Finding Our Way Forward: An Invitation to Turn Toward Discomfort with Mindfulness
Eight mindfulness skills for navigating uncertainty with intention and care
The pace and scale of changes happening in our country right now can feel overwhelming and, frankly, terrifying. When faced with such profound discomfort, our natural tendency is to turn away, to distract ourselves, to shut down – especially if we have the privilege to do so.
Yet the path forward requires something counterintuitive: turning toward our discomfort with courage and an open mind.
Here is an invitation to practice turning toward what's difficult—a journey we don't have to walk alone. With mindfulness, we can find our way through this challenging landscape, not by avoiding what's difficult, but by learning to stay present with it. This isn't easy work, but it's necessary work, and when we come together, we can support each other in staying aware and engaged. To understand why this mindful approach matters now more than ever, let's look at what's actually at stake.
Facing the Current Reality
On his first day in office, the 45th president announced 26 executive orders that could dramatically reshape federal policy. These are not abstract policy changes. For many, these orders threaten their very identity, their families, their right to exist as who they are. Parents face possible separation from their children. Environmental protections that safeguard vulnerable communities are being dismantled. Transgender individuals see their protections stripped away. It affects real people's ability to obtain accurate federal identification, impacts their treatment in federal custody, and threatens federal funding for programs that support transgender individuals. This is a time that demands our full presence, our compassion, and our collective wisdom.
The Reality Beyond the Headlines
Recent research from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace reveals something crucial: The extreme polarization we see in political leadership often doesn't reflect who we are as people. Studies show that American voters are far less ideologically divided than we might think. Even on contentious issues, we share more common ground than the political rhetoric suggests. Yet our political leaders have grown increasingly polarized over decades, creating a disconnect between governance and the actual views and needs of communities.
To discern what is true from the illusion of truth perpetuated by those in power we need time to pause and make space to heal ourselves before we can turn our attention outward with more discernment.
The Journey Inward and Outward
As Mary Oliver writes in "The Journey" (listen to her read the poem below):
"One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice..."
Like the narrator in Oliver's poem, we're called to find our authentic voice amidst the chaos – not by ignoring the reality around us, but by going deeper into our truth. This isn't about escaping into false positivity or spiritual bypass. It's about creating space to feel fully, to grieve what is being lost, to touch our anger and fear, and to find the wisdom that lies beyond our reactive minds.
Eight Pathways to Clarity and Action
In times like these, mindfulness offers not an escape, but a way to stay present with both the pain and the possibilities. Yet the practice of mindfulness—commonly understood as the awareness that arises when we pay attention without judgment—can feel elusive when facing such profound challenges. What does it mean to be mindful when our world feels like it's trembling at its foundations?
The challenge lies in our default habits, which can overtake even our best intentions to remain mindful. What we need, especially in moments when we feel triggered, is a clear process to navigate our experience. This process consists of three essential steps:
Return: Pause and come back to our present moment experience
Listen: Tune in deeply to what's present and what might be blocking our mindfulness
Begin: Once reconnected with our non-judging awareness, take intentional action
These steps, explored more fully in my book "Return to Mindfulness" and featured in Mindful.org, provide a foundation for navigating challenging situations. Sometimes, simply remembering to stop our immediate reaction and return to ourselves is enough to find our way forward. However, when our default habits and biases overwhelm our ability to see clearly, we need to cultivate specific qualities of mind that can help us recognize and transform our patterns of reactivity.
Through studying both traditional mindfulness teachings and modern science, I've identified eight essential qualities that can liberate us from our default habits. While eight qualities might seem overwhelming at first, think of them as tools in your toolkit—you don't need to use them all at once. Start with the ones that resonate most strongly with your current experience.
I invite you to practice and experiment with these mindfulness skills. Use the daily reminders (taken from the companion app for my book) below to bring each skill into non-stressful situations. This helps nurture these qualities until they become your natural way of responding. To help remember, you can write these reminders on post-it notes or use the companion app for my book.
Awareness The foundation of our practice, awareness invites us to pause and
truly feel what's arising, especially in moments when we're tempted to react automatically. Create daily spaces for this noticing—whether through formal meditation, mindful walks in nature, or quiet moments of reflection. Pay particular attention to how your body holds our collective anxiety, hopes, and determination. Try starting your day by turning your attention towards your senses instead of looking at the phone.
