When "Business as Usual" Feels Impossible
Navigating Fear and Rediscovering Our Values
Our country is struggling. You can feel it the moment you wake up.
Every time you look at the news—regardless of the source—doom-scroll through social media, or check your texts, you are met with more controversy, more violence, and more uncertainty. That sense of "normalcy," whatever that used to look like for you, feels increasingly impossible to grasp.
We are fighting an exhausting inner battle. We are trying to maintain our daily routines while wrestling with a profound sense of helplessness at the injustice we see. Fear creeps into the daylight hours and invades our rest at night.
For many of us, especially those with privilege, we are now tasting an insecurity that many of our neighbors have lived with their entire lives. Most people simply want a safe place to live, reliable food, the ability to work, and time with loved ones. When those basic needs feel threatened, the resulting turmoil turns lives upside down.
But amidst this heaviness, something profound is happening. That pervasive feeling that "business as usual" is impossible is actually forcing a necessary evolution.
The Return of the Idealist
As I’ve had conversations this week, I’ve noticed a common thread: The current situation is forcing us to re-examine our values. We are looking inside ourselves to decide what we hold dear and how we want to respond when those values are threatened.
Surprisingly, this often means looking into the past. We are reaching back to our younger, more idealistic selves to remember what we really stood for. We are searching for those values as they were when they were shiny and new—before they were tarnished by reality, practicality, and the daily grind of adulthood.
We are seeing individuals choosing to stand up for who they believe themselves to be:
Some are standing up very publicly.
Some are standing in solidarity with their communities.
Some are quietly organizing communication and logistics.
Growing Out of Our Boxes
This process is uncomfortable. We are growing out of our old boxes. And like all growth, it is painful.
I believe that from this time of chaos, we will see individuals who finally understand what they can accomplish when they take even a small step out of their comfort zone to express their values.
Once this crisis passes, we may attempt to return to "business as usual," only to find that we no longer fit. The power we found inside ourselves when we finally spoke up—or acted up—won't let us shrink back down into that old box.
Achieving the Impossible
In my line of work, I help people achieve seemingly impossible goals. If you look around, history and current events are filled with examples of people who fought for and achieved the impossible. Some battles were individual; others were against massive systems, corporations, and governments.
Today, we need reminders that empathetic people, working together, can achieve the impossible. Not perfection, but progress.
If you are questioning how to express your values during these uncertain times and are looking for hope, the answer lies in movement. Action is the antidote to helplessness.
A Framework for Action
If you feel paralyzed, try this simple three-step approach:
Pause and Reflect: Take a moment in the quiet to connect with your past, idealistic self. What did you value before the world told you to be "practical"?
Research One Step: With that ideal as your guide, find one small step you can take that aligns with who you are, your beliefs, and your talents. (Note: This doesn’t have to be political if that isn’t where you are led).
Take Action: Implement that step.
That single, tiny step will make you feel stronger. It may help you find connection in a time of strife. Most importantly, it will help you realize your power—but only if you act, rather than just thinking about acting.
A Call for Hope
This is not a political post; it is a human one. It is a reminder that very few things are truly impossible.
As we navigate this week, I invite you to share your sources of hope. Who are the people—individuals or groups, famous or local, historical or current—who have achieved impossible dreams? Who beat the odds to achieve things they never thought they could?
Let’s remind each other that while "business as usual" is gone, a new, more principled way of living is waiting to take its place.
