When the News Feels Like Too Much: Finding Steady Ground in Uncertain Times

Last month I experienced a bit of an existential dread, and I wasn’t the only one.

I keep a pulse on the news, and the AI headlines were causing me some anxiety. Not just artificial intelligence headlines either. Between whistleblowers’ alarms of unfettered AI and what’s happening politically and economically, I was concerned.

A great deal has happened in a short time, and much of it has no clear ending. Before we talk about what helps, let’s name what’s weighing on a lot of us, because naming something loosens its grip.

What’s in the headlines lately

Technology is outpacing our ability to protect it. There seems to be one headline after another about the pace and rate of AI’s development. The Hugging Face hack in July, OpenAI’s security breach of outside services, including U.S government websites, in September and, recently, banks finding unvetted AI agents inside customer accounts, some seemingly acting on their own. The banks are now scrambling to put guardrails in place.

The experts disagree, and leadership feels thin. A researcher who left Anthropic in September warned that AI could kill us all by the end of the decade, through things like cyber-attacks and bioterrorism. Other whistleblowers share that fear, while some industry voices call it overblown. Meanwhile, Trump says the only guardrail AI needs is a “strong and smart” president and that the companies will regulate themselves, even though polls show majorities in both parties want a federal regulator.

Work and money feel shaky. Canada lost 68,000 jobs in September, most of them among workers aged 15 to 24, and unemployment rose to 6.5 %. AI adds to the worry, with Goldman Sachs estimating it’s costing the U.S roughly 11,000 jobs a month, hitting early-career workers hardest. Alongside, inflation rose to 3.1 percent, driven by gas, which is up 27.8 % from last year and which Statistics Canada links to the conflict in the Middle East.

Ground rules feel less settled. Democracy trackers such as Sweden’s V-Dem Institute describes the speed of the U.S democracy decline as unprecedented. Some critics dispute how democracy indices measure or interpret such changes, while emphasizing institutional resilience. Whichever view one holds, the feeling that familiar rules are shifting can itself be unsettling.

Easing the anxiety

Uncertainty isn’t comfortable, but it’s something we can learn to carry and manage. As a coach, here are some things I do for myself, or with my clients, to help.

• Name it, then sort it. Write down what’s worrying you, then divide it into “I can influence this” and “I can’t influence this.” Give your energy to the first list and practice letting go of or accepting the second.

• Take practical steps. Regarding technology for instance, never provide your banking password to an AI tool, favour bank-supported, read-only connections. Update your devices and smart appliances, use strong unique passwords and verify urgent or surprising requests through a second

• Build a buffer. A small cushion of savings or investments, a flexible budget, and a current resume and network can turn “What if?” into “I’d manage.”

• Build a plan. Ask, “If this happened, what would mt first three moves be?” A rough plan calms the mind more than guessing the future.

• Curate your information. Choose a few reliable sources and check them at set times. Doom-scrolling and online eco chambers can feed fear.

• Invest in what lasts. Judgement, curiosity, adaptability, and trusted relationships hold value as tools change. Stay hands-on with AI rather than avoiding it; familiarity shrinks fear.

• Act locally. Vote, volunteer, and join the conversation at work or in your community. Small actions are the best antidote to helplessness.

• Protect your health and relationships. Sleep, movement, daylight, and time with people who steady you aren’t luxuries, they’re how you stay resilient.  

  
  

Concern is useful, constant dread isn’t. If worry is disrupting your sleep, focus, or relationships, reach out to a friend, a coach, or a therapist. You don’t have to carry it alone.

We don’t get certainty; however, we do get choices about where we look, what we do, and who we face it with. If this resonates with you, what’s one small and steady step you can take today? I’d love to know.

Best,