How to Find Our Footing at Times of Uncertainty

The holiday season has ended, and we are now entering the stillness of winter.

Unfortunately, 2025 has not begun on a positive note. Waves of ongoing, troubling news continue to pour in, and there is no end in sight. I am having a tough time keeping up with it all.

The world is negotiating widespread negativity, wars, and political upheavals.

The fires in LA have decimated the area and upended thousands of lives. It’s heartbreaking. Where and how does one even begin to rebuild and recover?

I am not alone in feeling anxious and worried about current affairs, but I am well aware of the long-term effects anxiety and worry can have on my mental health.

Yesterday, as I was driving back home—my head swirling with thoughts and questions—I saw a formation of geese overhead, flying west.

My mind stopped as the story about geese and their flying formation came to mind from my corporate days. Their story is used in leadership workshops to highlight the importance of teamwork and collaboration.

Here’s why:

• Geese fly in a V formation because it allows them to travel long distances without tiring as much. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of them, reducing wind resistance
• When the leading goose gets tired, it swaps places with another goose so it can recharge itself
• Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed and
• When a goose gets sick or falls behind, two other geese break away from the flock and stay with it until it is strong enough to rejoin the group.

Given how I was feeling before I saw the geese flying overhead, I couldn’t help but take it as an invitation to pay attention and reflect upon the power of self-awareness and community.

To quote Barbara Kingsolver, “There is so much more out there, beauty and wildness, people taking care of their places and each other.”

How do we find our footing, reestablish our connection to goodness, and reignite hope when we feel tired, anxious, and emotionally exhausted?

We Begin Where We Are

We remind ourselves that we are not alone. Hopefully, we already have a community that we are connected to, a community that reminds us of the goodness in people.

If we don’t, this is the perfect time to seek and connect with the people who can fly in a V-formation with us.

We accept the fact that some days will be better than others. There will be days when we can lead and days when we are tired and need to fall back and let others lead.

We focus on what matters and remind ourselves of our priorities daily.

We extend kindness and grace to ourselves and those who need it. How this looks may be different for you than it is for me. It is up to us to learn what that looks like.

We remind ourselves that our minds have a negativity bias, so we try not to feed that side of our minds. Sometimes, we must walk away from the struggle to renew our spirit and hopeful part of ourselves.

We engage our creativity because doing so soothes our nervous system, reduces stress and anxiety, and supports our mental health.

We get up every morning and welcome the new day. We stay open to possibilities and receive the day as it unfolds.

These are just some of my thoughts on how to stay grounded, mindful, and engaged, based on my reflections on the flying geese.

What do you think? How do you find your way back to yourself? I would love to hear from you.

Feel free to scroll down and leave a comment.

If you find comfort and inspiration in the company of like-minded women, read about The Circle of Women and join us next month.

Thank you for being here and reading along.