What’s on Your Heart in These ‘Now Times’?
Finding Steadiness in an Uncertain World
What’s on your heart in these ‘now times’?
I recently asked our community that very question — and the answers that came back were thoughtful, full of heart, and reflective of the complexities of navigating day-to-day life with the backdrop of…
…fast-changing times, environmental pressures, changes to local and global economies, AI (the pros and the challenges), socio-political divisiveness.
When I asked our community, a common thread was:
In a time when so much can feel uncertain, there’s a longing to cultivate an inner steadiness that can hold the bright spots, the complexity, and the very real challenges of these times.
Are you curious what else folks had to say?
What’s on your heart?
Last week, instead of our regular newsletter, we started a conversation. Together as a community, we began a short series of micro-surveys to check in with one another.
Our first question was simple, but it opened a deep well of sharing:
When you think about your day-to-day life in these ‘now times’, what feels most alive — or most draining?
The responses that came in were heartfelt and thoughtful. And I wanted to share them here for anyone not already on the newsletter list — because sometimes, simply knowing we aren’t alone can lighten the load a little.
What’s most alive?
Many spoke of moments that make the spirit feel lit from within:
- Being in nature — whether walking, gardening, or simply sitting in stillness.
- Moments of presence — a book or journal in hand, a shared laugh, time with safe and cherished people or pets, or watching the sky change at sunrise or sunset.
- Deepening self-awareness — noticing patterns, honoring needs, and growing into new ways of being.
What’s most draining?
At the same time, there’s a shared undercurrent of what feels heavy:
- Finding steady ground when the outer world feels noisy, unkind, or uncertain.
- Wanting connection that goes deeper than surface-level exchanges.
- Balancing the push-pull between tending to others in our personal lives and tending to our own inner space — including the discernment of what’s truly ours to carry and what’s not — so that we’re resourced enough to show up with presence and care.
- Navigating how to engage with the wider world in a way that feels both effective and aligned — while recognizing that, because we’re human, this is intertwined with tending to ourselves too. For many, this self-tending can feel stretchy and even tangled with guilt, yet it’s also a vital part of being able to contribute in ways that are sustainable and meaningful.
Themes around aging parents and parenting also emerged:
- Aging Parents: For some, there’s the ongoing reality of caring for aging parents — whether or not those parents were emotionally supportive in the first place — and navigating how (or if) that care is acknowledged or appreciated. For others, it’s the tender work of processing a parent’s death, with wide-ranging feelings. Words people used included: Peace. Relief. Grief. Anger.
- Parenting: For those raising children, there’s a clear noticing of how old blind spots and skill gaps can ripple into parenting. I’m deeply grateful to be in community with people who are seeking new ways forward — because even though we may wish we had been modeled these skills as children…it is our opportunity now to grow them for ourselves and those we love.
While there is much that’s hard in these ‘now times’, I am grateful for the reminder that we are not alone in navigating them. May there be healing in the sharing, the listening, and the reflecting together. And may that care, and the harmony we are each learning to cultivate between our ears ripple out into the world in ways that are deeply meaningful.
Your Turn
If any of these themes resonate, I’d love to hear what’s alive or draining for you right now. You can share in the comments, or join our newsletter to get the next micro-survey so your voice is part of the next reflection.
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