Find the Good.
This article is part of Finding the Words, a newsletter that delivers practical insights on the day’s issues.
It was 2019, and my oldest daughter was nine years old when she asked me how the President of the United States could be so mean. She was nine when she noticed the damaging effects of someone else's actions, and she was nine when she realized how much life could feel out of her control.
She was also nine when we decided to do something about it.
Together, we decided to channel what felt like chaos and uncertainty into a little guidebook for life. We called it Adventures in Kindness. The book of weekly adventures was designed to empower kids and their families to actively contribute good to the world, to model kindness in leadership, and to practice care for others, our world, and ourselves.
In many ways, that book represented our principles for living a good life. It included 52 actions that people of any age could practice in moments of chaos and uncertainty. It was our action/adventure book to bring goodness back into focus.
Reading today’s news cycle can feel like we’re right back there again: in the chaos and uncertainty. But then I remember: there can be light for hope to shine through, even in the darkness. And the brightest lights often come from the example of others: people who, despite chaos and uncertainty, create the conditions for good to take hold.
I talked about this power of hope shining through last week on the Mission Forward podcast with Rachel Perić, and I talk regularly about this topic with leaders navigating through difficult moments in their organizations. In each of these conversations, I often remind people to stay grounded in what they can control:
Aim high and make the most of the day.
Be honest.
Do the best you can with what you have.
Leave things better than you found them.
As leaders, we have a choice. We can stand by and feel hopeless in challenging moments, or we can contribute to the good.
It's natural to bend toward hopelessness in heightened moments of stress and uncertainty. In those moments, I invite you to seek solid grounding in the things that you know for sure.
For me and Sophia, that grounding came in the form of a children’s book. For Rachel Perić, it came as a groundbreaking State of Welcoming report.
Grounding is lovely like this, as it can come in many forms. Whether seeking to lead more effectively, connect more authentically, or act more intentionally, a set of guiding principles can help direct your actions, inform your decisions, and guide your intentions.
As the co-author of a children’s book on kindness, I recognize the great responsibility to consistently live out the message of that book and hold myself accountable for my words and actions. I maintain this work as a practice, which means I’ll falter and sometimes fail. But I can always return home and re-ground myself in what matters.
Bottom line: It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the uncertainty and chaos around us. It’s natural to feel lost. When you do, pause and take stock of the light you carry. Because in moments of chaos, you can always be the change.
This post is part of the Finding The Words column, a series published every Wednesday that delivers a dose of communication insights direct to your inbox. If you like what you read, we hope you’ll subscribe to ensure you receive this each week.
