When the World Pulls at You, Stay Rooted

There are days when it feels like everything is designed to unbalance you. A demanding email. A passive-aggressive comment in a meeting. A project that derails, for reasons far beyond your control.

The world doesn’t need your permission to be chaotic. But you can choose how you meet it.

I’ve been working on that choice.

Not with grand gestures or perfect Zen stillness. But with micro-practices, tiny, repeatable actions that bring me back to center when everything else pulls me sideways. Because here’s the truth: You don’t have to add fuel to the fire. Just because something’s burning doesn’t mean you need to throw in more wood.

🛠 MICRO-PRACTICES FOR STAYING CENTERED

1. The Pause-and-Label

Before I react, I name what I’m feeling. “Frustrated.” “Overwhelmed.” “Defensive.” Naming interrupts the spiral. It gives the emotion shape, and gives me the option to choose what comes next. (Shoutout to Lisa Feldman Barrett for the science behind this.)

2. Anchor to the Body

I plant both feet on the floor.

Relax my jaw.

Exhale slowly.

This takes 10 seconds, but it tells my nervous system: You’re safe. You’re in control. No fuel. Just space.

3. The Question That Stops Me Spinning

“Is this mine to carry, or just mine to witness?”

It helps me hold boundaries. Especially when I feel pulled into other people’s heat.

4. The 3-Breath Reset

Not deep breathing. Just conscious breathing.3 slow, quiet breaths.

I do it in meetings. On calls. Mid-email. It reboots me, without reacting.

5. Mental Post-it: “Zoom Out”

I ask: Will this matter in 3 days? 3 months? 3 years? The answer usually shrinks the urgency. Less reaction. More perspective.

🔁 And when you do need to respond…

There’s power in choosing how you say what needs to be said.

Like the time I was about to type something very close to: “F*** this s***

But instead, I paused, centered, and said:👉 “I believe we’ve reached a point where further engagement is no longer productive.”

It didn’t just save the conversation. it shifted it. Suddenly, we weren’t battling each other. We were aligned in noticing the moment. The tone changed. And I walked away proud of my reaction, not regretting it. And in moment like that are reputations built

Words matter. Especially the ones we don’t say.

We can’t stop the noise around us. But we can stop letting it own our nervous system.

If you’ve got a micro-practice or a diplomatic phrase that helps you stay grounded when the heat rises, I’d love to learn from you.

And if you have to say something try one of these

F**k this sh!t is sometimes a perfectly valid response to a situation (despite what my mum says). And more often it is not

Allow me to help you with some choice phrases to communicate your disdain without losing your cool!

“F* this s*** 👉 “This may require a strategic rethink.”

“F* this s*** 👉 “It might be time to reevaluate our priorities.”

“F* this s*** 👉 “This initiative may no longer be delivering the intended value.”

“F* this s*** 👉 “I’m sensing diminishing returns—shall we pivot?”

“F* this s*** 👉 “I’d like to formally withdraw my enthusiasm.”

“F* this s*** 👉 “Let’s hit pause and revisit this with fresh eyes (and stronger coffee).”

“F* this s*** 👉 “I’ll need a moment to recalibrate my optimism.”