Daily Reminder: Wake up to the senses
Compassion This journey begins with extending understanding to ourselves—our fears, our struggles, our humanity. From this ground of self-compassion, we can authentically extend care to others affected by current changes. Remember that true compassion carries both tenderness and strength; it includes the courage to stand against harmful actions while continuing to seek understanding of lived experiences of people with different viewpoints from our own.
Daily Reminder: We're all connected (Interbeing)1
Curiosity When overwhelm narrows our vision or triggers strong reactions, curiosity can create space for new possibilities. Practice staying open and patient with uncertainty. Ask yourself: What haven't I considered? Who might share my concerns, even if they express them differently? This quality often reveals unexpected allies and solutions.
Daily Reminder: Love the unsolved questions
Energy Balance Honor the natural rhythms of engagement and rest. Some days call for action, others for renewal—both are essential for sustainable engagement. Practice the Energy Balance by nurturing all four domains of self daily:
Mind: Learning or creative activities
Body: Movement or rest
Emotions: Expression or processing
Spirit: Connection to something larger than yourself
Daily Reminder: Visit all four rooms daily
Finding Joy (Appreciative Joy) Even in difficult times—perhaps especially then—we need to notice and celebrate moments of human kindness, community connection, and small victories. These aren't distractions from challenges but vital sources of resilience that help us maintain perspective. Make space for activities that spark joy, whether it's learning a new instrument, gardening, or connecting with friends. If you feel isolated, remember that support is always available—reach out to others, seek professional help if needed, or simply ground yourself in the present moment.
Daily Reminder: I am supported
Inner Calm Regular returns to your breath and body help cultivate a stable center amidst chaos. This isn't about escaping reality but creating a solid foundation for wise action. Practice letting go of tension, rigid expectations, and unnecessary worry to make space for what truly matters. Remember: we can't create peace in the world if our inner landscape is in turmoil.
Daily Reminder: Inner calm, outer calm
Focus With numerous issues demanding attention, focus helps us discern where to direct our energy. Take time to connect with what calls to your heart. What unique contribution can you make? Create space to clarify both what you'll say yes to and, equally important, what you'll decline.
Daily Reminder: Just three breaths
Equanimity: Cultivate discernment for what is needed to show up fully and lovingly in each situation. Equanimity is an unshakeable quality of the mind that frees us from being hooked by our hopes and fears. This quality helps us to care and be carefree.
Daily Reminder: Unhook yourself
You don't need to walk this path alone. Our online community offers a space where we can support each other in exploring these qualities and applying them to our individual and collective journeys. Together, we can learn to stay present with what's difficult while nurturing the wisdom and resilience needed for transformation.
Walking Together
Words spoken by the UN Secretary, António Guterres, at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in 2020 ring true today more than ever: "Solidarity is self-interest." Not because it's politically expedient, but because our wellbeing is genuinely interconnected. The child separated from their parents, the trans person denied healthcare, the community facing increased pollution—their stories are part of our shared story.
As we navigate this time, let's make space for both action and reflection. Listen for that "new voice which you slowly recognized as your own." And then, from that grounded place, take the next step on your journey – our journey – forward.
Join our growing community right here on Substack, where we explore these mindfulness skills together through articles and discussions.
We will also be meeting weekly on Zoom to practice the eight mindfulness skills together, sharing our challenges and discoveries in a supportive environment. These gatherings offer a space to learn from each other and find practical ways to stay present, aware, and engaged in these challenging times. To help us create a community that truly serves your needs, please take our brief 3-minute survey.
One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice -- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. "Mend my life!" each voice cried. But you didn't stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voice behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do -- determined to save the only life that you could save. ~Mary Oliver
Note: Interbeing, a term coined by Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, speaks to the profound interconnection of all life—reminding us that our individual wellbeing is inseparable from collective wellbeing.
Your guidance helps us navigate everything that comes our way. I use your reminders in my car and on my computer. I hope SamaLife brings more navigation tools.
Thank you, Shalini!