Starting With Intentionality When Confronted With Chaos and Uncertainty

Enjoying the sunrise on what is hopefully the last cold morning of spring. Credit: Myka Kennedy Stephens

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Chaos and uncertainty are all around us. It’s in the burgeoning of spring as those in the northern hemisphere transition from colder weather and shorter days to warmer weather and longer days. It’s in erratic and extreme weather patterns as the Earth’s climate changes. It’s in our social and political systems as extremist thought and isolationist strategies take hold across the globe. And it’s in our professional worlds, as economic volatility threatens budgets and livelihoods. The stress can be overwhelming. Fight, flight, and freeze are at the forefront of our minds when confronted with chaos and uncertainty.

How do we break this cycle of stress and open ourselves to respond to chaos with calm?

When we’re experiencing so much uncertainty, our limbic brain goes into survival mode. This triggers the fight-flight-freeze-fawn response that is associated with stress and trauma. When we find ourselves in this state, we are highly reactive to the situation we’re in. It makes it incredibly difficult to do anything different. And that’s when we find ourselves lashing out at coworkers when things don’t go as we expect them to, ignoring emails and avoiding tough conversations, withdrawing completely and shutting down, or going to extreme efforts to attempt to placate those around us. When we’re self-aware enough to see that this is happening, we might find ways to ground ourselves emotionally that allow us to look at the situation more calmly and objectively. But then what?

An Attitude of Intentionality

Introducing an attitude of intentionality at times like this can make a tremendous impact on how we flip our brains from being in a reactive space to a more responsive space. Intentionality reminds us of our purpose and our goals. It reminds us of what we are hoping to achieve, of the change we are hoping to affect, and invites us to stop and think of what action will help move us forward toward that goal, toward that change. It is an opportunity to ground ourselves in an intentional action.

Here are practical ways to introduce intentionality into your work life:

• Start small: When feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath or go on a walk. These simple actions can help reset your mind and body.
• Reflect intentionally: When faced with uncertainty, ask yourself: “What outcome am I hoping for? What action will help me move closer to that goal?”
• Act deliberately: Choose one specific action aligned with your intention. Take it immediately or make plans to take it as soon as possible.
• Celebrate progress: Acknowledge even small steps forward—they reinforce intentionality as a habit.

How Intentionality Changed My Experience of Uncertainty

I’ve met a friend for virtual coffee breaks every month since the last U.S. presidential election results were announced. It started as an opportunity to catch up after not having talked for several months and the time we scheduled just happened to be a few days after the election. What we realized when we talked that day, was just how important it is to stay connected to people at an individual level. Facing the chaos and volatility of a Trump presidency, we agreed to continue meeting regularly for virtual coffee breaks as a way to stay in touch, to have someone to check in with, to share experiences, and to help each other make sense of what is happening in the world. It’s been a way for me to practice an attitude of intentionality that keeps me from retreating entirely into a bubble constructed of rom-com novels and home improvement shows.

Reflecting on my career in librarianship, I can see how intentionality helped keep me grounded. My last few years as a library director were fraught with uncertainty. It came from declining enrollment, turnover in the school’s administration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and then an institutional merger with a university. If it hadn’t been for Integrated Library Planning and the monthly review cycle I had in place, it would have been incredibly easy to react to every twist and turn, to make decisions out of desperation. Fortunately, the planning processes I had in place helped frame the challenges and uncertainty as part of a larger narrative. It provided me with space to make intentional adjustments to address urgent needs while not pivoting too much that I lost sight of the library’s larger goals.

Intent vs. Intentionality

You might be reading this and saying, “Setting intentions is a fine place to start, but what happens when I fail to follow through? Won’t I feel worse than before? Isn’t it better not to set intentions?”

Setting intentions is different from adopting an attitude of intentionality. When we set intentions, we might do so without a clear plan. Or, if you’re like me, intentions might reflect ideals that may or may not be realistically achievable given life circumstances. However, when adopting an attitude of intentionality, it’s less about setting our minds to something and trying to do it and more about opening yourself to the awareness of what is happening around you, what is happening within you, reflecting on a path forward, and taking the next step deliberately with a sense of purpose.

When adopting an attitude of intentionality, taking the next step toward your goals and sense of purpose becomes clearer. We can move past our instinctual survival responses and better respond to the chaos and uncertainty around us, offering ourselves the chance to affect long-lasting, positive change.

Invitation to Further Conversation

If you enjoyed this reflective article, I encourage you to subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Field Notes, to get articles like this delivered to your email.

Do you have further thoughts and reflections to share on this topic? Please consider joining the Fosgail Community for further conversation, support, and encouragement.

If you’re interested in actively working toward a deeper level of intentionality or similar goals for your professional wellbeing, you might consider working with me as your coach. Book a free chemistry session to learn more.