How to Stay Calm in the Chaos Ahead

Three strategies that have helped me survive natural disasters, traumas, and political upheavals

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I remember the cognitive dissonance I felt when I looked out at my remarkable view of paradise on a sunny day in 2018, knowing that a molten river of lava could turn and head in my direction at any moment.

That’s how I feel now: as if disaster is nearing my doorstep again.

I wonder:

• Will my social security suddenly disappear?
• Will the dollar be toppled in favor of cryptocurrency, destroying my retirement savings?
• Can I replace the income I’ve lost due to a recent glitch in my earnings as a writer?

Along with my self-focused worries, I also felt concern for those who will be persecuted mercilessly.

You probably also have worries, and they’re not unfounded. I won’t wear rose-colored glasses and tell you everything will be okay.

Suffering may be ahead. Desperate people sometimes do desperate things. To lighten your worries, please remember that you can’t control anyone else, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t determine every outcome.