‍Why is it so hard to get through the day when something big is going on collectively? I mean it’s not even happening to me personally.

When large-scale events unfold, this question tends to surface.

Right now, the violence in Minneapolis is one example. It feels like every time you turn on your phone, something has escalated.

But even if you’re not directly impacted by the event, you most likely still feel drained, stressed, overwhelmed and anxious. 

And it doesn’t matter how much you meditate or pull cards, you just can’t seem to function the way you normally do.

Why is that?

One of the hardest parts of collective uncertainty is how much we take in compared to how little we can actually affect.

We’re watching, reading, listening, keeping track of events because we care. But our awareness keeps growing while our ability to change things doesn’t. After a while, helplessness sets in. We start to feel frazzled and fried.

Another thing that wears us down is that there’s no clear end point.

Our bodies stay tense – not panicked, but always a little braced for what might happen next. And we never really feel safe enough to rest.

And then there’s the helplessness that comes from not being there.

We’re used to helping in ways where we can see the effect of what we’re doing. With collective uncertainty, we don’t get that feedback.

We might donate, speak up, or offer support, but it can still feel like it’s not enough because it doesn’t stop the harm that’s unfolding right now. Our efforts can feel wildly ineffective in relation to what we’re witnessing.

So what actually helps?

One thing that helps is paying closer attention to where our energy and attention are actually going — and figuring out whether it’s helping or just giving the illusion of helping. 

Caring about something doesn’t mean we need to be plugged in all the time. Constant awareness doesn’t make us more useful. It usually just wears us down.

The key is to be intentional about what we watch or read, and where we’re getting our information. The quality of what we take in matters.

We have to give our bodies regular breaks from the pressure. This will look different for everyone:

• Stepping away from screens
• Taking care of yourself by getting sleep, gentle movement and nourishing food.
• Focusing on the present moment and your breath

Taking care of ourselves doesn’t mean we’re “calming down” and pretending things are fine when they’re obviously not. It’s about giving our nervous system time to reset, so our bodies don't wear out. 

There’s also a longer view that matters here.  It helps to stop measuring our impact by how quickly we can see results. That’s not how change at a collective level works.

The kind of harm we’ve been seeing doesn’t end quickly. Its effects last for generations.

This means we have to approach this differently.  Are we supporting our souls and bodies in ways that will allow us to stay in this for the long run? Are we still paying attention when the media storm stops?

We can’t “fix” collective uncertainty, but these strategies will help us step into a different way of engaging and navigating the unknown. 

How we live, care, and stay grounded inside uncertainty is at the heart of my work. If you’re curious about navigating uncertainty, lifequakes, or the in-between, stay tuned for a new group experience coming this spring.

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