When the World Feels Like It’s on Fire, It’s the Perfect Time for Help
Lately, I’ve noticed a familiar response when I ask clients how they’re doing.
They answer honestly, and then quickly add something like, “But there’s so much going on in the world right now,” often paired with a hesitant expression. There is usually a subtle sense of guilt beneath the words, as if tending to the challenges in their own lives might mean they are ignoring bigger problems.
This is a feeling many people are carrying right now. With ongoing global conflict, political division, climate anxiety, and collective grief, focusing on personal struggles can feel indulgent or out of touch. People wonder if they should be handling it better, pushing through, or saving their energy for something more urgent.
This belief deserves a closer look.
When there is so much happening around us, our nervous systems are under constant strain. Chronic stress and uncertainty do not stay contained in our thoughts. They live in our bodies and show up in our relationships, our work, our parenting, and our decision making. Over time, this can look like irritability, exhaustion, numbness, anxiety, or a sense of being perpetually on edge.
Many people try to manage this alone, telling themselves their struggles are not serious enough to warrant support. But unprocessed stress does not disappear simply because we ignore it. It tends to leak out sideways, often in ways that affect the people and systems we care about most.
In that way, tending to our inner worlds is not an escape from reality. It is preparation for it.
Being guided by a therapist or coach helps people slow down enough to notice what is happening internally. It supports emotional regulation, self awareness, and the ability to respond rather than react. These skills matter deeply in a world that often feels reactive and overwhelmed. When individuals are more grounded and regulated, they are better able to stay engaged, compassionate, and connected.
Working through your own struggles does not mean you are ignoring the world’s pain. Often, it means you are taking responsibility for your impact within it.
When we see it this way, our personal healing becomes part of a collective one. It reflects a shift toward families and communities that value reflection over reactivity, connection over isolation, and care that does not require burnout. Tending to your mental health is not stepping away from the world; it is what allows you to stay present in it with greater steadiness.
If you’ve been carrying guilt for needing support, or questioning whether therapy or leadership coaching is “necessary” right now, you are not alone. Reaching for support is not self-indulgent. It is one of the ways we remain human, connected, and capable in difficult seasons.