When the Air Feels Heavy: Leading Yourself (and Others) Through the Unknown

In seasons of uncertainty, micro-moments can help you reconnect, reset, and lead with intention.

Lately, the air has felt heavy, not quiet, but charged. There’s a kind of pressure underneath everything. Conversations are full, emotions are running high, and the world feels overstimulating in a way that’s hard to name.

It reminds me of early 2020, not because of a shutdown, but because of the feeling: unpredictability, mental fog, and a collective sense that something is shifting beneath the surface.

I’ve noticed this energy in clients, in conversations with leaders, and in myself. That subtle wobble where we try to do more just to feel like we’re staying steady.

Even with years of practice in mindfulness, leadership, and personal growth, I’ve felt it too. The desire to over-focus, over-plan, or simply do more to feel a little more in control.

And when that shows up, I remind myself what I know to be true:

Self-care doesn’t have to be a big event.

Some of the most powerful ways we support ourselves happen in micro-moments, brief, intentional pauses that help us reconnect with ourselves in real time.

When You're Moving Fast, Small Pauses Matter

If you're someone who’s used to showing up, pushing through, and solving problems, it can feel uncomfortable to pause.

But those tiny pauses are exactly what create space for:

• Aligned leadership

• Sustainable energy

• Clearer decision-making

Many of the high-achievers I work with tell me they “don’t have time” for self-care. And I get it. Days are full. The to-do list doesn’t stop.

But self-care doesn’t need to be time-consuming. It just needs to be intentional.

You don’t need an hour-long meditation or a retreat in the mountains. You just need a way back to yourself—through breath, movement, awareness, or voice.

Here are a few micro-moments I return to often, especially in seasons of uncertainty:

The 60-Second Breath Reset: At your desk. In the car. Between meetings. Close your eyes (if it feels safe). Inhale slowly through your nose for four. Hold for four. Exhale for six. Repeat for one minute. This shifts your nervous system out of “go mode” and helps restore clarity.

The Two-Word Check-In: Ask yourself: “What am I feeling right now?” Name it in just two words, like “scattered, tense” or “quiet, uncertain.” Naming your emotional state helps bring it into awareness without judgment.

The Boundary Breath: Before saying yes or jumping into action, take one full breath and ask: “Do I really want or need to do this right now?” This brief pause can shift you from reactive doing into intentional choice.

Micro-Movement = Micro-Relief: Stand up. Stretch. Roll your shoulders. Shake out your hands. Even 60 seconds of movement can release tension and reset your energy.

One Intentional Nourishing Act: What’s one small thing you can do today that nourishes you, not because it’s efficient or productive, but because it supports your well-being? It might be sunlight, a favorite tea, or placing your hand over your heart and breathing.

You Don’t Have to Wait Until You Crash

If you’ve been feeling mentally foggy, emotionally scattered, or energetically overstimulated, you’re not alone.

You don’t need to push through or figure everything out. But you can support yourself, gently, consistently, in ways that restore your internal foundation.

Even if you already have strong self-care practices, it’s easy to drift away from them in seasons like this. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means it’s time to return.

Presence Over Perfection

These small moments of care don’t just support you, they ripple out into how you lead, how you make decisions, and how you show up for others.

We don’t need perfection. We need presence.

Your next breath counts.

Your pause matters.

And you matter, even in the middle of the fog.

With care,

Melissa