

Photo credit: © areadeposit – depositphotos.com
Most of us really like to be in control. But what happens when things are beyond our control? I’d like to share some insights about coping with uncertainty and staying grounded during challenging times.
The “two-foot world” concept
I learned a valuable concept while watching all seven seasons of SEAL Team on Netflix. They use the expression “three-foot world” to help their team stay focused and prevent home-life distractions that could cost lives in the field. I’ve adapted this to what I call our “two-foot world” (partly because my arms are shorter than theirs) and to shorten the radius. I describe it as the immediate space around us where we can keep a focus to actually make a difference. It’s about managing what we can manage while still making meaningful contributions to society.
Staying present in daily life
This concept of a two-foot world is essentially about staying present. For example, how many times have you gotten distracted while driving, thinking about relationships or work problems, and missed your exit? When I teach mindfulness seminars, I often say, “Wouldn’t it be great if every single driver on the road practiced mindfulness and stayed present?”
Even mundane tasks offer opportunities for presence, and as we go about our daily activities, we can practice bringing our attention back to our “two-foot world.” I challenge myself to stay present through the most mundane tasks, like loading or unloading the dishwasher. And when doing something like slicing vegetables, presence becomes crucial—for my fingers’ sake!
Staying tethered to our communities
Being grounded isn’t just about individual presence—it’s about also staying connected to our communities. This means:
- Making reach-out calls to maintain relationships
- Not giving up on valuable connections when people don’t call back
- Maintaining different layers of connections—family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and even social media connections
- Remaining persistent with those relationships we value
The importance of self-care and unburdening
I’ve always said I do yoga because it makes me a nicer person—not that I was mean before, but I enjoy being even nicer. Along with yoga, I practice Pilates and go to the gym as ways to stay nice to me.
We all need places for unburdening, whether that’s:
- In therapy
- With friends
- Among colleagues, when dealing with work-related stress
- Through personal practices like journaling
The power of a journaling practice
Unburdening can become an unfolding—a beautiful experience—and journaling remains my number one recommendation for this process. I say “practice” because it’s not about perfection; it can be messy, and that’s helpful.
Currently, I’m doing morning pages, which means I spend time first thing in the morning filling three pages of writing with whatever’s on my mind. This takes twenty to thirty minutes. I’m naturally waking up earlier because I’m excited to do it. I commit to one month at a time, and whenever I’ve done this practice, positive shifts occur in my life—shifts I sometimes didn’t even know I was seeking.
The practice brings “aha” moments, helps mitigate stress, and lightens my load. It’s like a fog lifting that I didn’t even know was there. Different practices suit different people at different times, which is why I offer various journaling approaches in my classes.
By staying present, maintaining our connections, and finding doable ways to unburden ourselves, we can better cope with circumstances beyond our control. When we stay grounded in our “two-foot world,” we not only help ourselves but also positively influence those around us, creating ripples of support throughout our communities.