How to Manage During Times of Stress

The Past Two Days, I Hosted Sessions on How to Manage Stress When the World feels Undsteady

The conversations were raw, honest, and, at times, heavy. People showed up because they’re trying to figure out how to function in a moment that feels unstable.

There were nonprofit leaders, researchers, and organizers—people deeply invested in their work, their communities, and a future that suddenly feels uncertain.

We started with a simple question: How are you feeling right now?

?“Angry.” ?

“Sad.” ?

“Overwhelmed.”

?“Numb.”

And then, someone said: “Honestly? It’s messing with my head. I look around, and in some ways, life seems normal. I take my kid to school, I go to work. But underneath, everything feels wrong.”

That hit home.

As people shared their experiences, I introduced them to the Window of Tolerance, a concept from Dan Siegel that explains how we react under stress. It helped people put words to what they were feeling:

• Hyperarousal: on edge, anxious, overwhelmed, snapping at people
• Hypoarousal: numb, disconnected, exhausted, unable to focus

Most of us are bouncing between the two.

One person put it perfectly: "I feel like I'm searching for an escape hatch. I keep refreshing the news, looking for a sign that this situation will change. And I realized I’m exhausting myself with a problem I can’t immediately fix."

Another said: "I stopped watching the news completely. It was sending me into a shutdown. But then I worried… am I avoiding reality? Am I checking out?"

So what do we do?

Here’s what people shared about what’s actually helping them:

• One person started doing yoga. "I didn’t think it was my thing, but I found a YouTube class, and honestly? I feel like myself again after 20 minutes."
• Another took up cross-country skiing. “It wasn’t about exercise. I just needed to get outside and remind myself that the world is still beautiful.”
• Someone else joined a local tenant’s union. “I was feeling powerless, but organizing with people who are just as pissed off as me? That helps.”
• A simple shift in perspective: “I realized that even small interactions, talking to a barista, joking with a grocery store clerk, helped me feel connected. I started seeking those moments out.”

I also taught them a simple breathing practice to help regulate their nervous system.

We practiced Box Breathing, a 4-4-4-4 technique (inhale, hold, exhale, hold). It’s a proven way to shift the body from a stress response to a more regulated state. People were skeptical because, yeah, “just breathe” can sound a little too simplistic. But after three rounds, one person admitted: "Wow. I actually feel… calmer. Why don’t I do this more often?"

The truth is, we know many of these tools. We just forget them when we need them most.

So here’s my reminder (to myself and to you): Name what you’re feeling. Move your body, even just a little. Breathe. Stay connected, even in small, everyday ways. Focus on the next right step, not the entire staircase.

How are you holding up? What’s one small thing that’s helped you lately?