How to stay grounded when everything feels uncertain
Uncertainty has a way of unsettling even the most resilient among us. When life feels unpredictable—whether you’re navigating illness, supporting a loved one through medical assistance in dying (MAID), grieving, or simply living in a world that feels increasingly unstable—finding your footing can feel nearly impossible.
Staying grounded doesn’t mean eliminating fear or having answers. It means learning how to remain connected to yourself, your values, and the present moment, even when the future feels unclear.
Why uncertainty feels so overwhelming
Uncertainty disrupts our sense of control. It challenges our assumptions about how life should unfold and often brings up questions we didn’t expect to face. For caregivers, family members, and loved ones navigating end-of-life decisions, uncertainty can feel especially heavy – layered with responsibility, emotion, and love.
Our minds naturally want resolution. When none is available, we may feel anxious, disconnected, or emotionally exhausted. Grounding helps bring us back to what is, rather than what might be.
Grounding is about presence, not positivity
One common misconception is that staying grounded means staying positive. In reality, grounding is about honesty. It allows space for grief, fear, relief, love, anger, and tenderness to coexist without judgment.
Grounding practices are not about fixing emotions. They’re about anchoring yourself while those emotions move through you.
Practical ways to stay grounded during uncertain times
1. Narrow your focus to the present moment
When the future feels overwhelming, gently bring your attention back to what’s happening right now. This could be as simple as noticing your breath, the weight of your body in a chair, or the sounds around you. You don’t need to feel calm, just present.
Ask yourself: What is true in this moment?
2. Create small anchors of routine
In times of uncertainty, consistency can be deeply regulating. Simple daily rituals—morning coffee, an evening walk, lighting a candle, journalling before bed—can offer stability when everything else feels in flux.
These routines aren’t about productivity; they’re about continuity.
3. Name what you’re feeling without trying to change it
Grounding begins with acknowledgment. Naming emotions—I feel scared, I feel numb, I feel conflicted—helps reduce their intensity. You don’t need to justify or explain how you feel. Letting emotions exist as they are is an act of self-compassion.
4. Stay connected to what matters most
Uncertainty often strips away distractions and brings values into sharper focus. What feels meaningful right now? Is it presence with a loved one, honesty, rest, connection, or care?
Grounding yourself in values, not outcomes, can offer direction when clarity is unavailable.
5. Limit overexposure to distressing information
While staying informed is important, constant exposure to difficult news or speculation can heighten anxiety. Give yourself permission to step back. Grounding includes protecting your emotional energy.
6. Lean on support; you don’t have to carry this alone
Uncertainty is heavier when carried in isolation. Speaking with someone who understands—whether a trusted friend, peer supporter, or trained guide—can help you feel less alone and more anchored.
Support doesn’t remove uncertainty, but it makes it more bearable.
Grounding through change, loss, and transition
For many families navigating MAID or end-of-life experiences, uncertainty is not just emotional, it’s existential. Grounding during these moments may look different: sitting quietly with a loved one, holding hands, sharing memories, or allowing silence to be enough.
There is no right way to be grounded. Sometimes, grounding is simply allowing yourself to be exactly where you are.
A gentle reminder
You don’t need to have clarity to move forward. You don’t need certainty to be present. And you don’t need to feel calm to be grounded.
Staying grounded is a practice – one that unfolds moment by moment, especially during life’s most tender and uncertain chapters.
If you’re navigating uncertainty related to end-of-life decisions, caregiving, or grief, MAID Family Support Society offers compassionate, non-judgmental support for people across Canada. You are not alone, and support is available when you need it most.
Photo by Santiago Lacarta on Unsplash
