Shifting Tides Systems of Uncertainty

As I’m writing this, we have almost survived the first quarter of 2025. And if you’re like me, 2025 has been the longest year of your life. If I’m being honest with you, it has been surreal. Living outside the US I am faced with the duality of experiencing greater freedom in my own experience while watching my friends and family navigate unprecedented uncertainty and challenge. 

The beauty of that dynamic is that I have the energy to be a pillar for my community, clients, and friends. I am able to look at the world right now and find hope because we are witnessing more significant change then ever before, and I believe that because this change is uniquely chaotic, there is an opportunity for greater beauty to come of it. Chaos can be adapted for good more easily than stagnancy, and I find myself looking at this unique time gently holding an optimism that perhaps we can use this change for good. This can look like more people grounded in liberation taking bolder action for their individual lives and for the collective. This can look like communities becoming stronger and more intentional and adamant in creating cultures that are better. I know this work is happening because I see it happening every single day. 

This truth does not change the other truth that the times we are in are grueling. 

 This past week, we have navigated complex collective conversations on:

• The stability and legality of mass firings under the orange man 
• Building frustrations over mass layoffs 
• And a looming recession

And that’s just in the career space alone. Many people are afraid right now, but for me, this fear felt like we are complaining about being wet when we are a few seconds away from drowning. In less dramatic terms, it feels like people are worrying about an economic reality we are already facing. 

I found myself reflecting on this over the weekend, particularly the idea of a recession. It has felt like we have been at risk of a recession or in the middle of a recession since 2020. So I looked into it and learned that we were officially in a recession for 2 months in 2020 and since then the economy has technically been good. Looking at this data sounds good right? Almost too good to be true.

Remember, recessions reflect market shares, not quality of life or individual experiences. While unemployment normally goes above 10% during periods of recessions, that is not the only measure of what a recession is.

I did some deeper research and learned that while the reported unemployment rate is “normal” it does not account for the number of people who are functionally unemployed in the US which is closer to 24.6% of people in the United States (source).  Functional unemployment refers to people making below poverty wages ($25,000/year before taxes). This higher percentage of unemployment is not reported mostly because of political shenanigans, but I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions. 

So why does this matter? 

Because we live in a society and media that manufactures fear. 

Think of how many media articles have talked about if a recession is coming and when a recession is coming

While ignoring the glaring huge problems that people are actually facing every day. 

We need clarity and information to make better decisions. When we don't understand what's happening in the systems around us, people tend to blame themselves for being unemployable or bad at business, when the reality is, they could have some cards stacked against them. Seeing the cards for what they are will allow you to make informed decisions based on your values and needs. Understanding that many people are going through unique extreme financial uncertainty can help you stop blaming yourself and instead come up with a better strategy or plan. 

No matter what your background is, you are creating a career strategy that is flexible and dynamic. For some this means building your life so you can have more safety and security. For others, that means taking a bold risk now because you don't want to be stuck in your current position any longer. For most, it will be somewhere in between these two options. 

COLLECTIVE TRIGGERS AROUND FINANCIAL UNCERTAINTY

So why is the world like this? Who benefits from collective uncertainty? Who benefits from people believing the world is safer when they really aren’t? How can you navigate this complex new status quo?

One, everyone encouraging you to panic for likes, views, and attention are benefiting because we have a cultural standard to be triggered by the idea of a recession. We have been warned for generations about how hard it is to live through a recession. We are taught we must become smaller, take up less space, and give our power to someone else (an employer, the government, etc.) because we are unable to face this unforeseen grave danger. 

I believe that at it’s core, uncertainty is uncomfortable and it causes people to act from a place of self protection and fear. Where if we were in an environment of certainty, for example, the true unemployment rate was spoken about more, more people would be outraged. More people would want more from their government and from their employers 

But as a career coach, I have found that telling the truth to my clients about the economy can help them think differently about their professional lives and prospects. When I work with my clients I challenge them to understand what security and safety looks like to them now, outside of any particular role. I encourage you take the time to do this for yourself. What will help you feel confident if you can’t rely on your employer in the same way our parents generations did. 

In my conversations with clients this transparency helps people assess risk more easily and come to conclusions that support their own well-being more readily. It helps people decide if they want to move to a lower cost of living space or in towards a city. It helps people know if they should start looking for a new job now or if they should stick it out in their current role for more years. None of these decisions are good or bad. 

Through candid conversations, I am able to support my clients in creating dynamic strategies that clear the fear many of my clients hold. 

• For some this looks like prioritizing starting a business because businesses that are started during a recession tend to thrive. 
• For others this looks like adding a side hustle to their 9 to 5 so they can have a greater savings
• For many it looks like prioritizing starting a job search now in case it takes a year or two before they find a job they really enjoy. 

This reframe has also challenged me as a business owner to create a more dynamic approach to how I support my clients. Instead of offering only a one off service, I give my clients access to affordable lifetime coaching with me so you can always have a 1:1 office hours or group coaching session to receive relevant professional support in case you prefer a slow and steady approach to building a career you love. This type of offering is unheard of in the coaching industry because scarcity teaches us that if we give someone lifetime access it must  be expensive and it must be exclusive where I genuinely only care about helping people get results while still respecting my own financial needs and preferences and I have found that can be done in an accessible way. 

So as you leave this post, consider - what if the world is already on fire. What if we are already in the middle of the big bad and scary change. Does it still feel so scary? Or not as bad as you may have thought? What would actually help you feel safer? And what can bring you joy? 

And here are a few ways we can talk about this in greater detail: 

RECESSION PROOF - Live 4/18 workshop where I share 3 strategies to build stability into your career (recording will be made available if you’re accessing this in the future)  

1:1 coaching call - where you and I can create a customized career strategy for this chapter in your life (great if you don’t know where to start)

PRAXIS - lifetime group coaching membership for you to heal from burnout and build a career you deeply love.