Breathe, Baby, Breathe
Reaching for Calm During the Storm
I was in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, floating in a canoe along the Chandalar River, when a thunderstorm broke out.
In what felt like no more than an instant, the two Indigenous people I was with, members of the Gwich'in Nation, pulled our boat to the side of the river, found a spot for us to shelter, started a fire, and were warming smoked salmon on a stick.
I thought, Wow, if things ever really get tough in our world, these are the kind of people I'd want to be with. People who know the fundamentals of how to take care of oneself.
This came back to me recently, likely for obvious reasons: the sudden and dramatic dismantling of our government, so many of our shared values, and now our stock portfolios.
We have been through thunderstrike upon thunderstrike. Things are tough. And we need to take care of ourselves and each other.
There comes a point, after all, when one cannot simply keep taking punches without a survival strategy–without knowing how to take shelter and, ultimately, how to put up one's dukes.
In short, building a sense of safety is foundational for clear thinking and effective leadership, especially in times of great change and uncertainty.
When we're triggered
When events threaten our sense of safety—physical, emotional, financial, or social—stress hormones flood our system, our thinking narrows, and our bodies prepare for survival.
In fact, research has shown that when we feel threatened financially, our brains respond similarly to how we would if under physical threat.
So, if you or your colleagues are a tad unfocused or reactive lately, no wonder! It's a biological response to threat.
The power of the pause
Shortly after it became clear the United States would once again withdraw from the Paris Climate Accords earlier this year, I heard Christiana Figueres, the woman credited with getting them passed, speak.
Unsurprisingly, she was not happy about it. But she also advised, "Breathe, baby, breathe.”
Why? A student of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, Figueres knows (as research has affirmed) the power of mindfulness to restore our capacity for clear thinking.
It’s another tool for establishing psychological safety, the foundation for growth and capacity building in a changing world.
(Check out my recent conversation with mindfulness teacher Sharon Salzberg.)
Building safety, strength, and connection
My program, the Better Now Shift™, is based on evidence that resilience and progress must begin with emotional safety before stretching ourselves to rise to the enormous challenges of our day.
It builds on my work with emotional intelligence expert Daniel Goleman, hundreds of interviews with leaders, and a lifelong fascination with how people rise to challenges.
If you're interested in exploring this within yourself or your organization, I've created a space for this. Please join me for a one-hour virtual gathering on April 10th at 1 ET | 12 MT | 11 CT | 10 PT.
In this session, you will be invited to:
Discuss some of the key principles of the Better Now Shift program
Explore how small, intentional shifts can transform our responses to uncertainty.
Connect with others ready to take a breath and focus on growing safety, strength, and solidarity.