay in dysregulated states too long, our bodies literally shut down vital systems. Digestion becomes impaired, immunity weakens, and we create the conditions for dis-ease on multiple levels.

The Ultimate Question: What Would Love Do?

Finally, I’ve been returning to a question I heard years ago: “What would love do?”

In a recent conversation with Shinichi Daimyo, we explored the question “Who loves me most in the world?” For many of us with complicated maternal relationships, questions about love can be triggering rather than comforting.

But at 43, I can honestly say that the answer for me is: I love me most in the world. I’ve cultivated a self-love that has become my foundation—my inner mother, the flourished mother within me.

Cultivating this self-love isn’t selfish or fluffy—it’s essential. We can’t give what we don’t have. The love our families and communities need right now must begin with how we treat ourselves.

If that concept brings up difficult feelings for you, please know you’re not alone. And know this too: if you’re reading this, you’re a pattern interrupter and a lightworker. I don’t say that lightly or with any fluff—I say it because your commitment to growth and awareness means you’re helping break cycles and bring more light into this world.

Right now, more than ever, we’re being called back to these foundational truths that get lost in the swirl of scrolling and overscheduling. I hope these reminders help you find your ground again, even if just for today.

What grounds you when the world feels chaotic? I’d love to hear your practices in the comments below.