How To Feel Safe In Uncertain Times: 4 Daily Rituals & 2 Powerful Reads
The Next Day…
A monthly column, by Gardenia Spiegel, explores timely themes through the lens of daily life, emotional resilience, and self-care.
Hi everyone~It’s been about 100 days, and all I can say is: buckle up…
Theme: This month, let’s look at feeling safe, and how that affects our day.
While I watch the dismantling of DEI, the global economy, and any sense of a collective moral fabric, what’s ahead feels overwhelming and deeply discouraging.
After some reflection, I realized I’m also mad. We live in patterns, and I’m angry that I find myself in a familiar place of disillusionment and fear. However, something shifted for me this time—an unapologetic determination to survive this moment. I began defying the doom and gloom by embracing uncertainty and doubling down on my goals.
Feeling unsafe made me alert and spurred me to confront many of the things I had stuck my head in the sand about. Ultimately, it became a call to action.
My expectations are to keep it real, with no more head-burying—take things one day at a time, and know when the day is over.
What does feeling safe look like for you?
Here are some steps I’ve taken to shift my daily routine and resist fear:
I’ve stopped listening to the news in the morning. I make my coffee and savor five or ten minutes of silence. I concentrate on what’s in front of me for the day.
I budget and gather. A frozen pizza and a big mixed salad-that’s all we need to crank up a fun neighborhood playdate for both kids and adults. Throw in some ice cream pops, and it’s a Fri-Yay celebration.
I walk.
I’m holding myself accountable to realistic expectations and daring to dream. I want it ALL.
I’ve been staying away from the newspapers to maintain my sanity, so I have 2 books this month. Enjoy!
“The thing about getting older is that you don’t need everything to be possible anymore, you just need things to be certain.”
by Monica Ali
📖 Book: Brick Lane
by Monica Ali
“The thing about getting older is that you don’t need everything to be possible anymore, you just need things to be certain.”
I’ve had this Monica Ali quote on my wall since I was in my 20s. I’m a writer, and we receive a lot of rejection—actually, mostly rejection! Back then, I wanted a yes, and it wasn’t happening fast enough. The certainty of a yes would have confirmed my talent, dismissed my imposter syndrome, and made me feel safe. But the big yes never came, and now I’m in a different phase of my life.
I take my daughter to the school bus in the morning, make dinner for us in the evening, and read her a story at bedtime. The certainty of this routine feels better than any yes I was waiting for. I love this book because it lays bare the humbling impermanence of life, which none of us escapes.
“Oil your scalp, Order Takeout, Do Nothing for Twenty Minutes, Stop Educating People About Racism…”
by Oludara Adeeyo
📖 Book: Self-Care for Black Women: 150 Ways to Radically Accept & Prioritize Your Mind, Body, and Soul
by Oludara Adeeyo
I didn’t realize that I had been waiting for someone to give me permission to prioritize myself. This book enlightened me, and I started devoting a few minutes each night before bed to get comfortable, sip some tea, and read a few pages.
Adeeyo’s tone is calming and insightful, with well-phrased sista-girl prompts like: “Oil your scalp, Order Takeout, Do Nothing for Twenty Minutes, Stop Educating People About Racism…”
I recently got this for a dear friend who is feeling stuck, and we are reading it together. Grab a loved one and tag team! It will remind you that it takes a village—and that we don’t have to do it all alone, ALL the time.
Hope this helps get you to the next day. ~g
The Next Day is a monthly column written by Gardenia Spiegel that explores timely, thought-provoking themes through the lens of daily life, emotional resilience, and self-care—especially for busy women and moms. Gardenia Spiegel is a mother, writer, and creator of Book Nook.
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